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powerpuffgoat's reviews
73 reviews
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
tense
4.0
I really enjoyed it. I can honestly say I'm happy to see creepypasta redditors being published. I love the relatable urban-legend vibe, and this book was extra creepy to me because I do live in an old house in the middle of nowhere (a millennial who could afford to buy property? Nonsense!)
There are some great horror elements that set a very uneasy atmosphere, even before things go batshit. And honestly, people imposing on your space and stomping on boundaries is a nightmare if it's own.
I will also note that the use of context chapters was really good. Enough exposition without shoving it down, and some great nods to true crime and conspiracy forums.
What I didn't love:
Eve as a main character was very meh. Her relationship with Charlie was also very meh, but that's probably because we barely got a glimpse of it. Or maybe it's because the male author lacks perspective on female POV/WLW relationship.
Eve's inner voice having its own personality, with a name and image of a cymbal monkey... Too cringe for me.
There are some great horror elements that set a very uneasy atmosphere, even before things go batshit. And honestly, people imposing on your space and stomping on boundaries is a nightmare if it's own.
I will also note that the use of context chapters was really good. Enough exposition without shoving it down, and some great nods to true crime and conspiracy forums.
What I didn't love:
Eve as a main character was very meh. Her relationship with Charlie was also very meh, but that's probably because we barely got a glimpse of it. Or maybe it's because the male author lacks perspective on female POV/WLW relationship.
Eve's inner voice having its own personality, with a name and image of a cymbal monkey... Too cringe for me.
All's Well by Mona Awad
5.0
Stellar writing. I listened to the audiobook, and the prose flowed beautifully.
I can understand if the magical realism would not be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Do I fully "get it"? Probably not. But this book had me captive the entire time.
Other things I loved:
I can understand if the magical realism would not be everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Do I fully "get it"? Probably not. But this book had me captive the entire time.
Other things I loved:
- The way chronic illness is portrayed, complete with doctors ignoring your pain and the way people around you act like you're pretending.
- The sheer mania of our main character. It was akin to watching a disaster unfold in real time, knowing what's about to happen but not being able to look away.
- Even if I'm not a Shakespeare expert, I knew enough to appreciate the parallels in this book that don't overly rely on the works of Shakespeare.
Nothing More Dangerous by Allen Eskens
5.0
So far, my favourite book by Allen Eskens.
I love the way he introduces the characters in previous work, to later give us a book centered around a familiar but not "main" character. I was already partial to Boady Sanden based on previous appearances, and this book secured his place in my heart, while also giving him a rich background.
Props to Eskens for writing in a way that doesn't feel like you're reading the same book over and over. In this instance, I also love that we get to experience a crime more as a background event that serves as a way to call out small-town racism, corruption, and pre-conceived biases Boady had when he was a kid.
Finally, I feel that he nailed the narrative voice of a teen in the 60s. No bullshit philosophical musings, no "sounds like a toddler" moments.
I love the way he introduces the characters in previous work, to later give us a book centered around a familiar but not "main" character. I was already partial to Boady Sanden based on previous appearances, and this book secured his place in my heart, while also giving him a rich background.
Props to Eskens for writing in a way that doesn't feel like you're reading the same book over and over. In this instance, I also love that we get to experience a crime more as a background event that serves as a way to call out small-town racism, corruption, and pre-conceived biases Boady had when he was a kid.
Finally, I feel that he nailed the narrative voice of a teen in the 60s. No bullshit philosophical musings, no "sounds like a toddler" moments.
Skin by Kathe Koja
dark
3.75
It won't be everyone's cup of tea. I'm not even sure what genre it falls under.
Set vaguely around the art scene in the late 80s and early 90s, this strange book explores creativity, performance, sexuality, body modification, capitalist exploitation, arguably mental health crises... It's a lot.
I'll admit, I didn't realise initially that it was published in 1993, and I wish I knew that from the start. Reading it in 2024, it was easy to turn my nose up at the "edgy" performances. To be fair, it escalated hugely throughout the book, to the point that even in current times the types of shows described in this book would only attract a very niche crowd.
The flow of the narrative felt like it was happening to me, like I was watching a performance rather than getting involved in these characters' lives. Fitting, in a way.
The writing was quite good, if peculiar. Listening to this in audio form helped. The only thing that bugged me was the abundance of characters, almost all of them with gender-ambiguous names like John Henry (I kept thinking this person was Joan), Nicky, or Matty (which sounded like Maddy in the audiobook). There were also Andy and Andreas, two separate characters. Was Andy a woman? No idea.
