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snoopyfanclub'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
3.5
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Incest and Pregnancy
demiag's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Incest, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
mrsmishler's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Incest
anissawren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Incest, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity
expecto_padronum's review against another edition
1.0
Moderate: Incest
lostinworlds's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Blood, Car accident, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Homophobia and Incest
armstrongangela83's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.5
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Incest
laedybug'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
3.0
Let's start with the characters: Hal, which is short for Harriet (something I spent a lot of time confused about, but that's just me) is a low-key con artist. From giving tarot readings she does not believe in to deciding to defraud a family out of an inheritance, she definitely does some stuff that might be considered morally grey. Unfortunately, Ware doesn't seem to want to let her live in grey-ness. Ware is constantly reminding the reader that Hal is acting like this out of necessity, that Hal would rather not be giving readings to her impressionable regulars. To me, this takes away some of the uniqueness of Hal's character, especially because it doesn't feel consistent. At one point in the novel, she considers telling a half-lie, and then stops and thinks to herself "No, that's still a lie. I've lied enough." However, when she gets to actually talking to the people, she tells the half lie. Straight up, no hesitation, no thinking to herself about what the consequences of this would be, not truly. I just think the idea of the con-artist, morally grey protagonist is SO promising, and Ware did not deliver.
After Hal, there's a medium sized cast of other Westaway family members (whose home she and the others have come to for the funeral/will reading Hal is trying to con her way into). Ware attempts to give the reader a good framework of how they are all related, so props to her, but some of these characters appear so infrequently and inconsequently that I have to keep flipping back and forth to remember who "Freddie" is. The adults are rather well characterized and easy to tell apart.
The "twist" in the story is interesting because it both came out of nowhere and could be seen from a mile away. It was easy to figure out if you have any degree of familiarity with thrillers or mystery novels, but there was not (in my opinion) as much groundwork laid as there could have been. I was a little disappointed that the final confrontation ended in
By far my favourite part of this book was whenever it would talk about tarot or would show Hal using her cold-reading skills. In the context of the readings, it was fun to hear how she would lead the conversation based on the cues she picked up, and in the context of day-to-day it was super cool to see how her skills translated to her conning them instead of just being told she could lie really well.
This novel is a fine mystery thriller. It's the kind of thing you would read on the beach or in a hammock after you find it at a garage sale or thrift store for $1 or less, but not (to me) a book you would buy new on the day of release. As long as you go into it expecting a novel that is just okay, you'll be pleased!
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Incest
sarah_speaks'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
3.5
Moderate: Incest
ashleycmms's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse and Blood
Minor: Incest, Infidelity, and Alcohol