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staceyinthesticks'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Death of parent, Murder, Stalking, Death, and Dementia
Minor: Infertility, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Grief, and Emotional abuse
sophiab27's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Murder, Stalking, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Body shaming, Death, and Emotional abuse
alexandramcgrew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Confinement, Abandonment, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Minor: Body shaming and Stalking
clmoore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Abandonment, Stalking, Grief, Murder, and Kidnapping
sharanya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Holly Jackson continues to be the Queen of Excellent Plotting with this one â maybe a little bit too excellent? Like, the clues were so well laid out that the plot âtwistsâ felt less like twists & more like puzzle pieces slotting neatly into place. I couldâve used a little more surprise, maybe.
TBH, I shouldâve guessed earlier that Holly wouldâve written another âf*** all the menâ mystery novel. Thatâs her typical MO so again, I was not very surprised when it turned out that, in fact, nearly all the men in the book are kidnappers & murderers. & lol, how mad am I about that, really?
That said, I LOVED Bel & her take-no-shit attitude, & her relationship with her sister Carter was so tender & real. The pacing of Bel uncovering each piece of the mystery was â¨PERFECTION⨠bc, as I said, Holly is the Queen of plotting. The eventual answer to the mystery was well put together and felt pretty satisfying.
My ONLY final caveat is â is Bel gonna get some therapy? Bc she seems remarkably okay with the fact that she spent 16 years fiercely loving & defending a man for exactly the crime that he pretty much committed. Like. A) that seemed WAY too easily wrapped up and b) how is she so okay? Pls.
Despite my quibbles, this is EXACTLY the kind of mystery thriller that pulls you in & does not let go until the last page. A keeper for sure!
Moderate: Murder, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, and Stalking
Minor: Body shaming
sabrinalefebvre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The first 50% of the book, nothing was really happening. I was expecting more mystery and more detective work, but it was more Bel dealing with her mommy issues.
The characters were also hard to root for: you knew Rachel was lying, something was going on with the father and Bel was just being a bitch to everyone.
With that being said, I still read 98% of this book in 2 days soâŚ
Graphic: Confinement, Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Murder
jiao_li's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Violence and Murder
stellabyproxy's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Rachel Price has been missing for sixteen year and suddenly makes a reappearance, just as her daughter, Annabel Price â known as Bel â and family are filming a documentary about her disappearance. this reappearance brings with it many emotions of anger, sadness, joy and grief from Bel, who was abandoned in a car at only 2 years old on the day her mother was kidnapped. the shadows of family secrets and mysteries is a difficult place to grow up in, and as the lights (camera, bitch smile) are shone on this family, what seems to be a happy conclusion is only the beginning.
i enjoyed every second of seeing Bel messily navigate having her mother back, the scepticism surrounding her return, and the drama that came with it. from the shadows, she found her light, and beautifully blossomed. and her sleuthing similarities to Pip (AGGGTM) were nothing like iâd expected and more than i couldâve hoped for.
as a gnostic theist, i rarely bring religious lore into things, however to truly sum up this novel:
Luke 8:17
âFor nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.â
Graphic: Abandonment, Gaslighting, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Dementia, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Minor: Stalking, Infertility, Mental illness, and Pregnancy
nikhocharm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Violence
persephonefoxx'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
4.5
Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Murder
Minor: Pregnancy and Stalking