This brings us nicely to the characters. While Tess was relatively sympathetic, it was still difficult to relate to her. A slave to her craft, there was always a sense of pretentiousness, a kind of pride to her.
Michael was well-written as this manipulative opportunist, always on a lookout to exploit an artist, or even a form of art for his own gain.
And yet Bibi (so annoyingly named) was both a fascinating character and an absolutely disgusting person. Initially, I understood the bond between Tess and Bibi, this understanding they shared, the non-judgment as fellow artists. But frankly, by the end, I just couldn't comprehend what's left to love.
The slow unraveling of Bibi and the gross enabling of her followers reminded me of the documentary about the cult of Mother Love. The book predates these events, obviously, but it was eerie how accurate it felt.
Set vaguely around the art scene in the late 80s and early 90s, this strange book explores creativity, performance, sexuality, body modification, capitalist exploitation, arguably mental health crises... It's a lot.
I'll admit, I didn't realise initially that it was published in 1993, and I wish I knew that from the start. Reading it in 2024, it was easy to turn my nose up at the "edgy" performances. To be fair, it escalated hugely throughout the book, to the point that even in current times the types of shows described in this book would only attract a very niche crowd.
The flow of the narrative felt like it was happening to me, like I was watching a performance rather than getting involved in these characters' lives. Fitting, in a way.
The writing was quite good, if peculiar. Listening to this in audio form helped. The only thing that bugged me was the abundance of characters, almost all of them with gender-ambiguous names like John Henry (I kept thinking this person was Joan), Nicky, or Matty (which sounded like Maddy in the audiobook). There were also Andy and Andreas, two separate characters. Was Andy a woman? No idea.
This brings us nicely to the characters. While Tess was relatively sympathetic, it was still difficult to relate to her. A slave to her craft, there was always a sense of pretentiousness, a kind of pride to her.
Michael was well-written as this manipulative opportunist, always on a lookout to exploit an artist, or even a form of art for his own gain.
And yet Bibi (so annoyingly named) was both a fascinating character and an absolutely disgusting person. Initially, I understood the bond between Tess and Bibi, this understanding they shared, the non-judgment as fellow artists. But frankly, by the end, I just couldn't comprehend what's left to love.
The slow unraveling of Bibi and the gross enabling of her followers reminded me of the documentary about the cult of Mother Love. The book predates these events, obviously, but it was eerie how accurate it felt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Gore, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Murder, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
2.0
I really had high hopes for this book (which is on me). I had no idea that this was a retelling of The Fall of The House of Usher (which is also on me), but I love mycology fiction, weird gothic settings, and the one other book of T. kingfisher's that I have read.
I was disappointed, firstly, in the fact it was based on Poe's short story, especially in such a blatant way. I'm not some purist who thinks this story is untouchable, but I didn't feel like this take added anything special. In my opinion, this would have been a better stand-alone novella.
Secondly, the characters seemed very boxy, like they each had to act in accordance with their prototype. I wonder if T. kingfisher wasn't used to writing for adults yet at that point?
The main character, in particular, just didn't land with me. Ordinarily I would love a book about a maybe non-binary 19th century soldier who is tired of war... But Alex Easton came out quite boring, and not particularly bright. I didn't like the narrative voice, and found the frequent repetition annoying.
The fungus component was okay, I guess, if largely underwhelming. Again, the idea of sentient fungus is interesting, but it wasn't written well. I also can't help but think that the author didn't research how plausible this could be. She decided on fungus, then wrote the story without much thought.
In the same vein, the resolution appeared to be conveniently simple, and mostly skipped. For all the tedious narration this short novella put me through, it resolved very quickly.
And lastly, I found the language of this book quite grating. Again, I don't know if T. kingfisher put much thought in what people spoke like at the time, but with the addition of a fictional country, I guess it is easy to justify any turn of phrase (like Christ's blood repeating 467 times).
The whole pronoun thing was disappointing too. I appreciate the idea behind it, because I speak multiple languages, some of which diviate in structure (pronouns and gendered nouns, in particular) from English. However, the way it happened in this book felt poorly executed. Firstly, the author comes up with extra pronouns for kids and warriors, but they are used and structured exactly the same as English third person pronouns with no deviation elsewhere. Secondly, it feels hamfisted because the whole narration is in English, and going our of your way to sprinkle them in, while also reminded the reader what that pronoun represents... Not to mention, the words the author selected for these foreign pronouns included "van", "tan", and "than", all of which already double as English words. When you use them in an English sentence, it just isn't great. I ended up replacing these words in my head with "it" and "they" to help me make sense, and even then, I couldn't help but notice in some places the pronoun was in the wrong place.
