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waytoomanybooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I rarely read mysteries, but I am so glad I picked up this one! The emotions Isa and her three friends go through are palpable. And I greatly appreciate the fact that the women had goals, ambitions, fears, hopes, etc. that went beyond being wives and mothers, even though most of them are wives and mothers. They felt fully fleshed out, complex, and interesting. It's a great boarding school, dark academia story told from the perspective of an adult looking back on her harrowing teenage years.
I took off one star because the ending is a bit confusing and a little ambiguous considering the amount of detail that went in the rest of the novel.
Be mindful of the trigger warnings!
I took off one star because the ending is a bit confusing and a little ambiguous considering the amount of detail that went in the rest of the novel.
Be mindful of the trigger warnings!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Incest, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault