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bonniecanread's review against another edition
1.0
I hated Carla and I was already lost after the prologue.
kimreadz's review against another edition
3.0
This is a hard review to write because my thoughts are mixed. I kind of wish I'd never picked this book up! The prologue pulled me right in. A women (at least I thought it was a women) lies dying on the floor and we are inside her head with her final thoughts. Immediately I wanted to know who she is, who killed her, and why!
The book alternates between the present and the recent past, filling in the background with the events leading to the current situation. The problem is that getting there was kind of boring. I wanted to get through it, because I wanted to know what happened, but I wasn't really enjoying getting there very much.
I'm not sure why this was; possibly a combination of facts. There was too much detail at times, and the book was a little too long. I think the story could have been told in fewer words. But another problem was that I don't think there was one likable character in the group, at least among the main characters. There were some auxiliary characters that I didn't dislike, but because they were bit players, they weren't well developed. It's possible that had I gotten to know them better, I wouldn't have liked them either.
The result of this is that, while I really wanted to know what happened, and who lay dying on the floor, it didn't really matter to me who it was, because whoever it was, was getting what he or she deserved! My only regret is that the others weren't also dying on the floor!
As much as I didn't appreciate this book as a solitary read, I think it would be an excellent book club selection. There is so much to discuss; poor decisions by the characters, motivations, justice; so much to discuss here. Often it is the discussion that makes a book worthwhile, and that is certainly true in this case!
The book alternates between the present and the recent past, filling in the background with the events leading to the current situation. The problem is that getting there was kind of boring. I wanted to get through it, because I wanted to know what happened, but I wasn't really enjoying getting there very much.
I'm not sure why this was; possibly a combination of facts. There was too much detail at times, and the book was a little too long. I think the story could have been told in fewer words. But another problem was that I don't think there was one likable character in the group, at least among the main characters. There were some auxiliary characters that I didn't dislike, but because they were bit players, they weren't well developed. It's possible that had I gotten to know them better, I wouldn't have liked them either.
The result of this is that, while I really wanted to know what happened, and who lay dying on the floor, it didn't really matter to me who it was, because whoever it was, was getting what he or she deserved! My only regret is that the others weren't also dying on the floor!
As much as I didn't appreciate this book as a solitary read, I think it would be an excellent book club selection. There is so much to discuss; poor decisions by the characters, motivations, justice; so much to discuss here. Often it is the discussion that makes a book worthwhile, and that is certainly true in this case!
beethebooknerd's review against another edition
I did not like the MC. She really seemed to hate herself.
bsmith27's review against another edition
4.0
Good who dunnit, until the end. It got very twisty in the last 50 pages. About a young Italian girl who lives in England with her mother and befriends a young couple next door. The story is told by the girl, Carla and the young wife, Lily. Their lives intertwine and their relationships change over the years.
littlefoot10's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
3.5
I had an interesting time with this book. I really enjoyed the overall story -- because it definitely took some twists and turns I was not expecting (like with Daniel).
However, I felt like the Young Carla and Newlywed Ed and Lily was a large portion of the book and could have possibly been much shorter.
I would definitely read more from this author, as I picked this novel up from the Library on a whim from their used book sales.
I think my favourite character was Joe because he was so complex, and even until his last scene was always doing something I wasn't necessarily expecting.
The description of the house in Devon by the Sea makes me want to move to Europe and start a new life.
However, I felt like the Young Carla and Newlywed Ed and Lily was a large portion of the book and could have possibly been much shorter.
I would definitely read more from this author, as I picked this novel up from the Library on a whim from their used book sales.
I think my favourite character was Joe because he was so complex, and even until his last scene was always doing something I wasn't necessarily expecting.
The description of the house in Devon by the Sea makes me want to move to Europe and start a new life.
shelf_love's review against another edition
2.0
Free ARC e-book from Penguin First to Read in exchange for an honest review.
A lawyer, Lily, marries a wannabe artist, Ed, very quickly. She is second guessing her marriage since she knows the lies by omission she started the marriage with she can only assume that Ed brought some too. Coming home from a less than stellar honeymoon Lily is given her first murder case. On top of all this, Carla, the nine year old neighbor girl who Lily and Ed take on as their Sunday child and buffer for their already deteriorating marriage is learning how powerful a secret can be.
Though the synopsis of the story is interesting this book was surprisingly hard to get into. The story line meanders and jumps between POV of Lily and Carla. Carla’s voice is age appropriate and her conflicts are innocent enough to be believable of a real pre-pubescent girl. The hints of secrets and half hints of lies and seeing the past on Lily’s side of the story though just seemed to drag on… the last 100 pages does help redeem the novel. Maybe if more pages were dedicated to that instead of all the buildup in the beginning?
A lawyer, Lily, marries a wannabe artist, Ed, very quickly. She is second guessing her marriage since she knows the lies by omission she started the marriage with she can only assume that Ed brought some too. Coming home from a less than stellar honeymoon Lily is given her first murder case. On top of all this, Carla, the nine year old neighbor girl who Lily and Ed take on as their Sunday child and buffer for their already deteriorating marriage is learning how powerful a secret can be.
Though the synopsis of the story is interesting this book was surprisingly hard to get into. The story line meanders and jumps between POV of Lily and Carla. Carla’s voice is age appropriate and her conflicts are innocent enough to be believable of a real pre-pubescent girl. The hints of secrets and half hints of lies and seeing the past on Lily’s side of the story though just seemed to drag on… the last 100 pages does help redeem the novel. Maybe if more pages were dedicated to that instead of all the buildup in the beginning?