undersea's review
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Pretty slow, not my can happens. There’s a mystery but, it all feels pretty low stakes. Good writing. Honestly a good bedtime read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Child death
readerette's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I've never read anything else by Tana French, but based on this book, I would read more of her work. This book was slow, which I usually don't enjoy as much, but it felt an appropriate pace given the pace of life in the little town. I'm not sure how believable it is that someone who was a law enforcement officer, even a disenchanted one, would allow what he found out to go unreported or would stay in a community where that had occurred, but I can forgive that stretch by the author. Bit too much in the weeds about the sanding and shopping for me, but otherwise I liked how the characters fit together even when they seemed they shouldn't, and I could definitely feel the setting come alive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, and Physical abuse
Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, and Medical content
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