brookey8888's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Death of parent, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
bringmybooks'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
4.75
✨ 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 ✨ B̷O̷R̷R̷O̷W̷ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
I've now read 2 of Megan Miranda's books (& currently have pretty much her entire backlist either on hold or loan through Libby) and I can tell you now these are books that I'm going to want on my shelves for anyone that says, "Hey, do you have a twisty thriller book that I could borrow? Something I won't be able to put down? Nothing too dark or messed up but, you know, something with grit?" So naturally, as aforementioned, I am *stoked* that they are all going to look so beautiful together!
Now on to this particular book - as I've only read two, I'm not sure if this is a tactic that Miranda employs in all of her works, but I love the way she plays with time and the narrative in this and The Only Survivors. All The Missing Girls hooks you with the prologue, drops you right into the beginning, then jumps two weeks into the future after a local girl goes missing and takes you back, day by day, to the fateful day when everything blows apart. Sometimes I had to remember what I already knew (and what the characters didn't) to try and keep all the threads straight, but I loved how it came together at the end!
I liked the characters in this one a lot, even as you only kind of get surface level with any of them (seems to be the way of it with thrillers, sometimes?) and I love the way Miranda explored relationships, especially those between teenage girls. I saw the undercurrents of relationships like those portrayed here in my own adolescence, and can only say I'm grateful I wasn't too near their orbit. Oof.
(Speaking of which, if you are looking for something like this but that touches way deeper on those bonds we forge as young adults and how those relationships can ripple out in ways we couldn't possibly see coming, check out Tana French's The Secret Place - it's the fifth in the Dublin Murder Squad series but can *technically* be read as a standalone, ALTHOUGH I highly recommend the entire series. Kind of a psychological thriller mystery? Anywho. Love it.)
Moderate: Miscarriage, Murder, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Violence, Gun violence, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Infidelity, Grief, and Physical abuse
Minor: Vomit, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Animal death, Bullying, and Suicide
horizonous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Animal death, Car accident, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Terminal illness
Minor: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, and Violence
◦ Terminal illness = Dementiajamiejanae_6's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Death, Blood, Suicide, Stalking, Murder, Grief, Infidelity, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Dementia, and Child abuse
scoutvibes's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Toxic friendship, Violence, Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Bullying, Dementia, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Pregnancy, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Grief, Suicide, Bullying, Alcoholism, Cancer, Violence, Dementia, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, and Toxic relationship
strawberrycasualreader's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Infidelity
Moderate: Car accident, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Abortion