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celjla212's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 STARS
I suppose this book was marketed as a mystery/thriller, but I saw the plot coming from pretty early on. The best thing about this novel is the rich character development. The author gives you a background on almost all the major players, and it really offers a lot of insight into why these people might act the way they do.
Yes, the plot does involve a kidnapping of sorts--but in how many novels do you actually feel sorry for the kidnapper, and even see him as a kind of hero? The author crafts her characters in such a way that you can't help but connect to (almost) all of them.
I finished the book quite quickly once I got into it, but it did take me a while to get into it because of all the time, point of view, and location switches. Once the story starts rolling nicely though, it really takes off. Sometimes, when you're caught up in what was going on with Margaret and George in 1985, it's a bit annoying to be thrown back into Margaret's story in 2013.
I truly did love the way the entire novel unfolded. I don't think there could have been a better ending. I wish I could have seen one particular character get his comeuppance, but in my opinion it was implied that shortly after the events of the book, his life begins to fall apart. My rating of 3.5 is because although I liked the book, some of it was very predictable, and also, I didn't like being thrown back and forth between time in the way I was. It works for some novels but I found it disjointed in this one.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to root for the underdog, and loves an unconventional family story.
I suppose this book was marketed as a mystery/thriller, but I saw the plot coming from pretty early on. The best thing about this novel is the rich character development. The author gives you a background on almost all the major players, and it really offers a lot of insight into why these people might act the way they do.
Yes, the plot does involve a kidnapping of sorts--but in how many novels do you actually feel sorry for the kidnapper, and even see him as a kind of hero? The author crafts her characters in such a way that you can't help but connect to (almost) all of them.
I finished the book quite quickly once I got into it, but it did take me a while to get into it because of all the time, point of view, and location switches. Once the story starts rolling nicely though, it really takes off. Sometimes, when you're caught up in what was going on with Margaret and George in 1985, it's a bit annoying to be thrown back into Margaret's story in 2013.
I truly did love the way the entire novel unfolded. I don't think there could have been a better ending. I wish I could have seen one particular character get his comeuppance, but in my opinion it was implied that shortly after the events of the book, his life begins to fall apart. My rating of 3.5 is because although I liked the book, some of it was very predictable, and also, I didn't like being thrown back and forth between time in the way I was. It works for some novels but I found it disjointed in this one.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to root for the underdog, and loves an unconventional family story.
kpani's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
busybee123's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Lots of upsetting themes.
kdurham2's review against another edition
3.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
With two major storylines going on at the same time, this book was interesting, but I definitely liked one storyline over another. In 1985, a young man has decided to win back his ex girlfriend and baby mama and their daughter and start a life 7 years after their daughter was born. The current storyline is a woman who gets into a major accident driving home from work in a snowstorm and from this storm she is rescued from her car by a man who keeps her guessing.
I didn't love the current storyline. I think I wanted more from it, it was just kind of bland and I didn't feel like Margaret was really trying hard to find the clues from this unknown rescuer.
With two major storylines going on at the same time, this book was interesting, but I definitely liked one storyline over another. In 1985, a young man has decided to win back his ex girlfriend and baby mama and their daughter and start a life 7 years after their daughter was born. The current storyline is a woman who gets into a major accident driving home from work in a snowstorm and from this storm she is rescued from her car by a man who keeps her guessing.
I didn't love the current storyline. I think I wanted more from it, it was just kind of bland and I didn't feel like Margaret was really trying hard to find the clues from this unknown rescuer.
deecreatenola's review against another edition
3.0
I struggle with whether this was a 3- or 4-star tread. I guess that makes it a 3.5. I thought this was going to be more of a thriller. But it was more of a sad story, told in multiple points of view. George's story was the most fleshed out to me. You got to know and understand him. Someone just caught in the wrong family and in the wrong time. Margaret should've been better fleshed out. I had a hard time feeling close to her. And Angus - ugh. I wanted to see him taken down more notches than he was. I'd also have liked to see his wife leave his sorry butt.
The story was poignant. I think the reader was let in on the secret too early and it would've worked better to stretch it out as a bigger reveal. That would've been difficult, for sure. But would've made it all more compelling.
Some of the writing was quite good, but one thing that drove me crazy was that there were section breaks for continuous scenes. That makes no sense. A section break should allow at least some time to pass or be in a different location.
This story will linger with me, I think, which is what leans me towards the 4-star rating. I wasn't captivated while reading, but will think about it for a while. I would be inclined to read more from this author.
