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jenn_3's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
🎧 I thought it was a good story, I kind read through it quickly bc I had to return to the library. Good twist if you didn’t see it coming.
zawicki's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarahgibsonusa's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
nikkifrances1979's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
emmymk's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
birchcanread's review
4.0
**Pick this up if you like:** Chilling domestic thrillers, family dramas, mysteries with satisfying conclusions, and explorations of sisterly bonds and queerness.
"Things Don't Break on Their Own" by Sarah Easter Collins centers around Willa, whose life has been shaped by the mysterious disappearance of her younger sister, Laika, twenty-five years ago. While everyone else believes Laika is dead, Willa knows otherwise. The sisters share a unique bond, and Willa is determined to uncover what happened to Laika.
Collins expertly weaves between past and present, delving into the complex relationship between Willa and Robyn, their family dynamics, Willa’s struggle with her sexual orientation, and the secrets hidden within their family. Willa's relentless pursuit of the truth about Laika is both heart-wrenching and captivating.
From the beginning, the book maintains an eerie, mysterious tone, keeping readers anxious about Laika's fate.
This story starts a bit slow, so it's important to understand that this is a **chill domestic thriller** rather than a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read. However, it's a thoroughly developed, authentically written family drama and mystery that explores themes of sisterly bonds, marital issues, sexual exploration, and the psychological impact of grief. The narrative is compelling, making it difficult to put down once you're invested.
It's more accurately a fast-paced family drama with a well-crafted plot. The main story is told through backstory about how Willa and Robyn met and how Laika's disappearance affected everyone involved. At under 300 pages, it’s perfectly paced for the story it tells.
While the ending may feel a bit sentimental, by that time, you're so engaged with the characters and their stories that it doesn't detract from the overall experience. This book was different from what I expected based on the official synopsis, but it positively surpassed my expectations. A strong 4 stars from me, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
"Things Don't Break on Their Own" by Sarah Easter Collins centers around Willa, whose life has been shaped by the mysterious disappearance of her younger sister, Laika, twenty-five years ago. While everyone else believes Laika is dead, Willa knows otherwise. The sisters share a unique bond, and Willa is determined to uncover what happened to Laika.
Collins expertly weaves between past and present, delving into the complex relationship between Willa and Robyn, their family dynamics, Willa’s struggle with her sexual orientation, and the secrets hidden within their family. Willa's relentless pursuit of the truth about Laika is both heart-wrenching and captivating.
From the beginning, the book maintains an eerie, mysterious tone, keeping readers anxious about Laika's fate.
This story starts a bit slow, so it's important to understand that this is a **chill domestic thriller** rather than a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read. However, it's a thoroughly developed, authentically written family drama and mystery that explores themes of sisterly bonds, marital issues, sexual exploration, and the psychological impact of grief. The narrative is compelling, making it difficult to put down once you're invested.
It's more accurately a fast-paced family drama with a well-crafted plot. The main story is told through backstory about how Willa and Robyn met and how Laika's disappearance affected everyone involved. At under 300 pages, it’s perfectly paced for the story it tells.
While the ending may feel a bit sentimental, by that time, you're so engaged with the characters and their stories that it doesn't detract from the overall experience. This book was different from what I expected based on the official synopsis, but it positively surpassed my expectations. A strong 4 stars from me, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
tfarfan's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
accidentalra's review
4.0
Despite the misleading blurb description, I quite enjoyed Things Don't Break on Their Own. (Seriously—who writes those things? And is it s.o.p. to write them after only skimming the first two chapters? Dear Blurb Writers: Do better.)
Told from three perspectives, the novel primarily explores how Willa simultaneously navigates the abrupt disappearance of her younger sister, Laika, and the ongoing trauma of domestic abuse. Through both the primary and secondary characters, the author examines themes of memory and resilience and invites the reader to consider the kaleidoscopic concept of brokenness—
That things don't just break. That broken things can be fixed. That they can be made stronger and more beautiful through careful reconstruction. But also that not everything is worth fixing.
My biggest criticism of the novel is that, despite the twenty-year time span, there doesn't seem to be a substantial amount of character growth for the two sisters—or rather, their maturity seems to almost an all-at-once phenomenon—and the potential for an 'interrupted development' theme is never fully explored. Nevertheless, the explicit inclusion of Kintsugi (and its opposite) and the discussion of memory at the blurb-hyped dinner party makes this an excellent book for discussion, even for readers who might normally struggle to identify themes.
Overall, Things Don't Break on Their Own is a thoughtful, character-driven debut with much to offer. I look forward to more from this author.
[I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.]
Told from three perspectives, the novel primarily explores how Willa simultaneously navigates the abrupt disappearance of her younger sister, Laika, and the ongoing trauma of domestic abuse. Through both the primary and secondary characters, the author examines themes of memory and resilience and invites the reader to consider the kaleidoscopic concept of brokenness—
That things don't just break. That broken things can be fixed. That they can be made stronger and more beautiful through careful reconstruction. But also that not everything is worth fixing.
My biggest criticism of the novel is that, despite the twenty-year time span, there doesn't seem to be a substantial amount of character growth for the two sisters—or rather, their maturity seems to almost an all-at-once phenomenon—and the potential for an 'interrupted development' theme is never fully explored. Nevertheless, the explicit inclusion of Kintsugi (and its opposite) and the discussion of memory at the blurb-hyped dinner party makes this an excellent book for discussion, even for readers who might normally struggle to identify themes.
Overall, Things Don't Break on Their Own is a thoughtful, character-driven debut with much to offer. I look forward to more from this author.
[I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.]
laneyvonhall's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0