bbrewer14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Nora is in Australia and needs her granddaughter Jess to come home. Jess is in London, struggling to maintain a home and a job. She returns reluctantly to Australia to be with the grandmother who raised her. Polly (Nora’s daughter and Jess’s mother) is caught in the middle of the world Nora created for her as an anxious and ambivalent parent who doesn’t know how to be a mother despite her yearnings. Surrounded by a multitude of characters from the 1950s and 2018, the author takes the reader on a journey through the loss of a mother and her 3 children, the search for a missing infant, the unsolved mystery and years of speculation and rumors to the impact it has 50 yrs later on the family. Nora leaves clues behind that intrigue her journalist granddaughter and lead to an investigation that ends with a twist you won’t expect.
A wonderful book that thrives on artistic depictions of scenery, comparisons to well known literature to help set scenes, and the base desires of humans to seek what they yearn despite the cost to others. Loved the ending and the journey getting there was long but beyond worthwhile. Highly recommend and will be reading more from this author.
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Suicide, Child death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Murder, Death, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Infertility, and Suicide
kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infertility, Classism, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Murder, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Injury/Injury detail
ems_rxlibrary's review against another edition
- 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? No
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Mental illness, and Child death
Moderate: Infidelity
lilifane's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I just love her stories, the dual timeline, the multi-generational family mysteries, the amazing settings and atmosphere. This one is no exception.
When you've read Kate Morton before, you will anticipate certain plot twists and revelations. And even if you haven't, I think the main mystery in this book is pretty obvious and easy to guess rather quickly. This was the reason I thought it would only be a 4-star book for me. But then towards the end, more details were revealed than I could dream of, and I was left broken-hearted (also a recurring experience with Kate Morton novels).
This book is long, though, and it has taken me quite long to finish it. It's very slow and character focused, which I love. But in addition to that, it also has a book within a book. Since I love this narrative device, I was pleasantly surprised that it was included here. Plus, it's a true crime novel about the events of the main story. And the way this true-crime book was written just blew me away. I had the same feeling I had when I read In Cold Blood, which had left a lasting impression on me when I read it a few years ago.
The themes in this book were a little too close to home sometimes. A lot of complicated mother-daughter-dynamics. Great exploration of motherhood from several points of view, and also great representation of women who don't want to become mothers. And as a bonus, a love letter to stories and storytelling and how much it can influence people's lives and memories.
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Suicide, Child death, Gaslighting, Death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
Minor: War, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Medical content
thesapphiccelticbookworm's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Pregnancy, and Child death
Moderate: Mental illness, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
Minor: Medical content, Misogyny, Colonisation, and War
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Miscarriage, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, and Infertility
Minor: Animal death