alissa417's review against another edition
5.0
I can't stop thinking of scenes from this novel. So many unexpected developments. And I loved how the changing perspectives in each chapter created new understanding of continued threads and characters. Such a good read, thanks for the ARC, NetGalley. I can't recommend this one enough.
mybrilliantbasset's review against another edition
4.0
part a little life (young friends come to macabre ends), part east of eden (female agent of chaos), part my dark vanessa (2000s high school rollercoaster flashbacks), and part cherry (dudes talkin bout that war). i listened on audiobook and wished i had read the physical copy to frantically flip back and forth and watch everything connect. go for it!
sonicboi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
heather425's review
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
I'm a firm believer that all small towns have their secrets. I think Markley believes this too. And he reveals some big secrets of New Canaan, Ohio. This book begins as one young man returns home about ten years after high school gradation with a package taped under the fender of his pickup truck. On this fateful night he runs into several classmates and we learn of three who are also on missions of their own. Ohio unfolds in four chapters: Bill Ashcraft, Stacey Moore, Dan Eaton, and Tina Ross. Within those chapters we learn of their interconnected lives in high school and to the night they all reconnect in 2013. Markley shows the horrible effects of the boredom of coming of age in a small town. And sometimes boredom leads to devious acts. These devious acts are what keeps the book moving. It can also be hard to read some of the gory details, but they are necessary to the story. The prose in this book is beautiful and all the twists and turns do not feel overdone. I look forward to Markley's next novel.
I'm a firm believer that all small towns have their secrets. I think Markley believes this too. And he reveals some big secrets of New Canaan, Ohio. This book begins as one young man returns home about ten years after high school gradation with a package taped under the fender of his pickup truck. On this fateful night he runs into several classmates and we learn of three who are also on missions of their own. Ohio unfolds in four chapters: Bill Ashcraft, Stacey Moore, Dan Eaton, and Tina Ross. Within those chapters we learn of their interconnected lives in high school and to the night they all reconnect in 2013. Markley shows the horrible effects of the boredom of coming of age in a small town. And sometimes boredom leads to devious acts. These devious acts are what keeps the book moving. It can also be hard to read some of the gory details, but they are necessary to the story. The prose in this book is beautiful and all the twists and turns do not feel overdone. I look forward to Markley's next novel.
acshacker's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.25
cpwang65's review against another edition
4.0
Quite a dark story. Covers a cast of characters that met in high school and have become adults in what has become a dying Ohio town. During high school life was more glamorous, like for the members of the men’s sport teams like football and basketball, and the girls that dated them.
As adults, things like the opioid crisis, fighting in the military in the aftermath of 9-11, the declining economy, have all contributed to the decline of the town’s economy and difficult living conditions for the group living now that they are adults.
The book is structured into 4 very long sections each centered around a main character. Plus there is a short introductory section that sets the stage and a concluding section that ties some loose ends about a character. Towards the end there is a surprising twist.
The stories behind the characters are very detailed. Sometimes I got lost in the maze of interactions between the different characters. The book is quite long, nearly 600 pages.
Parts of the book are very dark and some bad things happen during the course of the book. A very serious read.
As adults, things like the opioid crisis, fighting in the military in the aftermath of 9-11, the declining economy, have all contributed to the decline of the town’s economy and difficult living conditions for the group living now that they are adults.
The book is structured into 4 very long sections each centered around a main character. Plus there is a short introductory section that sets the stage and a concluding section that ties some loose ends about a character. Towards the end there is a surprising twist.
The stories behind the characters are very detailed. Sometimes I got lost in the maze of interactions between the different characters. The book is quite long, nearly 600 pages.
Parts of the book are very dark and some bad things happen during the course of the book. A very serious read.
nscelzi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
asp426's review
3.0
This book came highly recommended from a friend. I struggled to get into the story, but finally did. Truly all I have to say now that it’s over is Huh? Not sure what to think about it. Very dark and difficult to read at times. And I never really felt like there was an redemption for any of the characters sadly. So yeah. Not sure that I’d recommend it, but once I did get into it I had to finish it to see what happened.
mroderique's review against another edition
challenging
dark
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
5.0
No notes; I think about this book once a week