A review by discarded_dust_jacket
Jackal by Erin E. Adams

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

As far as thrillers go, I wouldn’t necessarily call this story gripping in the I-couldn’t-put-it-down sort of way, but it does have this very haunting atmosphere that kept my attention. I found what the author has to say about growing up as one of the few Black children in a predominantly white town/neighborhood to be incredibly poignant, as well as the broader observations about life as a Black woman in this country:

“Your beauty is denied but replicated. Your sexuality is controlled but desired. You take up too much space, but if you are too small, you are ripped apart.” 

I can’t decide what it was about the ending that made me dislike it. Perhaps it was trying to do too much, or the tone of the narrative seemed to fall apart (intention maybe?), but in general, I was left a bit unsatisfied. 
The explanation of Jack’s character—his nature, his motivations, and his methods—were glossed over with these very wide, vague strokes (I’m wondering if he’s meant to be a metaphor for something and I’m just too dense to recognize it). Also, I feel like the ball got dropped where Chris is concerned. We suspect him, then we don’t, then for like one page we’re sure he’s the killer, then he disappears from the story entirely and the true killer is revealed, then he’s just sort of discarded. I didn’t really understand his true purpose in the story.  
Expand filter menu Content Warnings