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madeleinebay's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
escapinginpaper's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This one started out really strong for me – in fact I don't remember the last time several passages in a book made me sob, but here we are. Unfortunately the way the story panned out fell flat.
This is set in Missouri – main character Eve is a waitress in the poor Ozark town she grew up in. Eve's saving grace was her daughter, who basically "saved" her from otherwise living a dark, drug-riddled life like her mother. Unfortunately, the book begins with Eve's daughter being murdered, and the rest is her contending with her new life alone, the lacking police-work, and wanting to get justice for her daughter's death.
There were some really poignant moments in the first half with Eve dealing with her grief, and learning to lean on the people around her. However, while I really would have liked to see Eve grow beyond her circumstances, the book takes a turn at the end that was kind of disappointing for me. Ultimately, I think besides some passages about grief, most of this plot will end up not being much of a standout. I think Engel's The Roanoke Girls was a much stronger work, and I would recommend it highly over this one.
This is set in Missouri – main character Eve is a waitress in the poor Ozark town she grew up in. Eve's saving grace was her daughter, who basically "saved" her from otherwise living a dark, drug-riddled life like her mother. Unfortunately, the book begins with Eve's daughter being murdered, and the rest is her contending with her new life alone, the lacking police-work, and wanting to get justice for her daughter's death.
There were some really poignant moments in the first half with Eve dealing with her grief, and learning to lean on the people around her. However, while I really would have liked to see Eve grow beyond her circumstances, the book takes a turn at the end that was kind of disappointing for me. Ultimately, I think besides some passages about grief, most of this plot will end up not being much of a standout. I think Engel's The Roanoke Girls was a much stronger work, and I would recommend it highly over this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia
Minor: Cursing, Incest, and Pregnancy