jrademacher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Gun violence and Rape
shawnna_reads2's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Sexual violence, Suicide, Infidelity, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Bullying, Rape, Torture, Violence, Sexual assault, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Abortion
ahale047's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Miscarriage, Abortion, Rape, and Mass/school shootings
nicky_m98's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Rape, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Suicide, Murder, Police brutality, Vomit, Gun violence, and Death
abbeycadabra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Gaslighting, Infertility, Miscarriage, Murder, Police brutality, Pedophilia, Rape, Alcoholism, Cancer, Classism, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
semeyers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was definitely a victim of overwriting/too much detail. It dragged and parts of it felt like they went on forever. Usually I can barely put one of Slaughter's books down, but I felt myself getting distracted from this one and needing to take breaks here and there to get through it. I appreciated the repeated "Past" timeline from the different perspectives and how new details were added each time, I think it worked to show how failable and easily manipulated memory is. But I did not like the repeated perspectives in the "Current" timeline, especially because it felt like nothing new was gleaned from the retellings. I also felt like a lot of the conversations between the sisters were just constant rehashing that went on for pages too long and did not move the plot forward at all. I wish this book was edited with a more heavy hand and made 100-150 pages shorter, it would have kept things moving and made the events at the end more shocking.
That being said, I think the story was quite good. I loved all of the characters, Sam, Charlie, Rusty, Ben, Lenore, Gamma, flaws and all. I think they were quite well written overall. Every one of them was complex and you continuously learned about them as the book went on. They all (maybe with the exception of Lenore) had a really nice character arc that was wrapped up in the end. I enjoyed that the "Past" timeline was more of a focus.
Overall, did enjoy this book. I always give caution with Slaughter's writing due to the amount and graphic-nature of the violence perpetuated, especially against women. If this is not something that would stop you from reading a book, then I would check this one out.
Graphic: Rape, Medical trauma, Murder, Gun violence, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Miscarriage
Minor: Transphobia, Terminal illness, and Cancer
dany_westfall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Sin duda un buen libro, con un muy buen final.
Graphic: Rape, Emotional abuse, and Mass/school shootings
fieldstone's review against another edition
3.0
Rusty Quinn is a notorious defense attorney in a small town. The town calls him the lawyer to the damed as he defends rapist and murders. Twenty eight years ago was the worst night for the Quinn family. The daughters Sam and Charlie have never been the same after they saw their mother murdered. Sam was shot in the head trying to protect Charlie. Charlie has trouble coping after everything she went through.
Now, tragedy strikes again as there is a school shooting and Charlie is a witness to the tragedy. Rusty races to defend Kelly.
What happened then and now are linked and slowly all the pieces of the puzzle come together.
This book was very emotional as the sisters go through how the tragedy effected them mentally and physically and how they work to put their life back on track. There is so much drama and hardship in this book that it is a lot to process .
Graphic: Suicide, Rape, Death of parent, and Death
motylovesbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, and Murder
sydneyaryn__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Infertility, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Death, Injury/injury detail, Violence, Miscarriage, Rape, Death of parent, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Child death, and Grief
Moderate: Infidelity, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Chronic illness and Alcohol