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A review by junowo
Litani by Jess Lourey
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book promised a dark, intense experience—and I would say it mostly delivered. It was absolutely a page turner, and for most of the book I struggled to put it down.
However, for me, I felt like there was so much hesitance to go into detail about the horror of what happened to the children in Litani that it left a lot unfinished. Many of the smaller plot lines were briefly mentioned in a finishing way, but left no details. I think Lourey is masterful at creating tension and discomfort for readers, but the lack of following through on that tension, as well as the way the end of the book wraps up quickly and neatly, felt a bit disappointing.
However, for me, I felt like there was so much hesitance to go into detail about the horror of what happened to the children in Litani that it left a lot unfinished. Many of the smaller plot lines were briefly mentioned in a finishing way, but left no details. I think Lourey is masterful at creating tension and discomfort for readers, but the lack of following through on that tension, as well as the way the end of the book wraps up quickly and neatly, felt a bit disappointing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Rape
Moderate: Drug use and Alcoholism