oohgoshtara's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The story was very slow for me. The story is told in dual timelines with a lot of characters to keep up with. I wasn't invested in any of the characters. At one point the story jumps and I had to go back to make sure my book wasn't missing chapters. Also what was the purpose of the ghost? The ending left me unsure of what the story was even about. It felt like a bunch of short stories that kind of go together but not one cohesive storyline.
sabrinaelisabeth's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
sargar114's review against another edition
5.0
This may be because it’s my most recent read, but this has become my favorite of St. James. An intriguing story with multiple mysteries. With the dual timelines and multiple perspectives, she did a fabulous job of moving the story but also keeping you guessing. Nothing felt unresolved; a satisfying end. Also: Mary Hand might be the scariest ghost I’ve read!!! Warning: do not read at night!
sp00kymegan's review against another edition
5.0
I love love LOVE a good spooky Simone St. James ghost story
alitrevisan105's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
lauraklassen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
laurenjodi's review against another edition
1.0
The Broken Girls
DNF at 50%
Even though Simone St. James is an excellent writer, and I have enjoyed her other historical mystery works, this one is simply too slow and tedious to be worth continuing.
The plot is so disjointed, vague, and convoluted that it is impossible to gain a clear understanding of or appreciation for the events, and the dual timelines with shifting POVs only exacerbate this issue. I am not even interested enough in finding out who the various culprits are.
Finally, the heroine is very bland and it is difficult to muster any real sympathy or empathy for her. Moreover, her romance with a much younger man (a fact that is mentioned several times unnecessarily) falls completely flat. These two people have absolutely nothing in common aside from sex and do not appear to want to share their lives with one another.
All in all, I cannot justify wasting any more time on reading a book that I am not enjoying.
DNF at 50%
Even though Simone St. James is an excellent writer, and I have enjoyed her other historical mystery works, this one is simply too slow and tedious to be worth continuing.
The plot is so disjointed, vague, and convoluted that it is impossible to gain a clear understanding of or appreciation for the events, and the dual timelines with shifting POVs only exacerbate this issue. I am not even interested enough in finding out who the various culprits are.
Finally, the heroine is very bland and it is difficult to muster any real sympathy or empathy for her. Moreover, her romance with a much younger man (a fact that is mentioned several times unnecessarily) falls completely flat. These two people have absolutely nothing in common aside from sex and do not appear to want to share their lives with one another.
All in all, I cannot justify wasting any more time on reading a book that I am not enjoying.