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sargasso_c's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Drug use, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
books_unraveling's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It’s been a bit since a book totally captured my attention to the point I couldn’t put it down. This book was nothing like I expected and had spookiness, creepiness, drama, and psychological thrills. First Melanie Golding book I’ve read, but certainly not the last.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Pregnancy
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Child death
tentinybees's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Kidnapping
suneaters's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I simply believe women so I was on Lauren’s side the entire time. It doesn’t do as well creating the idea that might be delusional or she might be in the right. Ah well, it all works out in the end. A real page turner, but overall not super satisfactory and I don’t think I’d read it again.
Her husband sucked so bad it was almost unbelievable if I didn’t already know most are worse. I liked the detective Harper character, but she slowly turned into just as annoying as everyone else.
Her husband sucked so bad it was almost unbelievable if I didn’t already know most are worse. I liked the detective Harper character, but she slowly turned into just as annoying as everyone else.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Stalking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
zosiablue's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
I've never had a baby, but this read (to me) like the most chilling, realistic depiction of childbirth and post-partum psychosis. (I HAVE been in a psych ward and that was also incredibly true to life.) A changeling metaphor for motherhood and how genuinely crazy it can make you? Man. So terrifying and well done.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy
natalya_c14's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
bxnnny's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
i didn't feel like i could really stay all that into this story and struggled to get through it. i felt it was an interesting look into motherhood and post-partum as well as an interesting kind of rumpelstiltskin type of modern fairytale sort of thing, but i still just ultimately wasn't all that invested. i wish that there had also been more of an explanation as to why and i felt kind of let down by the ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Dementia
tifftastic87's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I liked this more than I expected to. I got attached to the main character and felt for her, to the point of being actually mad at her husband.
The author did a really good job of writing in a way that made me feel squeamish at the gore and medical, uncomfortable and tense with the antagonist, angry with the husband and anxious for the detective. The excerpts from fairy tales at the beginning of chapters was also a nice touch. The ending was another punch in the gut and to be fair, I wouldnt have had it different.
The author did a really good job of writing in a way that made me feel squeamish at the gore and medical, uncomfortable and tense with the antagonist, angry with the husband and anxious for the detective. The excerpts from fairy tales at the beginning of chapters was also a nice touch. The ending was another punch in the gut and to be fair, I wouldnt have had it different.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Dementia
Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Stalking, and Death of parent
syazahaniss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.5
The most off-putting aspects of this book is the fact that it’s so painfully slow (the crazy long paragraphs didn’t help either) and that there were some questionable parts/parts I didn’t fully understand. The ending was one of them and for that I couldn’t give it a higher rating, even though I mostly enjoyed the story.
I’ve long had biases against domestic thrillers because they mostly revolve around the same thing: “crazy” mother, disbelieving father and somehow a kid/kids are involved. The ending is usually similar as well in that everything is explained by the mother having postpartum psychosis or somewhere along that line.
This book was no different except for the addition of the old wives’ tales/superstition concept. I was hoping the author would fully go down this route when explaining all the happenings because for once, I wasn’t iffy about the “supernatural” concept of it – it seemed to fit just nicely enough for it to appear realistic. Unfortunately, Lauren’s entire ordeal wasn’t explained clearly but I did infer that it was her mental state that was the reason for everything.
I liked reading the story from DS Harper’s POV, because at least we’re not stuck inside the head of the “victim” all the time – from my experience, it does goes boring. On the other hand, I felt like some parts of the investigation surrounding Lauren’s case (Natasha, Betty) didn’t exactly get closure. It felt like there were some loose threads to the story.
On that same note, I couldn’t seem to get a good understanding of Lauren and Patrick’s relationship, especially towards the end.
Generally I felt that the ending could have been written better. Other than that, a pretty solid book in terms of plot.
I’ve long had biases against domestic thrillers because they mostly revolve around the same thing: “crazy” mother, disbelieving father and somehow a kid/kids are involved. The ending is usually similar as well in that everything is explained by the mother having postpartum psychosis or somewhere along that line.
I liked reading the story from DS Harper’s POV, because at least we’re not stuck inside the head of the “victim” all the time – from my experience, it does goes boring. On the other hand, I felt like some parts of the investigation surrounding Lauren’s case (Natasha, Betty) didn’t exactly get closure. It felt like there were some loose threads to the story.
On that same note, I couldn’t seem to get a good understanding of Lauren and Patrick’s relationship, especially towards the end.
Generally I felt that the ending could have been written better. Other than that, a pretty solid book in terms of plot.
Content Warnings
Minor: Kidnapping
brookey8888's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was fine. I was honestly kind of bored during the first like 50% it did pick up after that but I still didn’t care that much. I did not like the cop POV I thought it was pointless and boring. I freaking hated the husband and he can choke. I was expecting like some kind of twist but nothing really happened so that was a bummer. Some parts were kind of creepy but not too creepy. I won’t lie when I picked this up I thought it was a different book because the covers are similar.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Gaslighting