paperpetal's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, Sexual violence, and Rape
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Adult/minor relationship
knikchevich's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent
nic_dodd'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
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
norwegianforestreader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Cursing, Death, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Infidelity, Mental illness, Confinement, and Stalking
brynhayes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcohol, Grief, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Rape, Death, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Violence
jacs63's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It was truely awful and so disappointing, as so many people rave about Lisa Jewell.
I borrowed this one from the library and saved my money, and I'm glad I did.
I read in the 'Acknowledgements' that she wasn't going to write a sequel, but she gave in to pressure from her fans. Well, she needs to develop a back-bone.
I gave the book 2 stars, just for the fact that I am sure LJ can write. I'm just not sure that this is her best work.
The first book was 'good'. A bit over-hyped, as all books are these days, with pages and pages of adulation from other famous authors and social media people.
I was mildly underwhelmed though, but thought it was 'ok.' A different type of story, but it went on a bit.
This book is so much worse.
Nothing actually happens in it.
It's so BORING.
So many plot holes.
Interpol are a bit 'pants', aren't they? Knowing all about Lucy and Henry etc but letting them travel back to the UK on false passports, and doing nothing.
Rachel's character was a waste of good paper.
I only read the book really, because her most intriguing character in the first book, Phin, might make an appearance. Except he doesn't. Not till the last 2 chapters or so. And he does nothing. What a wasted opportunity.
LJ introduces a new character, with the Detective investigating the case, but even he can't save the story. He's so under-written.
There's one suicide from a secondary character, who does it to save another character.
There is a character who rapes someone, but this isn't new. He did it in the last book.
And.........nothing else.
I can't believe anyone gave this 4 or 5 stars, but then again there no accounting for taste, as they say.
My recommendation is, give it a miss. It's awful.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Mental illness, Rape, Stalking, Suicide, Alcohol, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Confinement, and Death
lxcy153'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
4.0
despite liking this book it was not mentioned before any of said trigger warnings were brought up in dialogue that these would happen so just be careful before reading. personally this book was the star to my reading journey as i haven’t prior to this book ever had a drive to read, thus meaning i hadn’t read the first one (due to what i have found this seems to be the sequel) despite this i still found this book east to follow along with. :)
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Rape, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, and Abandonment
Moderate: Kidnapping and Stalking
orianaisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I didn’t realise when I bought this book that it was a sequel so I’d have to buy the first one as well.
However, at times, what a hot mess. It was hard to follow all the characters and storylines that were all happening all at once. And there were unanswered questions.
1. Does Lucy know that it wasn’t a suicide pact manipulated by David but that all three of them were killed by Henry?
2. The police officer knows Henry also killed Birdie but the book just ends with no mention of it. Does he just realise he can’t get him and drops the case? He didn’t seem like the type to just drop it.
3. The police officer says there’s no one who cares about who killed Birdie but also says her brother messaged him every day?
Also, it felt like the officer being black was a bit of a fake attempt at diversity. If he was just black and that was that it wouldn’t be mentioned so many times but also it only scraps the surface to what a black officer would face in London. So it didn’t do a good job of saying he’s black and that’s just that and characters can be black without it being everything about them and it failed to do so by the sheer amount of times it was mentioned but it also didn’t do a good job of dealing with the nuances of it.
Contrary to other comments the last line of the epilogue made complete sense to me. The emptiness in Henry would not have been filled by a family reunion, not matter that he loves them. He is not psychopathic, he feels empathy for others, but he’s deeply troubled and will continue to be so.
The book was kind of dragged 150 pages more than it should have (but so is this review). Rant over.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Murder, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia
greatexpectations77'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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Grief and Infidelity
caralin's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape