barbara fister reviewed Shelter by Catherine Jinks
Review of 'Shelter' on 'LibraryThing'
I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller (which lives up to the word). A woman living in hiding from an abusive husband takes in a similarly-fugitive woman and her kids when a network she belongs to connects them. The woman is a nervous basket case who doesn't seem to see how badly her constant anxiety is affecting her children, but she insists her violent ex will kill them all, given the chance. returnreturnThere's an interesting combination of domestic context (the day-to-day women's work of taking care of a baby and a traumatized little girl) with suspense as both women's exes pose a threat, though it becomes increasingly clear that the children's mother is a threat in her own way. The plot works, though getting through the twisty end requires the narrator to behave in ways not totally consistent with what we know of her. But overall, a thriller that delivers on the …
I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller (which lives up to the word). A woman living in hiding from an abusive husband takes in a similarly-fugitive woman and her kids when a network she belongs to connects them. The woman is a nervous basket case who doesn't seem to see how badly her constant anxiety is affecting her children, but she insists her violent ex will kill them all, given the chance. returnreturnThere's an interesting combination of domestic context (the day-to-day women's work of taking care of a baby and a traumatized little girl) with suspense as both women's exes pose a threat, though it becomes increasingly clear that the children's mother is a threat in her own way. The plot works, though getting through the twisty end requires the narrator to behave in ways not totally consistent with what we know of her. But overall, a thriller that delivers on the suspense while probing the trauma of living with manipulative and violent men.