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mr_cain's reviews
98 reviews
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book genuinely kept me guessing. I did suspect the real culprit several times, but I waffled often. Hawkins does a great job supplying motive and details for each of the suspects without it feeling like a painfully deliberate red herring.
Hawkins also makes the characters each their own and her style is distinct for each chapter in a different POV (i.e. Helen, Jules, + Sean's chapters all feel genuine vs. the same style with different names as many POV switching books seem to do). She provides a cast of characters who are complex and feel so real. Not every character is deeply complicated but they all have their own established psyches which I loved.
I can easily call myself a Paula Hawkins fan after this.
Graphic: Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Bullying, Body shaming, Infidelity, Rape, Fatphobia, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Blood
Minor: Vomit, Eating disorder, and Chronic illness
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Murder, Bullying, Child abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Sexual content, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault and Vomit
Minor: Animal death
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Infertility, and Abandonment
Moderate: Classism, Death, Child death, Abortion, Racism, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Sexual content, Miscarriage, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Cursing, and Violence
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The second reason I docked .25 of a star was
I must say this is absolutely one of my favorite books. Ms. Kingsolver's longer books are always such a treat to invest time in. This book took me a while to finish, but I'm so glad I stuck it out. Initially, I was put off by the slow pace, but it grows on you. It's more of a walk in the woods in terms of pace rather than a story with a definite finish line. I love how the town/woods and the animals are characters in themselves both literally and metaphorically.
I loved all three plot lines so much. I was initially put off by Garnett and his views and I was unsure of where his story was going, but I learned to love him too. I even learned about pestecides and crop management! From a fiction book! What?!
I also loved how she ended the book.
I could not recommend this book enough. I did not consider myself any kind of hardline environmentmentalist: I didn't know much and agriculture was not ever on my mind. This book opened up a world to me I'd never spend time in and it was wonderful. I loved it.
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Incest, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness
Minor: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Addiction, and Sexual content
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
4.0
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.