menniemenace's review against another edition
4.0
Now that I have actual WiFi I can write a proper review.
The story is good even though it isn't fast paced at all. Rob is a trash person but a fun narrator (The audio narrator didn't have an accent so not a fun narrator) and Cassie is such a great female character. She is a well-written miss perfect and those are very rare. I'm actually excited to read her story more than Rob's. Not because it's better but because the character is so good. Sam was lovely in this version too. He wasn't as nice in the show.
The story is good even though it isn't fast paced at all. Rob is a trash person but a fun narrator (The audio narrator didn't have an accent so not a fun narrator) and Cassie is such a great female character. She is a well-written miss perfect and those are very rare. I'm actually excited to read her story more than Rob's. Not because it's better but because the character is so good. Sam was lovely in this version too. He wasn't as nice in the show.
donnakaye64's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
_csharp's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nick_jenkins's review against another edition
5.0
French has an underexploited touch for supernatural horror; even though I knew it wasn't going in that direction, there were moments that reminded me a little of True Detective.
But what is here is masterfully done. I'm excited to read more of the series.
But what is here is masterfully done. I'm excited to read more of the series.
waxingquixotic's review against another edition
2.0
Seriously, man, I wanted to rate this book higher than two stars. I almost went with three, but I just can't do it. This book felt like it ran this long, exhausting marathon only to collapse into a heap, huffing and puffing just before it crossed the three-star line. Right now it's laying there lifelessly. It might get up slowly and crawl across that line later, but I doubt it.
The protagonist of this book really, really annoyed me. It felt like a parody of one of those old black-and-white movies where the picture freezes and the guy steps out toward the camera, lights a cigarette, pulls his hat down, and goes into this long monologue about life or women or his past or whatever. The action would pick up or a new lead would be uncovered, and here comes Rob rambling on for pages and pages.... and pages.
Example:
Cassie: Oh wow! This thing we just found could connect this murder to events from your past! WHOA!
Rob: That is amazing! Great job, Cass!
::Rob steps toward the camera::
Rob: Yeah, Cassie was like that. She was always finding connections to things and blah blah blah. She made a great partner because hey remember that time 20 years ago when my friends and I were in the woods and blah blah blah I want to tell you about all the people I work with and give you a brief description of each one of them and also explain in detail how my boss is and blah blah blah. My mind is trying to remember what happened 20 years ago and you know Cassie and I are great partners and we're best friends and people think we're dating but blah blah blah. Hey, time flies, man. Did I tell you what happened to me as a child? Did I remind you about Katy? Also, her family sure is weird. The people at the dig site are weird. Everyone is a suspect blah blah blah. Let me pause here to tell you how I deal with my roommate and also O'Kelly and my childhood and my current job and Katy and her weird family and interrogation and coffee and vodka and this dream I had and looking for clues and in the woods and we keep hitting dead ends and and and and and blahhhhhhhhhhhh.
Cassie: Hey, Rob. We have a suspect.
Rob: ...
]
The protagonist of this book really, really annoyed me. It felt like a parody of one of those old black-and-white movies where the picture freezes and the guy steps out toward the camera, lights a cigarette, pulls his hat down, and goes into this long monologue about life or women or his past or whatever. The action would pick up or a new lead would be uncovered, and here comes Rob rambling on for pages and pages.... and pages.
Example:
Cassie: Oh wow! This thing we just found could connect this murder to events from your past! WHOA!
Rob: That is amazing! Great job, Cass!
::Rob steps toward the camera::
Rob: Yeah, Cassie was like that. She was always finding connections to things and blah blah blah. She made a great partner because hey remember that time 20 years ago when my friends and I were in the woods and blah blah blah I want to tell you about all the people I work with and give you a brief description of each one of them and also explain in detail how my boss is and blah blah blah. My mind is trying to remember what happened 20 years ago and you know Cassie and I are great partners and we're best friends and people think we're dating but blah blah blah. Hey, time flies, man. Did I tell you what happened to me as a child? Did I remind you about Katy? Also, her family sure is weird. The people at the dig site are weird. Everyone is a suspect blah blah blah. Let me pause here to tell you how I deal with my roommate and also O'Kelly and my childhood and my current job and Katy and her weird family and interrogation and coffee and vodka and this dream I had and looking for clues and in the woods and we keep hitting dead ends and and and and and blahhhhhhhhhhhh.
Cassie: Hey, Rob. We have a suspect.
Rob: ...
]
lizziesw18's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cassipaslick's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
2.0
It's weird how you could like a book through most of it, and then have everything turn around and not like it for the last bit. It's incredibly engaging writing, but the main character becomes an incredible jerk and the whole thing just falls apart.
cat55's review against another edition
3.0
I would've given this story five stars up until the last 75% of the book. Rob seemed like a man no woman would like to know. Yet, he somehow had Cassie convinced. The way Rosalind spoke and was presented practically answered all my theories by the half way mark. Completely unsatisfying ending. The reason I bought this book was to know about the 1984 mystery and towards the end no new information was revealed.
I was invested (though I feel tricked if anything) and I did like the majority of the characters. I also loved the nostalgia of Rob's memories and his childhood friends.
I was invested (though I feel tricked if anything) and I did like the majority of the characters. I also loved the nostalgia of Rob's memories and his childhood friends.
alittleoverdue's review against another edition
3.0
Really well-written, compelling characters, and a story that had me riveted. But then the ending, oh the ending! It was beyond unsatisfying. Now, I don't need a Hollywood ending. I can deal with a not altogether happy ending, but this was disappointing, left several threads hanging, and ultimately was a big let down. I really want to give the author another chance because I found the writing to be so enjoyable, but I don't know if I want to invest my time into another of her books only to be let down hard at the end.