melbsreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Trigger warnings: hostage situation, gun violence, school shooting, blood, gore, ,spoiler>Islamophobia, white supremacy, online radicalisation
Okay, so here's the thing: I am fully aware that this is a much beloved thriller and that I have a very unpopular opinion where this book is concerned. But also where this book is concerned? I am straight up channelling Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion yelling "No! It's just DUMB!"
I'm not gonna lie, a huge number of my problems here come from working in a school. This is not how lockdowns work. This is not how evacuation plans work. This is not how TEENAGERS work.
You cannot tell me for a second that THIS many kids would have phones on, like, 25% battery or less at 9.30am. You cannot tell me for a second that a school would think it's a good idea to evacuate primary aged children down a cliff face to wait for police evacuation BY BOAT. You cannot tell me for a second that a teacher who's been through dozens of lockdown drills AND who knows that this lockdown is the real thing would be getting their class to read poetry or do a dress rehearsal of Macbeth.
You cannot tell me that an art teacher with a roomful of 9 year olds and a gunman outside is taking the time to make little clay tiles to block the window. You cannot tell me that a school library has no technology at all. And you cannot tell me that teenagers would try and block the door with BOOKS. As a school librarian, I can tell you that literally any time I turn my back, my kids are moving the goddamned furniture around. If you're taking the books off the shelves anyway, they'd be blocking the door with THE SHELVES.
Essentially, I could not suspend my disbelief for a single second. And the big dramatic plot twist? It honestly felt kind of cheap.
I feel like I've been extremely negative for a 3 star review. I did like the characters and the writing. I just couldn't deal with the actual plot. Not for a second.
Okay, so here's the thing: I am fully aware that this is a much beloved thriller and that I have a very unpopular opinion where this book is concerned. But also where this book is concerned? I am straight up channelling Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion yelling "No! It's just DUMB!"
I'm not gonna lie, a huge number of my problems here come from working in a school. This is not how lockdowns work. This is not how evacuation plans work. This is not how TEENAGERS work.
You cannot tell me for a second that THIS many kids would have phones on, like, 25% battery or less at 9.30am. You cannot tell me for a second that a school would think it's a good idea to evacuate primary aged children down a cliff face to wait for police evacuation BY BOAT. You cannot tell me for a second that a teacher who's been through dozens of lockdown drills AND who knows that this lockdown is the real thing would be getting their class to read poetry or do a dress rehearsal of Macbeth.
You cannot tell me that an art teacher with a roomful of 9 year olds and a gunman outside is taking the time to make little clay tiles to block the window. You cannot tell me that a school library has no technology at all. And you cannot tell me that teenagers would try and block the door with BOOKS. As a school librarian, I can tell you that literally any time I turn my back, my kids are moving the goddamned furniture around. If you're taking the books off the shelves anyway, they'd be blocking the door with THE SHELVES.
Essentially, I could not suspend my disbelief for a single second. And the big dramatic plot twist? It honestly felt kind of cheap.
I feel like I've been extremely negative for a 3 star review. I did like the characters and the writing. I just couldn't deal with the actual plot. Not for a second.
sarahp85's review against another edition
5.0
Quickest read of the year so far. If I'd had the day off when I started, I'm sure I would have finished it in one day.
I often forget how much I love to read thrillers/suspense books. But wow this was a good one!!
I often forget how much I love to read thrillers/suspense books. But wow this was a good one!!
lisam0183_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
Whilst being good, this was also a very hard read as these things do happen in real life and it's a fear of mine.
Mr Marr is the head teacher of a remote school that comes under attack of gunmen. He is seriously hurt and not able to protect the rest of the school. Their are teachers and children separated in different parts and the story splits between them, the police and families.
This was a very tense read and the pace was fast, which made you want to keep going.
Mr Marr is the head teacher of a remote school that comes under attack of gunmen. He is seriously hurt and not able to protect the rest of the school. Their are teachers and children separated in different parts and the story splits between them, the police and families.
This was a very tense read and the pace was fast, which made you want to keep going.
bovver's review against another edition
3.0
Read it in two evenings. It’s gripping, but in a hammy, trashy, shallow kind of way, with a moral of ‘love will save us’ hammered home without subtlety or elegance and undermining what is essentially a solid, thrilling premise. I can see why people love this book, but it felt a bit like being preached too.
riedk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.25
sallyc23's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
hanrutous's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
gracechrister's review against another edition
3.0
for some reason i found this hard to follow for like half of it, even at the end when i’d worked out who was who i was beyond actually caring about the people involved
phillysaurus's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Very powerful book. Strong characters, and POVs that add depth to what could have been a more linear and basic story. Would recommend.
mushimushi's review against another edition
sad
tense
slow-paced
2.0
Not for me, I did not like that the author had to spell out every allusion they were trying to make on top of how dry the writing is. A lot of telling and very little showing, I didn’t really care about any of the characters I was told to care about. The only thing saving this was the twist.