Overall, it was quite a laborious reading experience for such a promising subject and such a short book.
I was disappointed, firstly, in the fact it was based on Poe's short story, especially in such a blatant way. I'm not some purist who thinks this story is untouchable, but I didn't feel like this take added anything special. In my opinion, this would have been a better stand-alone novella.
Secondly, the characters seemed very boxy, like they each had to act in accordance with their prototype. I wonder if T. kingfisher wasn't used to writing for adults yet at that point?
The main character, in particular, just didn't land with me. Ordinarily I would love a book about a maybe non-binary 19th century soldier who is tired of war... But Alex Easton came out quite boring, and not particularly bright. I didn't like the narrative voice, and found the frequent repetition annoying.
The fungus component was okay, I guess, if largely underwhelming. Again, the idea of sentient fungus is interesting, but it wasn't written well. I also can't help but think that the author didn't research how plausible this could be. She decided on fungus, then wrote the story without much thought.
In the same vein, the resolution appeared to be conveniently simple, and mostly skipped. For all the tedious narration this short novella put me through, it resolved very quickly.
And lastly, I found the language of this book quite grating. Again, I don't know if T. kingfisher put much thought in what people spoke like at the time, but with the addition of a fictional country, I guess it is easy to justify any turn of phrase (like Christ's blood repeating 467 times).
The whole pronoun thing was disappointing too. I appreciate the idea behind it, because I speak multiple languages, some of which diviate in structure (pronouns and gendered nouns, in particular) from English. However, the way it happened in this book felt poorly executed. Firstly, the author comes up with extra pronouns for kids and warriors, but they are used and structured exactly the same as English third person pronouns with no deviation elsewhere. Secondly, it feels hamfisted because the whole narration is in English, and going our of your way to sprinkle them in, while also reminded the reader what that pronoun represents... Not to mention, the words the author selected for these foreign pronouns included "van", "tan", and "than", all of which already double as English words. When you use them in an English sentence, it just isn't great. I ended up replacing these words in my head with "it" and "they" to help me make sense, and even then, I couldn't help but notice in some places the pronoun was in the wrong place.
Overall, it was quite a laborious reading experience for such a promising subject and such a short book.
Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
1.0
Back when I read The Kind Worth Killing, I thought of Peter Swanson as a pretty average author. The book wasn't terrible, so I wasn't opposed to giving Swanson another chance.
What bothered me most about The Kind Worth Killing were the poor characterizations of female characters. Sadly, it is still a major problem in Eight Perfect Murders. Even though the author is no longer obsessed with describing the breasts of every woman who appears in this book, his female characters are written as if he's never met a human woman.
Our MC's late wife is not like other girls, what with her genuine love of poetry. But at least she's skinny eh. An agent comes to our MC with an enquiry, and he continuously wonders if she's into him. After all, she's only about 10 years his junior (this is mentioned twice). The agent, in turn, breaks all investigation protocols because she *checks notes* trusts the main character now.
One of MC's employees is young woman, who doesn't engage him very much in small talk. Besides this, she contributes very little to the plot, and then we learn she's gay. I am still no sure if this was a way to "explain" why she wasn't lusting after her boss, or some misguided attempt at LGBTQ+ inclusion. Then there's MC's store co-owners young wife, who literally propositions him.
Outside of that, you get "bad" women like an older lady who complains, or a murder victim who wrote a book about infidelity.
Now, let's talk about the plot. The premise of the novel is actually not bad. It's nothing new, mind you. Some maniac out there is using crime fiction as inspiration to murder people, what's not to get excited about?
Unfortunately, it's executed so poorly that the book gradually unravels into complete nonsense. Let's start with the obvious complaint. This book casually reveals the plots of several major crime novels with little to no warning. And hey, personally I don't even care about the spoilers, but I totally understand why some readers would be disappointed.
My biggest issue with this is that Peter Swanson uses real-world novels. Clearly, he doesn't have the imagination or writing skills to come up with original ideas. He could have come up with unique crime books, famous in-universe as the perfect murder books. Instead, this feels like a poor attempt to capitalize on existing fiction.
