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A review by mags13
Hideaway by Nicole Lundrigan
3.0
This was overall a very unsettling and creepy book to read, however I felt that the middle section dragged on a bit too long but the ending kept me hooked. I wouldn't necessarily describe this book as being overly thrilling, but more engrossing and sad. There are a few very suspenseful moments though, I will agree.
I really loved Lundrigan's writing and I had to at times, remind myself that this is a work of fiction and not a story I'm reading from the news. Lundrigan did an excellent job writing real (and awful - in their actions) characters. I also loved that this book was written from the children's perspectives as it just adds to the twisted nature of the story. We see the situation through Rowan and Maisy's eyes and although as adults we recognize the signs of selfishness, abuse, and manipulation these poor children go through, while they, being children only see new "games" they have to play, or "understandable punishments" for all they things "they must have done wrong". It's painful to read these innocent children as they try to grapple with things well beyond what they should be experiencing.
As I mentioned, for me the middle of the book dragged on for a while, and I found myself losing interest in the story so that's where it loses some momentum for me. I think if Lundrigan had either focused on more on the thriller aspect or changed the book to be less of a suspense and more an examination of this type of family (in a literary fiction sort of way) the book would have felt more balanced.
I would still recommend this book to others as it's haunting, in a way and certainly memorable.
I really loved Lundrigan's writing and I had to at times, remind myself that this is a work of fiction and not a story I'm reading from the news. Lundrigan did an excellent job writing real (and awful - in their actions) characters. I also loved that this book was written from the children's perspectives as it just adds to the twisted nature of the story. We see the situation through Rowan and Maisy's eyes and although as adults we recognize the signs of selfishness, abuse, and manipulation these poor children go through, while they, being children only see new "games" they have to play, or "understandable punishments" for all they things "they must have done wrong". It's painful to read these innocent children as they try to grapple with things well beyond what they should be experiencing.
As I mentioned, for me the middle of the book dragged on for a while, and I found myself losing interest in the story so that's where it loses some momentum for me. I think if Lundrigan had either focused on more on the thriller aspect or changed the book to be less of a suspense and more an examination of this type of family (in a literary fiction sort of way) the book would have felt more balanced.
I would still recommend this book to others as it's haunting, in a way and certainly memorable.