hmonkeyreads's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed everything about this book. It felt 100% accurate describing the Caribbean resort vacation experience and I don’t know how accurate the islander POV was but it felt true too.
The story centers upon the disappearance & death of a pretty young American and how that impacts the life of everyone who knew her long after the events transpire.
Really glad I wasn’t reading this while on a tropical vacation!
The story centers upon the disappearance & death of a pretty young American and how that impacts the life of everyone who knew her long after the events transpire.
Really glad I wasn’t reading this while on a tropical vacation!
ellanapton's review against another edition
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
esemple's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
aliciaczellmer's review against another edition
5.0
Alexis Schaitkin is brilliant and oh so talented. This novel’s plot is reminiscent of White Lotus season 2; aka its a “murder mystery” on the surface, but really so so much more than that… it’s a means to provoke the reader to think more deeply about class, culture, time, and the complexity of grief and trauma.
This book was a slow burn (& as a doctor, I knew what happened a hundred pages in when I read the autopsy), but I still absolutely devoured it— why? The prose was mesmerizingly beautiful, chock full of imagery that transported you from scene to scene. I can liken my experience reading her lyrical prose perhaps only to Madeline Miller or Anne Carson, but it is also utterly uniquely her own.
Schaitkin’s raw talent scintillates her thoughtful prose and I canNOT wait to read more by her!!
4.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded up because I’m a sucker for beautiful writing & this was perhaps the best I’ve read this year)
This book was a slow burn (& as a doctor, I knew what happened a hundred pages in when I read the autopsy), but I still absolutely devoured it— why? The prose was mesmerizingly beautiful, chock full of imagery that transported you from scene to scene. I can liken my experience reading her lyrical prose perhaps only to Madeline Miller or Anne Carson, but it is also utterly uniquely her own.
Schaitkin’s raw talent scintillates her thoughtful prose and I canNOT wait to read more by her!!
4.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded up because I’m a sucker for beautiful writing & this was perhaps the best I’ve read this year)
brooke_review's review against another edition
4.0
I was first drawn to Alexis Schaitkin's debut novel Saint X, about a wealthy teenage girl who goes missing during a resort vacation in the Caribbean, because of its similarities to the Natalee Holloway disappearance in the mid-2000s. Natalee's face was splashed across the news, and her disappearance became lore and a cautionary tale for young women everywhere about the dangers lurking in every corner of the world, ready to prey on the youthful and beautiful at a moment's notice. Growing up hearing stories such as these all my life, naturally, I had to read Saint X.
Saint X opens on its namesake - the island of Saint X - where at first glance, everything is lush, luxurious, and alluring. This playground for the wealthy is where Alison, the novel's missing girl, her parents, and 7 year-old sister Claire are spending a week's vacation during the winter of 1995. On their last night in Saint X, Alison goes missing, and when her body later turns up on a nearby island, foul play is suspected. Alison was last seen with two of the resort's employees, and the men are taken in as suspects, but later released. Alison's death goes unsolved, and her parents and sister return to their lives in New York City forever changed.
Fast forward to present-day, where Claire is now grown and living and working at a publishing house in New York. Claire only has faint glimpses and memories of the sister she lost, and when she stumbles across one of the men accused in the crime - Clive - she becomes obsessed with discovering the truth of what happened to Alison that fateful night, and who exactly was the sister she never got to know.
Saint X is a slow burn of a novel, and is all about the secret, private sides of themselves people keep hidden from the world. More a work of literary fiction than a suspense thriller, Saint X takes readers inside the heads of the novel's characters, gradually telling the story of Alison's fate at a languid pace, slowly and deliberately revealing bits and pieces of the characters and their motives. As readers learn more about the characters, the characters, in turn, learn more about themselves, making this as much a novel about exploration and self-discovery as it is about a crime that takes place on the sandy shores of a resort town.
Saint X is an unusual book, not quite like anything I have ever read before. With anecdotes from minor characters mingling with the foremost narrative as told in snippets by Claire, Clive, and Alison, all of the pieces of this edgy and atmospheric novel come together to create a vividly stunning read.
Sure to be enjoyed by those who are looking for something a little different, as well as readers who are into "buzzy" books, Saint X is destined to be one of this year's hottest reads.
