A review by chivalryxsword
Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour

challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Spoiler-free Thoughts: Overall, I thought it was a good book but there were some aspects of it that fell short or I felt didn't make much sense. The writing voice was really good, I love how Nina LaCour gets into the heads of characters.
Characters: 5/5
Overall, I believe the characters in this novel were well written! The story is narrated in third person limited, so you only really get to see how Mila feels about what is happening. This works for the story, since her own questioning of what’s happening around her leads to the feel of unease. The side characters are also well written, if a little underdeveloped. The relationship between characters are very written

Writing Style: 5/5
The novel was very well written. Nina LaCour knows how to create a sense of unease in a scene. Reading it felt like I was watching a psychological thriller. The book alternates between current day scenes and flashbacks, as time goes on you get drawn more and more into the story and that’s definitely due to the writing style. The unease is palpable, almost like you’re waiting for a jump scare but you don’t know why. Nina LaCour definitely knows how to Show Don’t Tell, Mila’s narrative voice works very well with the genre. 

Plot: 4/5
I really enjoyed the novel as a whole. However, there were some things involving the plot that didn’t make full sense. I understand where Nina LaCour was going, but some plot points fell flat. There was so much “Show Don’t Tell” happening, that I felt like I needed to be told some things. A few plot points were not necessarily needed for the whole of the novel, they seemed a little out of place. In a non-spoiler-y way, I found the ending slightly dissatisfying, and I’ll leave it at that. 

Recommended for: people who like psychological thrillers, fans of realistic magic, fans of Midsommar

Movie Rating: PG-13 
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