The story was poignant. I think the reader was let in on the secret too early and it would've worked better to stretch it out as a bigger reveal. That would've been difficult, for sure. But would've made it all more compelling.
Some of the writing was quite good, but one thing that drove me crazy was that there were section breaks for continuous scenes. That makes no sense. A section break should allow at least some time to pass or be in a different location.
This story will linger with me, I think, which is what leans me towards the 4-star rating. I wasn't captivated while reading, but will think about it for a while. I would be inclined to read more from this author.
melissadelongcox's review against another edition
DNF. I wanted to like this, the blurb sounded SO interesting, but I barely made it 15%. I think if there had been only one perspective, I would've found it easier but I just couldn't get into this and there are too many books to push through one that isn't appealing.
hannah_krantz's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- 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
3.75
tobyyy's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. I loved this book. I won't go into spoiler territory here, but it was not your typical thriller. And it not being typical was definitely in its favor. Yes, Ballantyne did use trauma and dissociation as the focal point of this novel, but she did so in a unique way.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Ballantyne. Would recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers with a psychological twist.
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by Ballantyne. Would recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers with a psychological twist.
lyndajdickson's review against another edition
5.0
Margaret Holloway nearly dies in a car accident but is rescued by Maxwell Brown, a mysterious man with burn scars, who puts his own life at risk to save her. As a result of the accident, Margaret suffers from PTSD and starts remembering a traumatic event from her childhood. Flashback to 1985, where Big George is seeking to escape the criminal lifestyle imposed on him by his gangland family. He wants to get back with his first love, Kathleen, and their daughter, Moll, but in a bizarre twist of events, he ends up kidnapping Moll instead. When small-time journalist, Angus Campbell, gets wind of this story, a chase ensues as he sets out to solve the mystery of Molly's abduction and get noticed by the big newspapers.
The story is told from the multiple viewpoints of the people involved. In the past: kidnapper George; Moll's mother, Kathleen; Angus, the reporter; and George's friend, Tam. In the present, school teacher Margaret tells her story as she struggles to remember what happened to her as a child and why she is drawn to the mysterious Maxwell. The different viewpoints stimulate interest and allow the author to tell the story from a variety of angles. Further flashbacks interspersed in George's story help explain why he is who he is and help the reader identify with, and even sympathize with, him. The author skillfully manipulates our feelings for two completely opposite men; we are drawn to George, the supposed villain who makes bad choices for all the right reasons, and we feel revulsion for Angus, a supposedly good man who beats his wife and lets his beloved cow suffer because he will not work on the Sabbath.
The book covers a range of confronting topics, such as PTSD, child abduction, adult illiteracy, nature versus nurture, and redemption. We are left to ponder that bad things happen for a reason. While tragic, what happened to Margaret as a child shapes her into the woman she becomes, a teacher with a special leaning toward illiterate teenagers. As for George, we hope he finally found his peace.
More a personal account of Margaret's and George's journeys than a suspense thriller, this is nevertheless a deeply satisfying read.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2015/10/everything-she-forgot-by-lisa-ballantyne.html
The story is told from the multiple viewpoints of the people involved. In the past: kidnapper George; Moll's mother, Kathleen; Angus, the reporter; and George's friend, Tam. In the present, school teacher Margaret tells her story as she struggles to remember what happened to her as a child and why she is drawn to the mysterious Maxwell. The different viewpoints stimulate interest and allow the author to tell the story from a variety of angles. Further flashbacks interspersed in George's story help explain why he is who he is and help the reader identify with, and even sympathize with, him. The author skillfully manipulates our feelings for two completely opposite men; we are drawn to George, the supposed villain who makes bad choices for all the right reasons, and we feel revulsion for Angus, a supposedly good man who beats his wife and lets his beloved cow suffer because he will not work on the Sabbath.
The book covers a range of confronting topics, such as PTSD, child abduction, adult illiteracy, nature versus nurture, and redemption. We are left to ponder that bad things happen for a reason. While tragic, what happened to Margaret as a child shapes her into the woman she becomes, a teacher with a special leaning toward illiterate teenagers. As for George, we hope he finally found his peace.
More a personal account of Margaret's and George's journeys than a suspense thriller, this is nevertheless a deeply satisfying read.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
Full blog post: http://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2015/10/everything-she-forgot-by-lisa-ballantyne.html
gdean's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't find this to be as much of a thriller as the synopsis claimed and it was a bit predictable. It seemed to rely more on family drama and dysfunction between shallow characters.