A review by kimmiereadsalot
The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict
1.5
1.5 stars
I did not enjoy this one. It did not work for me. I’m no writer but ima try to contain my thoughts.
- the author was way to into her game. She set up two games for the reader to play while reading. This didn’t work for me. I couldn’t read the story and look for anagrams and title deeds. But no biggie. I don’t need a game. I’m here for the story anyway. Only the story didn’t work either.
- the novel is billed as clever and quirky but it was neither of those things imo. It was rather depressing too. I get it’s a murder game. But I was expecting more Knives Out level of quirk. But there was none. People just kept dying. And they just continued the game. And it just was all very weird.
- the characters were super one-dimensional. They had no depth and no development. They were described one way and never deviated. And don’t even get me started on Lily. She had no courage and was such a boring fmc. Seriously zero main character energy. She should have been a side character at best. But it didn’t matter because none of the characters were particularly interesting
- the whodunnit aspect also wasn’t a big surprise.
- And the reason for the game was just dumb. Aunt liliana apparently knew the family was nuts and decided to bring them all together for a deviceless game even knowing knowing all the things she knew or strongly suspected? It just didn’t make sense.
Basically nothing about this novel worked for me. The author cares more about her anagrams and trying to be clever her words that she neglected to tell a clever story.
I’m rounding up to 2 stars but could almost talk myself into just 1.
I did not enjoy this one. It did not work for me. I’m no writer but ima try to contain my thoughts.
- the author was way to into her game. She set up two games for the reader to play while reading. This didn’t work for me. I couldn’t read the story and look for anagrams and title deeds. But no biggie. I don’t need a game. I’m here for the story anyway. Only the story didn’t work either.
- the novel is billed as clever and quirky but it was neither of those things imo. It was rather depressing too. I get it’s a murder game. But I was expecting more Knives Out level of quirk. But there was none. People just kept dying. And they just continued the game. And it just was all very weird.
- the characters were super one-dimensional. They had no depth and no development. They were described one way and never deviated. And don’t even get me started on Lily. She had no courage and was such a boring fmc. Seriously zero main character energy. She should have been a side character at best. But it didn’t matter because none of the characters were particularly interesting
- the whodunnit aspect also wasn’t a big surprise.
- And the reason for the game was just dumb. Aunt liliana apparently knew the family was nuts and decided to bring them all together for a deviceless game even knowing knowing all the things she knew or strongly suspected? It just didn’t make sense.
Basically nothing about this novel worked for me. The author cares more about her anagrams and trying to be clever her words that she neglected to tell a clever story.
I’m rounding up to 2 stars but could almost talk myself into just 1.