Also, come the fuck on with the blog. Why not make the main character a literature expert in American crime fiction? At least, this way the investigation could have involved him to figure out what other books may have inspired the killer. At least, this way there would be some substance to figuring out the killer's process.
Aside from the fact that the MC is the last person you would approach for his "expertise", none of his actions make sense. "My wife cheated on me, got addicted to cocaine again, and clearly had some sexual trauma. I guess I better ignore it completely and hope everything works out."
It makes even less sense when you learn he killed his wife.
This book, already thin on the plot front, is filled with fluff. There's a whole thing where some tourists come to buy books, and our MC regards how fat they are (yes, I'm serious) and tells us he agreed to mail their books because they had no space in his suitcase. We learn about some customer who complains a lot, about some book signings, some special editions. We know what our characters eat and drink in great detail. To what end? It doesn't serve the characters or the plot, it is pure filler.
The "mystery" is the bit that sucks the most. Aside from the lazy execution of the premise, when the killer was revealed, my sole reaction was "WHO?"In the entire parade of characters we meet in this book, this dude was the opposite of memorable, and barely made an appearance. Then, what followed was a lengthy exposition chapter of how and why he murdered these people with zero space for nuance.
It would have been bad enough if the book had ended there. Unfortunately, the readers then have to suffer through badly written retcon, where it is revealed that our MC has also murdered his wife. And maybe some other dude. But I guess murder is so run-of-the-mill to him now that he can't say for sure..
With a good mystery, a reader discovers things along with the characters, essentially solving the puzzle using the same tools. A bad mystery brings a twist out of nowhere or essentially lies to the reader to trick them out of solving the puzzle.
Aside from the fact that Swanson basically spoiled his own ending while simultaneously spoiling the Roger Ackroyd novel, I have a personal peeve for this trope. Unreliable narrator can be done really well, but this? This is LAZY. This is the author shouting "Gotcha!" like tricking the reader was the goal all along.
What bothered me most about The Kind Worth Killing were the poor characterizations of female characters. Sadly, it is still a major problem in Eight Perfect Murders. Even though the author is no longer obsessed with describing the breasts of every woman who appears in this book, his female characters are written as if he's never met a human woman.
Our MC's late wife is not like other girls, what with her genuine love of poetry. But at least she's skinny eh. An agent comes to our MC with an enquiry, and he continuously wonders if she's into him. After all, she's only about 10 years his junior (this is mentioned twice). The agent, in turn, breaks all investigation protocols because she *checks notes* trusts the main character now.
One of MC's employees is young woman, who doesn't engage him very much in small talk. Besides this, she contributes very little to the plot, and then we learn she's gay. I am still no sure if this was a way to "explain" why she wasn't lusting after her boss, or some misguided attempt at LGBTQ+ inclusion. Then there's MC's store co-owners young wife, who literally propositions him.
Outside of that, you get "bad" women like an older lady who complains, or a murder victim who wrote a book about infidelity.
Now, let's talk about the plot. The premise of the novel is actually not bad. It's nothing new, mind you. Some maniac out there is using crime fiction as inspiration to murder people, what's not to get excited about?
Unfortunately, it's executed so poorly that the book gradually unravels into complete nonsense. Let's start with the obvious complaint. This book casually reveals the plots of several major crime novels with little to no warning. And hey, personally I don't even care about the spoilers, but I totally understand why some readers would be disappointed.
My biggest issue with this is that Peter Swanson uses real-world novels. Clearly, he doesn't have the imagination or writing skills to come up with original ideas. He could have come up with unique crime books, famous in-universe as the perfect murder books. Instead, this feels like a poor attempt to capitalize on existing fiction.
Also, come the fuck on with the blog. Why not make the main character a literature expert in American crime fiction? At least, this way the investigation could have involved him to figure out what other books may have inspired the killer. At least, this way there would be some substance to figuring out the killer's process.
Aside from the fact that the MC is the last person you would approach for his "expertise", none of his actions make sense. "My wife cheated on me, got addicted to cocaine again, and clearly had some sexual trauma. I guess I better ignore it completely and hope everything works out."
It makes even less sense when you learn he killed his wife.
This book, already thin on the plot front, is filled with fluff. There's a whole thing where some tourists come to buy books, and our MC regards how fat they are (yes, I'm serious) and tells us he agreed to mail their books because they had no space in his suitcase. We learn about some customer who complains a lot, about some book signings, some special editions. We know what our characters eat and drink in great detail. To what end? It doesn't serve the characters or the plot, it is pure filler.
