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pil4r's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Un thriller que no termina de serlo.
Death of a Bookseller ofrece una historia que intenta esgrimir el misterio sobre la muerte anunciada de una vendedora de libros, de alguna de nuestra dos opuestas protagonistas.
Slater construye personajes muy caricaturescos, humanos y, por ende, frecuentemente insoportables. Laura y Roach son dos mujeres completamente distintas pero igualmente desesperadas e intensas. Esta desesperación se vincula con la vacancia de cierto amor, de cierta falta del lugar propio que late y duele en ambas.
Las perspectivas son interesantes, entretenidas y dan lugar a efectos emocionales -muy bien logrados- del orden del asco, la verguenza ajena pero también la empatía.
Otros aspectos que disfruté mucho de esta historia son: la verosimilitud de las conversaciones que la autora propone, la atinada discusión en torno a lo problemático y lo atractivo del true crime y lo bien escrita que esta la obsesión que se desenvuelve a lo largo de la trama.
Más allá de todo esto, la novela dejó de ser entretenida e intrigante para mí para resultar larga-de-más a partir de su segundo tercio.
Recomiendo para feministas amantes del true crime y el misterio que estén dispuestas a enfrentarse a perspectivas que incomodan porque nos hacen ver, en los personajes, lo que a veces no queremos ver de nosotras mismas. Siempre y cuando estén también abiertas a encontrarse con una historia a la que le sobran un par de páginas.
Death of a Bookseller ofrece una historia que intenta esgrimir el misterio sobre la muerte anunciada de una vendedora de libros, de alguna de nuestra dos opuestas protagonistas.
Slater construye personajes muy caricaturescos, humanos y, por ende, frecuentemente insoportables. Laura y Roach son dos mujeres completamente distintas pero igualmente desesperadas e intensas. Esta desesperación se vincula con la vacancia de cierto amor, de cierta falta del lugar propio que late y duele en ambas.
Las perspectivas son interesantes, entretenidas y dan lugar a efectos emocionales -muy bien logrados- del orden del asco, la verguenza ajena pero también la empatía.
Otros aspectos que disfruté mucho de esta historia son: la verosimilitud de las conversaciones que la autora propone, la atinada discusión en torno a lo problemático y lo atractivo del true crime y lo bien escrita que esta la obsesión que se desenvuelve a lo largo de la trama.
Más allá de todo esto, la novela dejó de ser entretenida e intrigante para mí para resultar larga-de-más a partir de su segundo tercio.
Recomiendo para feministas amantes del true crime y el misterio que estén dispuestas a enfrentarse a perspectivas que incomodan porque nos hacen ver, en los personajes, lo que a veces no queremos ver de nosotras mismas. Siempre y cuando estén también abiertas a encontrarse con una historia a la que le sobran un par de páginas.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
thirdtimesacharm's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Sexual content, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
itsbumley's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
libreadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
sageofthearts's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Stalking
Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent
jennifermreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"By Christmas, Laura Bunting was gone. And it was my fault."
I picked up Death of a Bookseller during Indie Bookstore Day 2024. This definitely was a “title buy” with the words “death” and “bookseller” screaming from the cover! And, with the bookstore setting, there are a plethora of book titles sprinkled within the context of the story. If you are not careful, your TBR will grow exponentially.
I picked up Death of a Bookseller during Indie Bookstore Day 2024. This definitely was a “title buy” with the words “death” and “bookseller” screaming from the cover! And, with the bookstore setting, there are a plethora of book titles sprinkled within the context of the story. If you are not careful, your TBR will grow exponentially.
The dual perspective novel will have you rethinking every true crime podcast, novel, and TV show you have ever consumed. With one character obsessed with serial killers and one character begging us to remember the victims, readers are pulled back and forth, teetering on the edge of sense and sanity. I love when I find myself questioning the reliability of a narrator. I also found myself jumping between “I know what is going to happen” and “whoa…maybe I don’t.”
An enjoyable diversion with a unique twist on serial killer storylines.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Vomit
Moderate: Sexual content
Several of the instances of vomiting could be eating disorder related. I do not have personal experience with eating disorders and had trouble identifying if it was grief, alcohol, or disorder leading to episodes of vomit.sierraclimbs's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.5
I don’t have a ton of feelings about this book upon reflection.
I enjoyed reading it & I think it is an interesting commentary on true crime & the culture that surrounds it.
I’m excited to discuss it with my bookclub because I think it will bring up a lot of interesting conversations.
The thing I found the most interesting is maybe a bit of a spoiler but, I found it interesting that if you isolate Laura’s perspective from Roach’s, it never seems like Roach is doing anything that sinister… if it was just a book about Laura, you would think she is an unreliable narrator
I enjoyed reading it & I think it is an interesting commentary on true crime & the culture that surrounds it.
I’m excited to discuss it with my bookclub because I think it will bring up a lot of interesting conversations.
The thing I found the most interesting is maybe a bit of a spoiler but,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Gaslighting
This book is meant to make you uncomfortable. I wouldn’t say it glorifies anything, at least not without contradicting it in the next chapter.elgin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism
Moderate: Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Stalking, and Dysphoria
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
eleeowart's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As a reformed true crime fan, this novel was a bit on the nose. Roach bothered the shit out of me, while Laura was a perfect foil that still bothered me. All in all, I tore through this book though. Through all the gross details that had me shaking my head, I’m glad it ended the way it did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Gore, Stalking, and Death of parent
laurenvoice's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Death of a Bookseller was a captivating, yet disturbing read!
The main characters, Roach and Laura, were well-written. They were so well written that somehow it became easy to feel sorry for Roach and have a strong dislike towards Laura.
Despite the feeling Roach was meant to be the "bad guy" in this story, it was hard to ignore Laura's toxic behaviour and no one ever holding her to account due to her past trauma; what happened was unthinkable, but it shouldn't give her a free pass to be a bully.
That said, Roach was very much on the creepy side; she's the female version of Joe Goldberg. It would have been interesting to get more insight into why Roach was the obsessive type and why she tried to mimic the image of other people rather than her own. Although it was easy to feel sorry for Roach, it did not excuse her behaviour and what she put Laura through.
Surprisingly, it felt fitting that Death of a Bookseller ended on a cliffhanger. Usually, a cliffhanger with no signs of a sequel is quite irritating, but for this story, it felt right. Death of a Bookseller had that constant dread and unease feeling; it only felt right that the story would end with the same feeling.
The main characters, Roach and Laura, were well-written. They were so well written that somehow it became easy to feel sorry for Roach and have a strong dislike towards Laura.
Despite the feeling Roach was meant to be the "bad guy" in this story, it was hard to ignore Laura's toxic behaviour and no one ever holding her to account due to her past trauma; what happened was unthinkable, but it shouldn't give her a free pass to be a bully.
That said, Roach was very much on the creepy side; she's the female version of Joe Goldberg. It would have been interesting to get more insight into why Roach was the obsessive type and why she tried to mimic the image of other people rather than her own. Although it was easy to feel sorry for Roach, it did not excuse her behaviour and what she put Laura through.
Surprisingly, it felt fitting that Death of a Bookseller ended on a cliffhanger. Usually, a cliffhanger with no signs of a sequel is quite irritating, but for this story, it felt right. Death of a Bookseller had that constant dread and unease feeling; it only felt right that the story would end with the same feeling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Bullying, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail