Spooky and uncomfortable in ways you don't expect. I think more people should read this and become uncomfortable with themselves.
Content warning (Review includes spoilers)
I read on and on, wanting to know what happened to Dee's sister, but wow, was the plot twist and end of Dee's story disappointing. Hers was the plot line that made me continue reading, and then this, wth. It just left me annoyed at having wasted my time. The other plot lines of the story mostly just drag on, there are multiple characters rambling, then there's the reveal, which consists of a trope you can guess rather early on, then there's more rambling, and even at the end and after reading the author's note I couldn't really understand what was the point of the book. It was disturbing in its very detailed descriptions of child and animal abuse.
And then after the reveal, [Spoiler] there was not a single word about Ted's dates and if he actually murdered them or just imagined he did? Did he even really go? What was that plot line for? Just to frame him as a weirdo and serial killer even more?
It was so confusing at times to the point it got frustrating, and I don't get why this book was so hyped. It was definitely not for me and I wouldn't recommend it, either.
CW: murder/suicide, illness/death, child abuse & death, animal abuse & death, violence, blood/gore, mental illness, kidnapping, drugs & alcohol, medical procedures used as torture, ableism, self harm. (I guess there's more, these are just the ones I noticed.)
Well this went somewhere I didn't expect. I would have preferred the authors initial idea... the book I thought I was reading for the first 75%
When assigning stars to reviews, I am loathe to give five out of five. Generally, my highest rating is 4.5, because I know that there are actual five-star books out there and I’ll know them when I read them. This book is a five-star, and I didn’t even pause to think about it.
I don’t want to say anything about the story because it’s so well-written and amazingly tight that any plot or character discussion could easily spoil the experience. Let’s just say that it was emotionally surprising and leave it at that.
Additionally, I’d add that I believe it’s the only “horror/thriller” fiction I’ve ever read that has a multi-page bibliography. Catriona Ward did her research, and she has a new fan in me. A beautifully written, superb piece of fiction.
Spooky, unpredictable, compassionate
I picked this book from the local store shortly after finishing Sundial, because I really enjoyed Catriona Ward's writing.
This was another thrilling page-turner about a young girl's disappearance in rural Washington state and the people who are involved in solving the mystery.
Catriona Ward is a force of nature behind the written word. She's fast becoming one of my favorite authors.
I'm speechless!
This book is so good! Just read it!
I saw alot of talk about this book and picked it up at my local library.
I found it confusing at times. When I thought I knew what was going on, the plot changed again. It sure had interesting twists to it.
If u like those books and horror, then this is for you.
That was masterful and actually beautiful. RTC.
I cannot identify exactly why especially without spoilers, but despite someI loved this book. The writing was strong, the plot wrought skillfully and there were moments where I was genuinely surprised. It was definitely the best horror/suspense novel I read this year and reading it on Halloween weekend was a real treat.
I'm not going to talk about the plot at all. You need to read it to believe how ingenious it is and I don't want to spoil anything.
This book will twist you up, wring you out, and throw you on the floor. It's that unsettling. I try not to gush over books but this one starts off good and then it gets better fast.
I'm dizzy with the details of such an intricate story line and the way it all came together. The synopsis claims "It's not what you think" and how many times have you heard that before? Except this time it's true. I don't care how many psychological thrillers you have read or how quickly you have figured out the endings of any of them. No matter what you think, and no matter where you believe this story is headed it's not. Anything else I can say …
I'm not going to talk about the plot at all. You need to read it to believe how ingenious it is and I don't want to spoil anything.
This book will twist you up, wring you out, and throw you on the floor. It's that unsettling. I try not to gush over books but this one starts off good and then it gets better fast.
I'm dizzy with the details of such an intricate story line and the way it all came together. The synopsis claims "It's not what you think" and how many times have you heard that before? Except this time it's true. I don't care how many psychological thrillers you have read or how quickly you have figured out the endings of any of them. No matter what you think, and no matter where you believe this story is headed it's not. Anything else I can say seems pointless so I'm just stopping here stunned by the brilliance of this novel.
I received an advance copy for review.