The "mystery" is the bit that sucks the most. Aside from the lazy execution of the premise, when the killer was revealed, my sole reaction was "WHO?"
With a good mystery, a reader discovers things along with the characters, essentially solving the puzzle using the same tools. A bad mystery brings a twist out of nowhere or essentially lies to the reader to trick them out of solving the puzzle.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
1.0
I don't know why I gave Blake Crouch another chance. It baffled me that Dark Matter has such great reviews. To me, it felt like a very cheap, half-baked attempt at science fiction that was neither original nor well-executed.
And Recursion follows a similar path. It starts off with a vaguely curious concept, because science (apparently).
Except the science bit is completely handwaved. A chair that records memories and plays them back to treat Alzheimer's? Suddenly, it's also a time machine when you attach it to a deprivation tank that pumps you full of poison? Suuuuure. How does that work, I hear you ask? Don't worry about it, says Blake Crouch.
So then, I'm supposed to care about something else, right? Like the plot, or the characters. Right? Right?
Like these two main characters who have no personality outside of meaning well and being in love. Wait, how did they come to be in love? Don't worry about it, says Blake Crouch.
The plot... I don't even know what to say. The first half of the book felt like a set-up, and the second part of the book was just regurgitation of itself. Annoyingly, it also backtracked on the "science" it established in the set up.
"Oh no, you can't travel into your memories when you were young, a teenage mind couldn't possible handle this!" LOL JK GO AHEAD HELENA
"Once you travel back in time and change the timeline, the previous timeline becomes obsolete, you cannot map and use dead memories!" LOL JK IT'S THE END OF THE BOOK SO NOW YOU CAN
What. The fuck.
Oh, and one of the funniest aspects of this book is that our friendly neighborhood cop comes to this profound realization, after experiencing lifetimes and lifetimes of memories... That in life, you gotta feel the good and the bad. Barry, my guy, I could have told you that for free!
And Recursion follows a similar path. It starts off with a vaguely curious concept, because science (apparently).
Except the science bit is completely handwaved. A chair that records memories and plays them back to treat Alzheimer's? Suddenly, it's also a time machine when you attach it to a deprivation tank that pumps you full of poison? Suuuuure. How does that work, I hear you ask? Don't worry about it, says Blake Crouch.
So then, I'm supposed to care about something else, right? Like the plot, or the characters. Right? Right?
Like these two main characters who have no personality outside of meaning well and being in love. Wait, how did they come to be in love? Don't worry about it, says Blake Crouch.
The plot... I don't even know what to say. The first half of the book felt like a set-up, and the second part of the book was just regurgitation of itself. Annoyingly, it also backtracked on the "science" it established in the set up.
"Oh no, you can't travel into your memories when you were young, a teenage mind couldn't possible handle this!" LOL JK GO AHEAD HELENA
"Once you travel back in time and change the timeline, the previous timeline becomes obsolete, you cannot map and use dead memories!" LOL JK IT'S THE END OF THE BOOK SO NOW YOU CAN
What. The fuck.
Oh, and one of the funniest aspects of this book is that our friendly neighborhood cop comes to this profound realization, after experiencing lifetimes and lifetimes of memories... That in life, you gotta feel the good and the bad. Barry, my guy, I could have told you that for free!
The Silent Bride by Shalini Boland
3.0
I don't really know how to rate this book. From the very first paragraph, where our main character gushes how she is finally getting married, I was ready to roll my eyes. I turned to my husband and asked him if he felt that our wedding day was a culmination of our relationship, and his response was that anyone who thinks that is too self-absorbed.
And that's exactly what followed. Alice, our blushing bride, seems to be entirely self-obsessed to the point she is convinced that everyone either hates her or adores her. And when someone isn't giving her enough attention, she is pouting. This grown woman was upset that her colleagues weren't jumping up and down with glee at the news of her engagement lol.
The writing is super basic, too. The amount of times you get descriptions of what people wear and eat and drink. Hell, every time someone offers a drink to a guest, it's included in the book.
It may sound like I really disliked this book... Except I realized very early on that this reads like a Reddit saga. Fellow redditors may know what I mean: a slew of updates full of outlandish details and clichés, with the original poster completely devoid of self-awareness.
