Scan barcode
fatemah_k's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
oookateooo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.0
liljakatr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
darren0101's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fun book which takes a couple of days to digest what you have just read. The premise is simple. Asked by ex-colleague Leo to follow his wife Berenice Oxbow, Nora Dickinson, a psychologist by profession with an almost supernatural ability to mimic any voice she hears ends up snowed in at a Birmingham hotel during the winter of 1929 amid a murder mystery.
The book slowly peals back Nora's life from childhood, meeting Leo and right up to the present day, albeit in 1929.
Then the book takes the reader off a cliff edge and becomes something completely different. More supernatural, more horror.
Well recommended and one to go back to after a while and see what the author was trying to do before the jump in genre.
Merged review:
This is a fun book which takes a couple of days to digest what you have just read. The premise is simple. Asked by ex-colleague Leo to follow his wife Berenice Oxbow, Nora Dickinson, a psychologist by profession with an almost supernatural ability to mimic any voice she hears ends up snowed in at a Birmingham hotel during the winter of 1929 amid a murder mystery.
The book slowly peals back Nora's life from childhood, meeting Leo and right up to the present day, albeit in 1929.
Then the book takes the reader off a cliff edge and becomes something completely different. More supernatural, more horror.
Well recommended and one to go back to after a while and see what the author was trying to do before the jump in genre.
The book slowly peals back Nora's life from childhood, meeting Leo and right up to the present day, albeit in 1929.
Then the book takes the reader off a cliff edge and becomes something completely different. More supernatural, more horror.
Well recommended and one to go back to after a while and see what the author was trying to do before the jump in genre.
Merged review:
This is a fun book which takes a couple of days to digest what you have just read. The premise is simple. Asked by ex-colleague Leo to follow his wife Berenice Oxbow, Nora Dickinson, a psychologist by profession with an almost supernatural ability to mimic any voice she hears ends up snowed in at a Birmingham hotel during the winter of 1929 amid a murder mystery.
The book slowly peals back Nora's life from childhood, meeting Leo and right up to the present day, albeit in 1929.
Then the book takes the reader off a cliff edge and becomes something completely different. More supernatural, more horror.
Well recommended and one to go back to after a while and see what the author was trying to do before the jump in genre.
paradise_library's review against another edition
2.0
This book should’ve been brilliant. I’m still not sure why it wasn’t, but I just didn’t care one bit. Characters were listless and not interesting, the plot was feeble and after a very slow start the ending was thrust together very quickly with no real answers to many questions.
The synopsis for this reads as historical fiction and crime… but it’s actually supernatural / borderline horror which is quite misleading, as is the cover.
The writing style wasn’t for me either. Very short sentences that makes the flow choppy, but then towards the end there was very little description so it was hard to visualise it at all. Parts of this should have been horrific and they just fell flat - I’m quite squeamish but none of the violence or intended bloodlust left any impact whatsoever, which shows how lacking it was. A lot of it also made no sense at all: one bite of human flesh and you’re suddenly a shape shifter? Seems unlikely to me - it felt very contrived.
I was so excited for this book and it sadly left me disappointed and irritated.
Merged review:
This book should’ve been brilliant. I’m still not sure why it wasn’t, but I just didn’t care one bit. Characters were listless and not interesting, the plot was feeble and after a very slow start the ending was thrust together very quickly with no real answers to many questions.
The synopsis for this reads as historical fiction and crime… but it’s actually supernatural / borderline horror which is quite misleading, as is the cover.
The writing style wasn’t for me either. Very short sentences that makes the flow choppy, but then towards the end there was very little description so it was hard to visualise it at all. Parts of this should have been horrific and they just fell flat - I’m quite squeamish but none of the violence or intended bloodlust left any impact whatsoever, which shows how lacking it was. A lot of it also made no sense at all: one bite of human flesh and you’re suddenly a shape shifter? Seems unlikely to me - it felt very contrived.
I was so excited for this book and it sadly left me disappointed and irritated.
The synopsis for this reads as historical fiction and crime… but it’s actually supernatural / borderline horror which is quite misleading, as is the cover.
The writing style wasn’t for me either. Very short sentences that makes the flow choppy, but then towards the end there was very little description so it was hard to visualise it at all. Parts of this should have been horrific and they just fell flat - I’m quite squeamish but none of the violence or intended bloodlust left any impact whatsoever, which shows how lacking it was. A lot of it also made no sense at all: one bite of human flesh and you’re suddenly a shape shifter? Seems unlikely to me - it felt very contrived.
I was so excited for this book and it sadly left me disappointed and irritated.
Merged review:
This book should’ve been brilliant. I’m still not sure why it wasn’t, but I just didn’t care one bit. Characters were listless and not interesting, the plot was feeble and after a very slow start the ending was thrust together very quickly with no real answers to many questions.
The synopsis for this reads as historical fiction and crime… but it’s actually supernatural / borderline horror which is quite misleading, as is the cover.
The writing style wasn’t for me either. Very short sentences that makes the flow choppy, but then towards the end there was very little description so it was hard to visualise it at all. Parts of this should have been horrific and they just fell flat - I’m quite squeamish but none of the violence or intended bloodlust left any impact whatsoever, which shows how lacking it was. A lot of it also made no sense at all: one bite of human flesh and you’re suddenly a shape shifter? Seems unlikely to me - it felt very contrived.
I was so excited for this book and it sadly left me disappointed and irritated.
lauratoria's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
isabelsophiex's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
sarz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
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
5.0
gibbo's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this, read it in the space of five days which is unheard of. Absolutely devoured it.
Merged review:
Really enjoyed this, read it in the space of five days which is unheard of. Absolutely devoured it.
Merged review:
Really enjoyed this, read it in the space of five days which is unheard of. Absolutely devoured it.
kariah's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0