A review by binreads
Five Survive, by Holly Jackson
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.75
As someone who ADORED the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series (Pip is my GIRL), I was very excited to read this book and went in with high expectations. And let me say, it did not disappoint!
I read this so fast. I think it being set in one place for the whole book, along with the suspense, made it so I didn't want to put the book down! I also haven't read a tense mystery like this in awhile, so it was a great way to get back into it.
I do think the ending could've been more fleshed out, it felt slightly rushed compared to everything else. But damn, these characters were complex and mysterious.
I know my girl Holly Jackson, and she is good with twists. So from the jump, I was trying to guess who was the one in on it.
Giving away the ending so spoilers ahead!
I read this so fast. I think it being set in one place for the whole book, along with the suspense, made it so I didn't want to put the book down! I also haven't read a tense mystery like this in awhile, so it was a great way to get back into it.
I do think the ending could've been more fleshed out, it felt slightly rushed compared to everything else. But damn, these characters were complex and mysterious.
I know my girl Holly Jackson, and she is good with twists. So from the jump, I was trying to guess who was the one in on it.
Giving away the ending so spoilers ahead!
Spoiler
Right away, I narrowed it down to Reyna, Red and Arthur. Reyna because she was driving, Red because she was the main character for a reason and Arthur because if you paid attention, when the GPS went out he said something along the lines of having the route up from when he was directing Red. So when the sniper said 'they were meant to be there', I knew it had to be one of them, most likely Arthur, which I was right about!!! When it was confirmed when he broke the walkie talkie I GASPED.
I think the biggest shock was how quickly Olivier turned on everyone. Even his own sister!!! He was all about self preservation and it was scary to see how much he was spiraling. I really thought he was gonna kill someone in the end, but he got what he deserved.
Arthur was extremely complicated...I think after Don and Joyce were killed he should've come clean right then and there. I didn't really care for his little note at the end about killing Catherine, wanting to meet with Red one last time. I feel like if he got killed off it may have been more impactful? Being that he really did have feelings for Red, didn't want to go into this family business, him apologizing and dying would've felt fitting.
I wish we got more time with Catherine Lavoy! Maybe a switched perspective or something because how could she kill her own best friend!?!? I would have loved to see what led her down that path of lies and crime. Poor Maddy.
Red mentions that curtain pattern that reminds her of something the whole book and we never figure out what it looked like!!
I think the biggest shock was how quickly Olivier turned on everyone. Even his own sister!!! He was all about self preservation and it was scary to see how much he was spiraling. I really thought he was gonna kill someone in the end, but he got what he deserved.
Arthur was extremely complicated...I think after Don and Joyce were killed he should've come clean right then and there. I didn't really care for his little note at the end about killing Catherine, wanting to meet with Red one last time. I feel like if he got killed off it may have been more impactful? Being that he really did have feelings for Red, didn't want to go into this family business, him apologizing and dying would've felt fitting.
I wish we got more time with Catherine Lavoy! Maybe a switched perspective or something because how could she kill her own best friend!?!? I would have loved to see what led her down that path of lies and crime. Poor Maddy.
Red mentions that curtain pattern that reminds her of something the whole book and we never figure out what it looked like!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gun violence, Torture, Murder, Confinement, Grief, Violence, Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Physical abuse, Bullying, and Toxic relationship