Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - The Skeleton Key

Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly

17 reviews

kbio's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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taylorfield's review

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dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Long Story Short: 50 years ago, Sir Frank Churcher published The Golden Bones, an illustrated treasure hunt that took the world by storm and led to obsession, death, and attempted murder. The 50th anniversary is the perfect time to reintroduce the hunt with a modern twist, but much more is revealed than the location of the final hidden bone.

The Skeleton Key is set in 2021 with flashbacks to previous moments in the characters' lives. Speaking of characters - there are many and they are so intertwined with one another that my Long Story Short summary can't begin to scratch the surface of the full plot. The book starts off at a snail's pace as a consequence of the amount of characters and complexity of the story, and by a quarter of the way in I found myself double-checking that I was listening to a mystery/thriller. The pace picks up as the search for the Golden Bones restarts, but this moment is short lived and the treasure hunt plays only a minor role. As flashbacks reveal character dynamics, shady intentions, and abuse, discoveries in the present are filtered through a whodunit lens that ultimately leads to a dysfunctional group of people proving just how far they'll go to protect themselves.

I'm left with mixed feelings, but I suppose that's to be expected considering the cast of unlikable characters (save one or two) and their questionable decisions. It was hard to grasp the magnitude of the effect The Golden Bones had on the world when told through Nell's perspective; her dramatics and holier-than-thou attitude made it really hard to take her perception of danger seriously, especially when literally nothing comes of it. One thing that really stood out to me is how much these characters yell at one another, but I suppose that's another layer of the dysfunction. I guess my final takeaway is that the whole lot need intensive therapy.

Enjoyment: 3/5
Craft: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5

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bonestheartist's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really loved how the mystery took you down different theories, as if you were with the main character Nell trying to uncover the secrets held close within her two families. Absolutely loved this!

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