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ikloskin13's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
I wanted to like this book, I loved Firefly Lane... But this book was trying too hard to be too many things and it failed in all of them.
The story opens on Julia, a renowned child psychologist, during a trial in which the victims of one of her patients are suing her for not stopping a tragedy. We don't ever really find out if it was justified or not, because we never get solid details about this case aside from the case being dismissed. This case was so terribly traumatizing Julia never talks about it except to say it ruined her career and put her under media fire.
Then Julia's sister, Ellie, a police chief in their small hometown, finds a child who was "raised by wolves." Obviously the only psychologist she can call for help for this horrifically abused and neglected child is her little sister. I begin to suspect she might be crappy as a psychologist when she immediately, without seeing this abused kid, assumes she's "an autistic" and actually has to Google the symptoms of autism in order to be sure. She regularly refers to people on the spectrum as "autistics."
Julia also happens to be very judgemental about literally everyone she comes across. She dismisses the entire town as gossips and assumes that the handsome doctor (oh this is also a romance in addition to psychological thriller and small town heart-healing) is a terrible player for the terrible sin of owning a hot tub and being attractive. She feels awfully slighted, being a beautiful woman who just didn't look like her big sister, the homecoming queen 20 years ago- apparently all that anyone remembers in this town. She was too smart for their small town life and she feels like no one ever understood her.
The horrifically abused child who appears with a wolf as a pet and leaping out of trees, growling and howling, somehow doesn't retain media attention stacked against Julia's lawsuit? No one brings in higher authorities. No other psychologists are brought in. The sisters whisk her into their own home to care for her full-time for months and finally try to adopt her and oh! Instantly, her father arrives on their doorstep after months of her being here, the second they post a request for termination of parental rights.
Who did these terrible things to the little girl? Some random guy who killed multiple other people, but conveniently he's already dead. No trial, no investigation aside from the initial description of how awful her former living space was, etc...
There were so many storylines and plots and they all just fell flat for me. I got halfway in and wanted to stop, but decided not to be a quitter... I should have given up. There wasn't really a payoff, just more fluff.
The story opens on Julia, a renowned child psychologist, during a trial in which the victims of one of her patients are suing her for not stopping a tragedy. We don't ever really find out if it was justified or not, because we never get solid details about this case aside from the case being dismissed. This case was so terribly traumatizing Julia never talks about it except to say it ruined her career and put her under media fire.
Then Julia's sister, Ellie, a police chief in their small hometown, finds a child who was "raised by wolves." Obviously the only psychologist she can call for help for this horrifically abused and neglected child is her little sister. I begin to suspect she might be crappy as a psychologist when she immediately, without seeing this abused kid, assumes she's "an autistic" and actually has to Google the symptoms of autism in order to be sure. She regularly refers to people on the spectrum as "autistics."
Julia also happens to be very judgemental about literally everyone she comes across. She dismisses the entire town as gossips and assumes that the handsome doctor (oh this is also a romance in addition to psychological thriller and small town heart-healing) is a terrible player for the terrible sin of owning a hot tub and being attractive. She feels awfully slighted, being a beautiful woman who just didn't look like her big sister, the homecoming queen 20 years ago- apparently all that anyone remembers in this town. She was too smart for their small town life and she feels like no one ever understood her.
The horrifically abused child who appears with a wolf as a pet and leaping out of trees, growling and howling, somehow doesn't retain media attention stacked against Julia's lawsuit? No one brings in higher authorities. No other psychologists are brought in. The sisters whisk her into their own home to care for her full-time for months and finally try to adopt her and oh! Instantly, her father arrives on their doorstep after months of her being here, the second they post a request for termination of parental rights.
Who did these terrible things to the little girl? Some random guy who killed multiple other people, but conveniently he's already dead. No trial, no investigation aside from the initial description of how awful her former living space was, etc...
There were so many storylines and plots and they all just fell flat for me. I got halfway in and wanted to stop, but decided not to be a quitter... I should have given up. There wasn't really a payoff, just more fluff.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Death, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Grief
meggomyeggo1210's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Torture, Kidnapping, and Abandonment
Moderate: Suicide, Blood, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
eroseperry's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Kristin Hannah does it again, if I wasn’t reading the book, I was thinking about the book. The last 30 pages destroyed me
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Gun violence, Suicide, and Murder
sharu901's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Torture, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
sariereads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
saga_electra's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I thought it was a little too slow
I liked the plot and the characters but it took me a long time to finish
I liked the plot and the characters but it took me a long time to finish
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, and Abandonment
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
leavesnpages's review
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A six year old girl appears in the middle of a small town, unable to speak or express any emotions, and unable to tell the townspeople who she is.
First off, the descriptions in this book are so vivid and well-written. It was like having the scenes jump out of the page for you. Kristin Hannah's writing is beautiful.
A cast of very lovable characters. This story both frustrated me and moved me, and definitely had me crying in the last two chapters.
This was my first Kristin Hannah novel, and I can't wait to read more.
First off, the descriptions in this book are so vivid and well-written. It was like having the scenes jump out of the page for you. Kristin Hannah's writing is beautiful.
A cast of very lovable characters. This story both frustrated me and moved me, and definitely had me crying in the last two chapters.
This was my first Kristin Hannah novel, and I can't wait to read more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
livlovread's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
booksinkandpaper2's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
sandysmith's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm gradually adding books I've read in 2021 to give a true reflection of the books I've read since keeping records. This was the first book I read in 2021, and is what kick-started my reading journey having put reading on the back burner whilst bringing up the children, previously being an avid reader. A book about love and loss and finding love again. It's a story of ruined psychiatrist Dr Julia Carter and a 6 year old girl she finds abandoned in the woods. Beautifully written and great story telling. Fabulous
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Moderate: Rape