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steppingthroughpages's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, and Suicide
samhoward's review against another edition
4.0
It is so impressive how much Megan Abbott fit into a short novel like this. It is equally impressive how well she writes about being a 13 year-old-girl in the midwest. But at this point it's common knowledge that Abbott does these things well, it just doesn't cease to amaze. Each page was dripping with a quiet suspense that I loved.
The bursting feelings of the platonic love of friendship, the draw of the one family in the neighborhood that seems perfect yet mysterious, how small and big the world can seem all at once, and the deep, deep yearning of wanted to be loved and paid attention to are all tended to lovingly and frighteningly in this book.
The bursting feelings of the platonic love of friendship, the draw of the one family in the neighborhood that seems perfect yet mysterious, how small and big the world can seem all at once, and the deep, deep yearning of wanted to be loved and paid attention to are all tended to lovingly and frighteningly in this book.
mollyfy's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ohsnaplez's review against another edition
2.0
I've loved everything else I've read so far by Megan Abbott, but this really missed the mark for me. Not because of the subject matter, which is relentlessly dark, but because I just didn't find her writing style translating well in this one. I frankly found it a little uninteresting. But I will be reading more by Ms. Abbott, I think she's fantastic and really unique.
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
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
3.25
I read this over quite a while because we were on vacation, so it was in little pieces, but it felt like a super long 8-hour book. There was a whole lot of internal discussion with Lizzie, which is partly appropriate for the age, but it still felt like a little much. And then I didn't love that we never get a totally clear idea of everything that happened pre and with the kidnapping. I guess that makes sense because a child wouldn't totally understand it or get all the info, but it wasn't my favorite as a reader. Ms. Abbott likes making up her own words in more poetic prose, which I don't love, and in most of her books it feels like that happens way more in the beginning of the book when she has a lot of steam and then trails off later in the books. I thought the narrator did a really good job.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol
lifeofvicki's review against another edition
1.0
Honestly, I'm not loving this book and I'm finding that I am choosing not to read just so I don't have to continue this book ... I got about half-way done and it just never became something I felt invested in. Although I would kinda like to know what happens, so I'm leaving it for now & marking it "read" perhaps I'll return to it at a later date, but I want to enjoy what I'm reading not have it feel like a chore ...
danadanger's review against another edition
2.0
I feel like nothing really happened in this book - Evie disappears, Lizzie does some creeping around, Mr. Verver is weird towards Lizzie, Evie comes back, we find out some vaguely surprising stuff, the end. It was a pleasant enough (relatively speaking) way to spend a few days of reading, good for summer.
hil_knecht's review against another edition
1.0
I didn't enjoy this at all. I forgot to download a book to my kindle before I left ona trip and had apparently bought this at one point and decided to read it. Mistake.
SPOILER
Creepy relationships between kids & adults- check.
Adults who blatantly cross over the line with kids- check.
Straight up child molestation- check
Incest- check.
Ugh- there is not one redeemable thing about this book. Wouldn't recommend for anyone.
SPOILER
Creepy relationships between kids & adults- check.
Adults who blatantly cross over the line with kids- check.
Straight up child molestation- check
Incest- check.
Ugh- there is not one redeemable thing about this book. Wouldn't recommend for anyone.
kirstenrose22's review against another edition
3.0
This was creepy and unsettling, and also hard to put down. But there was a lot of meandering dream sequence kind of stuff too, which was repetitive and sometimes hard to follow. So it averaged out at 3 stars.....