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unusualsnowunicorn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Sexual assault and Trafficking
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, and War
lottpoet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Moderate: Child abuse
amberk032's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Sexual violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Moderate: Confinement and Drug use
Minor: Child abuse
tangleroot_eli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and War
annemaries_shelves's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Now granted, I don't often read from the mystery genre but I do enjoy it - I'm just impatient to get to the mystery resolution.
However - this was barely a mystery. We find out the first girl goes missing in the first 25-30 pages, and the second girl in 50-60 pages in. And then NOTHING HAPPENS for 150 more pages - until the final third. And even then, it's quick, predictable, and not all that gritty despite what other reviews say.
I thought - erroneously - Cash was an amateur detective type character based on the back of the book. No, she's just a traumatized young adult going to college and working, barely dealing with her past and just stumbles into whatever the (barely there) plot is. She's also really predictable as a character - nothing about her was unique or interesting. I was bored by her.
If - like me - you haven't read the first book because you got it in the Raven Reads box (which is an amazing subscription box service fyi), you definitely don't need to have read that one. It's summarized throughout this second book (as many serialized mysteries are) and I highly doubt there was any character development between the first and second novels as there was none in this one.
I appreciated the author's note as she explains the importance and tragedy of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (and Two-Spirit) movement that the Canadian and American governments ignore and in many ways perpetrate. However, that note couldn't save this book.
It was a quick read and not the series for me.
CW: attempted sexual assault, drugging, off-page branding, human trafficking, PTSD from Vietnam war, previous abuse from foster homes, racist language
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Trafficking, and Colonisation
awebofstories's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
In the first novel, Murder on the Red River, I loved Rendon's character of Cash Blackbear and the descriptions of Cash's life and challenges, but I felt the mystery element fell very short. In this book, we still get more of Cash's complex life; this time, much time is spent on the after-effects of trauma, and the mystery element is better. It's not great, but it's better.
Unlike in the first book, I was more invested in the mystery. Instead of a murder to be solved, Cash is asked to help find out what happened to a missing girl in one of her classes. Cash does some detective work, but more time is spent on her prophetic dreams. Ultimately, though, Cash doesn't exactly "solve" the case.
We also are introduced to Cash's brother, Mo. I wish we had gotten to know him better, but I wasn't completely sure what his importance was in this story. However, Mo's presence seemed to minimize Sheriff Wheaton's role. I wish we had more of Wheaton, as his relationship with Cash was a highlight of the first book.
While this book was an improvement from the first book, it still wasn't quite what I wanted. However, there is still much here to be admired, and the improvement in the series makes me hopeful for the next book.
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Rape, Sexual violence, and Kidnapping
carolynkwolff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexual violence, Trafficking, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use and Rape