Note - I listened to an audio production of Saint X, complete with a full cast of characters, which made for an enjoyable listening experience. I dislike when females read for males and vice versa, so I was pleased to discover that this wasn't the case with Saint X. This is the first audiobook I have listened to that incorporated sound effects, such as beach waves and an airplane jetting off the tarmac, which was a nice touch. This audiobook is recommended to listeners who want to lose themselves in the dark and murky depths of this sinister novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Saint X opens on its namesake - the island of Saint X - where at first glance, everything is lush, luxurious, and alluring. This playground for the wealthy is where Alison, the novel's missing girl, her parents, and 7 year-old sister Claire are spending a week's vacation during the winter of 1995. On their last night in Saint X, Alison goes missing, and when her body later turns up on a nearby island, foul play is suspected. Alison was last seen with two of the resort's employees, and the men are taken in as suspects, but later released. Alison's death goes unsolved, and her parents and sister return to their lives in New York City forever changed.
Fast forward to present-day, where Claire is now grown and living and working at a publishing house in New York. Claire only has faint glimpses and memories of the sister she lost, and when she stumbles across one of the men accused in the crime - Clive - she becomes obsessed with discovering the truth of what happened to Alison that fateful night, and who exactly was the sister she never got to know.
Saint X is a slow burn of a novel, and is all about the secret, private sides of themselves people keep hidden from the world. More a work of literary fiction than a suspense thriller, Saint X takes readers inside the heads of the novel's characters, gradually telling the story of Alison's fate at a languid pace, slowly and deliberately revealing bits and pieces of the characters and their motives. As readers learn more about the characters, the characters, in turn, learn more about themselves, making this as much a novel about exploration and self-discovery as it is about a crime that takes place on the sandy shores of a resort town.
Saint X is an unusual book, not quite like anything I have ever read before. With anecdotes from minor characters mingling with the foremost narrative as told in snippets by Claire, Clive, and Alison, all of the pieces of this edgy and atmospheric novel come together to create a vividly stunning read.
Sure to be enjoyed by those who are looking for something a little different, as well as readers who are into "buzzy" books, Saint X is destined to be one of this year's hottest reads.
Note - I listened to an audio production of Saint X, complete with a full cast of characters, which made for an enjoyable listening experience. I dislike when females read for males and vice versa, so I was pleased to discover that this wasn't the case with Saint X. This is the first audiobook I have listened to that incorporated sound effects, such as beach waves and an airplane jetting off the tarmac, which was a nice touch. This audiobook is recommended to listeners who want to lose themselves in the dark and murky depths of this sinister novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
andiwhitehead93's review against another edition
3.0
This murder-mystery really strayed from the mold which I appreciated. I liked the different perspectives - they felt more like an interview. Definitely a slow burn that transitioned to a real drag at times. The ending was disappointing only because it wasn’t the sensational, juicy, dark reveal that we were looking for. Kind of unsatisfying.
amysbooknook8's review against another edition
2.0
Saint X tells a "story" of a young privileged white girl that mysterious dies on vacation with her family.
What I loved:
I kept waiting for the big reveal or the truth bomb
What I didn't love:
Please see section above - "what I loved" LOL
REVIEW -
Writing/Ease of Reading: 2/5
tbh - the writing was hard to follow and at times I felt like I was reading from two different authors. There were times where the the author was very descriptive and other times where it was very bland.
Plot: 2/5
The premise was great, but I would have preferred a different style of execution personally.
Character Development: 1/5
I wanted to care about the characters... any of them, but it just didn't jive for me and I didn't end up caring about any of the characters.
Pace: 2/5
The pace of the book had good moments where I just wanted to keep reading, but it also felt like you were running in place.
Level of Invulgence: 2/5
It had good moments and I really wanted to know what happened to Allison...
Ending: 1/5
I feel like this book was teasing me the entire time and I was left with some major blue balls. This one didn't work for me personally - but if I will say that this book goes well into the details of "murder for entertainment".
**thank you so much Celadon Books for the gifted ARC for an honest review
What I loved:
I kept waiting for the big reveal or the truth bomb
What I didn't love:
Please see section above - "what I loved" LOL
REVIEW -
Writing/Ease of Reading: 2/5
tbh - the writing was hard to follow and at times I felt like I was reading from two different authors. There were times where the the author was very descriptive and other times where it was very bland.
Plot: 2/5
The premise was great, but I would have preferred a different style of execution personally.
Character Development: 1/5
I wanted to care about the characters... any of them, but it just didn't jive for me and I didn't end up caring about any of the characters.
Pace: 2/5
The pace of the book had good moments where I just wanted to keep reading, but it also felt like you were running in place.
Level of Invulgence: 2/5
It had good moments and I really wanted to know what happened to Allison...
Ending: 1/5
I feel like this book was teasing me the entire time and I was left with some major blue balls. This one didn't work for me personally - but if I will say that this book goes well into the details of "murder for entertainment".
**thank you so much Celadon Books for the gifted ARC for an honest review
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I dont know how to feel
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racism, Colonisation, and Blood