izzy_21's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it! This has to be my favourite Kate Morton novel...didn't want to put it down. Even though work got in the way :) I made time to finish the 492 pages in less than 2 days!
rngilmer's review against another edition
4.0
Took a couple sad turns, but I loved this one. I laughed a few times, nodded my head in agreement, and got a little teary at the end. It was a little longer than it probably had to be, but it was worth it.
nicoleclinton1's review against another edition
1.0
Okay plot but waaay too wordy and long. I almost stopped reading it several times.
nicki_j's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. At first, I was filled with a sense of dread because of the multiple similarities between this book and [b:The Thirteenth Tale|40440|The Thirteenth Tale|Diane Setterfield|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346267826s/40440.jpg|849453]: old abandoned house, very private and very old famous author who has something to hide, etc. (the more I think about it, the more [b:The Thirteenth Tale|40440|The Thirteenth Tale|Diane Setterfield|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346267826s/40440.jpg|849453] was such a freaking waste of my life and so weird...do NOT read it.) Anyway, back to the book at hand. Despite those similarities, it was a totally different book in tone and there was just so much going on. Truly a great mystery in that just when you thought you had something figured out, they threw something else at you. I am tempted to take a star away based on the ending because it was just TOO neatly tied up, especially a few of Sadie's interpersonal relationships. But why not start the year with a 5 stars review? I would recommend this book to others and would read more by the author, especially if this is the start of a Sadie Sparrow series.
silverkoshka's review against another edition
2.0
The verbosity of this book completely put me off. I lost patience after 120 pages and skimmed through the rest of the book. I wanted to punch Donald's character for being a stereotypical cop out of a trashy cop show. All the other characters were insipid and I couldn't care a jot what happened to any of them. The ending was sappy and melodramatic and utterly disappointing.
1.5*/5
1.5*/5
momochi_19's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Grief
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
Kate Morton is a master! I absolutely adore the way she builds her scene and creates her mystery. This book isn't my favorite of her works, but it was very well done and evocative. There are so many different threads and plotlines - I am continually amazed by Morton's ability to keep it all straight. Some reviews I've read have complained about the plot's reliance on coincidence, but I say that this is a plus. Everything is connected which makes the book even more interesting to untangle. I didn't guess everything but I caught a few hints before the cunning reveal. There were several points that I thought Kate Morton had let slide, only for her to bring them back into the conclusion. I do enjoy limited or unreliable points of view when done well and there are multiple narrators in this book to give extra dimension to the plot.
As always, Kate Morton's period details were totally on point. I really love how she delves into identity and relationships between mothers and children. It's not often that you get to see so many sides of the story and sympathize with everyone involved. Since this is the story of a missing child, I was relieved to find it didn't become too dark. Serious subjects are discussed, but the ending left me feeling satisfied instead of depressed. I needed that after my wisdom teeth experience! :x
As I'm sure you can tell, I am a huge Kate Morton fangirl! I wish I could have half of her writing talent, honestly. Someday she better come to my area so I can go hear her speak and gush about her books! Although.... I might actually die just being in her fabulous presence! ;D
As always, Kate Morton's period details were totally on point. I really love how she delves into identity and relationships between mothers and children. It's not often that you get to see so many sides of the story and sympathize with everyone involved. Since this is the story of a missing child, I was relieved to find it didn't become too dark. Serious subjects are discussed, but the ending left me feeling satisfied instead of depressed. I needed that after my wisdom teeth experience! :x
As I'm sure you can tell, I am a huge Kate Morton fangirl! I wish I could have half of her writing talent, honestly. Someday she better come to my area so I can go hear her speak and gush about her books! Although.... I might actually die just being in her fabulous presence! ;D
jhahn's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't like this book as much as her other novel. The last 1/3 of it really had my interest but not so much the first 2/3. It took me a long time to read it.
cedrics_mom's review against another edition
4.0
What a great story. I took off one star because it was a little hard to follow the additional plot line but beyond that I recommend this book to lovers of family drama.