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bookellys's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
saw this on Between The Covers and thought it sounded like a really good read. The opening sentence hooks you in - you already know that the children are dead, you already know that it was the nanny, Louise, who did it… but why??
The rest of the book let’s you in deeper into Louise’s background, her living conditions, her thoughts and anxieties, and her odd behaviour (that I really don’t understand why Myriam and Paul put up with it to be honest!) but I’m not sure it goes deep enough - I’m still scratching my head a little trying to really understand why? When did the fuse get tripped?
Don’t get me wrong, she always demonstrated some questionable behaviours (the chicken??) but she loved the children and the breakdown of that seemed very sudden. We know she was scared of not being needed but there was the potential of another job with the twins 🤷🏼♀️ I’d also have like to know more about what happened with Stephanie.
All the way through this was a 4 star read fir me, in anticipation of a solid conclusion but the end left me underwhelmed and wanting to know more so a 3 star overall. This is a short book, only 207 pages - I’d have definitely liked a few more!
The rest of the book let’s you in deeper into Louise’s background, her living conditions, her thoughts and anxieties, and her odd behaviour (that I really don’t understand why Myriam and Paul put up with it to be honest!) but I’m not sure it goes deep enough - I’m still scratching my head a little trying to really understand why? When did the fuse get tripped?
Don’t get me wrong, she always demonstrated some questionable behaviours (the chicken??) but she loved the children and the breakdown of that seemed very sudden. We know she was scared of not being needed but there was the potential of another job with the twins 🤷🏼♀️ I’d also have like to know more about what happened with Stephanie.
All the way through this was a 4 star read fir me, in anticipation of a solid conclusion but the end left me underwhelmed and wanting to know more so a 3 star overall. This is a short book, only 207 pages - I’d have definitely liked a few more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
natalya_c14's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
madamelacy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The book opens with a murder scene, so you know what ultimately happens. The rest of the book tells the story of the apparently perfect nanny, but then she starts to do things which are increasingly unsettling and bizarre. The parents are so grateful for the nanny that they make excuses for some of the red flags.
Really well-written psychological thriller.
Really well-written psychological thriller.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Mental illness and Self harm
kingsteph's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol and Classism
veelaughtland's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Mental illness, Self harm, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Murder
sophsg88's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Mental illness
mandi4886's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Xenophobia, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
headintheclouds_98's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
This read despite the rating I gave it was hard to put down. There was a considerable amount of xenophobia scattered throughout which at times took me a back as I was so deep in the writing which to me was atmospheric throughout and kept me hook, even though the outcome of what happened was presented to us on the first page from the get go.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, and Murder
library_bee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Child death
Moderate: Mental illness
missknown's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Right before I pick up Lullaby I gave a quick glance over the reviews and a lot of people were complaining this is not a thriller, that the story is more of a character study. And they were right! This is NOT A THRILLER!! I'm going even a step further and say this is not even a mystery. You won't be on the edge of your seat while reading, you won't be trying to uncover what the characters are hiding because for the reader everything is laid out on the page.
Louise is a nanny of two little kids and the children are dead. Louise killed them. Then, the story goes back to when everything started and present the characters and their personalities. There isn't a tipping point when everything starts to go wrong or dark secrets are being hidden.
The story constructs itself on these characters. Their actions, their thoughts. As readers we see everything. And in the end, Louise is not seen as a victim in any way shape or form. She's still a killer, now a killer with a story.
As I was reading I was questioning myself in what genre this book should fall into. The story is slow to medium paced, there isn't any romance, no mystery, no thrilling, no drama. It's purely a story about characters. Although those characters represent the worst in humans. Not a single character is loveable. Some are just egotistical and others are abusers. But all of them represent a horrifying side of humans. And because of that and other small moments throughout the story, I would put this in the horror genre. In the mild side of horror, but in the genre nonetheless.
The gruesomeness of the crime, what some characters have gone through, some of the thoughts they all have, and the final line - which made my heart skip a bit! - all construct this horrible view of what people are capable of. So it's not the story itself that is scary in any way, instead are the characters actions that create this evil world that sadly exists. So it's almost a psychological horror without fully being one. This is a very complicated book to define!
Overall, I usually don't enjoy a character-based story, I prefer a plot-moved book that is always more fast-paced. Although the chapters are short and not numbered, which gives a continuity feeling I really liked, it doesn't lose much time describing settings or characters leaving their actions and thoughts to do that over time. And because of that, the story is always moving forward. It doesn't feel like nothing is happening.
I enjoyed it more than I was expecting. And if you like books about horrible people, don't mind getting a little freaked out, enjoy the psychological aspect that goes behind committing a crime, this can be the story for you. Although I can't stress enough... THIS IS NOT A THRILLER!
Louise is a nanny of two little kids and the children are dead. Louise killed them. Then, the story goes back to when everything started and present the characters and their personalities. There isn't a tipping point when everything starts to go wrong or dark secrets are being hidden.
The story constructs itself on these characters. Their actions, their thoughts. As readers we see everything. And in the end, Louise is not seen as a victim in any way shape or form. She's still a killer, now a killer with a story.
As I was reading I was questioning myself in what genre this book should fall into. The story is slow to medium paced, there isn't any romance, no mystery, no thrilling, no drama. It's purely a story about characters. Although those characters represent the worst in humans. Not a single character is loveable. Some are just egotistical and others are abusers. But all of them represent a horrifying side of humans. And because of that and other small moments throughout the story, I would put this in the horror genre. In the mild side of horror, but in the genre nonetheless.
The gruesomeness of the crime, what some characters have gone through, some of the thoughts they all have, and the final line - which made my heart skip a bit! - all construct this horrible view of what people are capable of. So it's not the story itself that is scary in any way, instead are the characters actions that create this evil world that sadly exists. So it's almost a psychological horror without fully being one. This is a very complicated book to define!
Overall, I usually don't enjoy a character-based story, I prefer a plot-moved book that is always more fast-paced. Although the chapters are short and not numbered, which gives a continuity feeling I really liked, it doesn't lose much time describing settings or characters leaving their actions and thoughts to do that over time. And because of that, the story is always moving forward. It doesn't feel like nothing is happening.
I enjoyed it more than I was expecting. And if you like books about horrible people, don't mind getting a little freaked out, enjoy the psychological aspect that goes behind committing a crime, this can be the story for you. Although I can't stress enough... THIS IS NOT A THRILLER!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, and Blood
Minor: Xenophobia
The character Louise has a mental health illness never specified that can be seen through her actions and thoughts. And all the characters in the book are bad people, either egotistical, shallow, entitled, abusers...