Reviews

Tarnished by Julia Crouch

paulabrandon's review against another edition

1.0

Peg Thwaites has never really questioned her past, but begins to do so after her grandmother's steadily developing dementia reveals that Peg once had an uncle who died as a baby. Peg was raised by her grandmother, and has always wondered why her father never returned for her after the death of her mother. Peg determined to learn about her past, unaware she could be opening a big can of worms.

And that can of worms is a long time coming, let me tell you that. This is one of the most boring "suspense" books I've ever read in my life! It takes an eternity for anything to happen. I really shouldn't have bothered finishing it! Combined with its snail-paced plot is horrid, revolting, unsympathetic characters across the board. Protagonist Peg is such a stubborn, whiny, uneducated sook that it was really hard to get on board with her. If she wasn't such an almighty drip, the "mystery" of her family would have been solved in half the time!

If you want excessive description of the process of cleaning out the house of a dementia-suffering hoarder, you might find something to work with here, otherwise I would recommend you not tarnish your own reading year with this dreary, snore-inducing drivel.

norcani's review against another edition

3.0

I was really uncomfortable with the way this book used a characters weight as a shorthand to make her seem gross and dislikeable, but otherwise solid mystery/family drama.

Also the lead characters girlfriend was one of the most insufferable love interests I experienced. That was at least somewhat intentional considering the lead thinks that too at times but ultimately I found it hard to cheer for the two to get a happy ending together.

chrissireads's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

plennard's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

3.0

annrawson's review

4.0

I very much enjoyed this novel, although it started a little slowly. The character of Peg, the main character, was a little hazy, but that felt authentic - because she was hazy to herself, having managed to erase many of her childhood memories. A double twist in the tale, the second of which genuinely surprised me. Her lover, Loz, was a strong character and very likeable. I'm not altogether sure that memories can be so easily supressed, or that if they are they can also be regained relatively easily- but all the same my disbelief was suspended and the story was satisfying. some moral ambiguity with the ending, that didn't leave me entirely convinced, but that's just a quibble.