And here's the thing. Reading trainwreck stories on Reddit is a favourite pasttime for me. I love the endless clichés, I love the sense of superiority and all the dopamine it gives me.
As soon as I started thinking of Alice as the OP of some Reddit drama, I enjoyed it immensely. I genuinely would not be surprised if somewhere along the line, a twin pregnancy would crop up.
Hence, I have no idea how to rate this. As a book, it isn't good. The title doesn't even make sense!
As a Reddit saga, it is top notch. It is JUICY. Would 100% read another book by this author if they are similar to this.
So I've settled in the middle, 3/5.
And that's exactly what followed. Alice, our blushing bride, seems to be entirely self-obsessed to the point she is convinced that everyone either hates her or adores her. And when someone isn't giving her enough attention, she is pouting. This grown woman was upset that her colleagues weren't jumping up and down with glee at the news of her engagement lol.
The writing is super basic, too. The amount of times you get descriptions of what people wear and eat and drink. Hell, every time someone offers a drink to a guest, it's included in the book.
It may sound like I really disliked this book... Except I realized very early on that this reads like a Reddit saga. Fellow redditors may know what I mean: a slew of updates full of outlandish details and clichés, with the original poster completely devoid of self-awareness.
And here's the thing. Reading trainwreck stories on Reddit is a favourite pasttime for me. I love the endless clichés, I love the sense of superiority and all the dopamine it gives me.
As soon as I started thinking of Alice as the OP of some Reddit drama, I enjoyed it immensely. I genuinely would not be surprised if somewhere along the line, a twin pregnancy would crop up.
Hence, I have no idea how to rate this. As a book, it isn't good. The title doesn't even make sense!
As a Reddit saga, it is top notch. It is JUICY. Would 100% read another book by this author if they are similar to this.
So I've settled in the middle, 3/5.
A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
2.5
Disappointing. It had great potential, what with the world where it is established that some people have special abilities (like Travis and Bee), and a setting of a secluded commune that lives in fear of the danger outside of its borders.
And then... Meh. The stark change to three narrators wasn't great, especially considering how close they were. They kept recounting the same events, repeating themselves. It made me feel as though the author thinks the readers are unable to follow the story unless reminded what the story is.
The language, particularly from Bee's POV, was kind of... teenage? The long passages about wanting a man, wanting to marry, again and again. Bee was once again a missed opportunity, a blind woman with the ability to hear things she shouldn't. Pining for an alcoholic who speaks fluent exposition.
It's not just him, actually. Everyone is devoid of subtlety, overexplaining the tiniest detail.
But then there are also the inconsistencies within the story. Bee can hear a baby's heartbeat and gender in the womb, yet when it is convenient, someone can sneak up on her to attack?
Toward the end, people just start doing shit for the plot, which adds an extra layer of annoyance.They're all set to leave, but Bee goes to the leader's house to *checks notes* leave a flower there and of course, in spite of her superpower, Eli manages to catch her and trap her in a closet that conveniently can only be opened for outside.
Later, she actively chases after the guy and surprise, surprise, he is stronger than her. He overpowers her and nearly kills her. Meanwhile, her "sister" is shot, but hey, it's the kind of gun wound that only requires a two-day stay at the hospital. And as the commune members emerge in the outside world after missing for years, everyone just kind of goes, "Welp, no follow-up questions!"
And then... Meh. The stark change to three narrators wasn't great, especially considering how close they were. They kept recounting the same events, repeating themselves. It made me feel as though the author thinks the readers are unable to follow the story unless reminded what the story is.
The language, particularly from Bee's POV, was kind of... teenage? The long passages about wanting a man, wanting to marry, again and again. Bee was once again a missed opportunity, a blind woman with the ability to hear things she shouldn't. Pining for an alcoholic who speaks fluent exposition.
It's not just him, actually. Everyone is devoid of subtlety, overexplaining the tiniest detail.
But then there are also the inconsistencies within the story. Bee can hear a baby's heartbeat and gender in the womb, yet when it is convenient, someone can sneak up on her to attack?
Toward the end, people just start doing shit for the plot, which adds an extra layer of annoyance.
Later, she actively chases after the guy and surprise, surprise, he is stronger than her. He overpowers her and nearly kills her. Meanwhile, her "sister" is shot, but hey, it's the kind of gun wound that only requires a two-day stay at the hospital. And as the commune members emerge in the outside world after missing for years, everyone just kind of goes, "Welp, no follow-up questions!"