A review by michelle_pink_polka_dot
Broken Things, by Lauren Oliver
4.0
4.5 Stars-- I loved this book!! I think it would be a full 5 stars if it didn't drag on a little. But A+ mystery and I love when books take inspiration from real life crimes!
Lauren Oliver is BACK!!! I know most people fell in love with her for The [b:Delirium|11614718|Delirium (Delirium, #1)|Lauren Oliver|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327890411s/11614718.jpg|10342808] series-- but I'm a [b:Before I Fall|6482837|Before I Fall|Lauren Oliver|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361044695s/6482837.jpg|6674135] girl & I've been WAITING for some kind of Contemporary/Mystery/Thriller from her for a long, long time. It's finally here!!! And it's SO GOOD!!
I didn't realize this book was full-on based on true-life events, but shortly after starting it, I realized this story is very similar to the case where those girls were obsessed with Slenderman and stabbed their friend over it. It doesn't follow it exactly or anything, it just starts with a similar beginning. I'm a big true-crime fan, always watching the ID channel and I used to read tons of true-crime books, so of course I'm drawn to books that get inspiration from them.
Brynn and Mia were really interesting characters. I rooted for their friendship the whole time. I could tell they cared about each other even though they THOUGHT their only real connection was through Summer. Summer may not have been in this book in the present, but I loved how well we got to know her through flashbacks and the people they talked to. She's the type of complicated girl that I love to read about-- she's that alluring/dangerous girl that people can't resist, but probably should. I'm a total sucker for girls like Summer in books.
Mia was the one that really pulled at my heart because of the heartbreak she went through with Owen, a guy she grew up being best friends/hopelessly in love with. Owen had made Mia FEEL like they were going to be together, but then Summer stole him from her right before her death. Owen was originally arrested for the murder and he's also had to live under suspicion all this time. He was adorable and I loved him and I feel like Lauren Oliver writes perfect book boys just for me... okay, maybe for you too??
The side characters could've been done a little better. Mia has a new friend, Abby, that started out with so much potential-- but somewhere along the way, her development was dropped. I thought she deserved more attention. The other character was Brynn's cousin Wade. He was a "fan" of the case and came along to help them solve it-- but he was just sort of a weirdo that was THERE. I wanted him to mean something more.
The ending was good, if not a little meh. I don't really "get" why the person who did it, DID it. It seemed like it was meant to be surprising, but I felt like it was just confusing and didn't make much sense. I wanted this book to do something twisty in the end, and this really wasn't that book.
PS-- Is it weird that I thought that the cover was jellyfish instead of hair??
OVERALL: SO ADDICTIVE. If you love Lauren Oliver, you'll love this. I could get used to her writing Mystery/Thrillers & I hope they are all like this-- except maybe a TAD more twisty?? Broken Things is loosely based on the Slenderman Stabbing crime and I would rec it to all my true-crime & mystery lovers.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
Lauren Oliver is BACK!!! I know most people fell in love with her for The [b:Delirium|11614718|Delirium (Delirium, #1)|Lauren Oliver|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327890411s/11614718.jpg|10342808] series-- but I'm a [b:Before I Fall|6482837|Before I Fall|Lauren Oliver|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361044695s/6482837.jpg|6674135] girl & I've been WAITING for some kind of Contemporary/Mystery/Thriller from her for a long, long time. It's finally here!!! And it's SO GOOD!!
I didn't realize this book was full-on based on true-life events, but shortly after starting it, I realized this story is very similar to the case where those girls were obsessed with Slenderman and stabbed their friend over it. It doesn't follow it exactly or anything, it just starts with a similar beginning. I'm a big true-crime fan, always watching the ID channel and I used to read tons of true-crime books, so of course I'm drawn to books that get inspiration from them.
Brynn and Mia were really interesting characters. I rooted for their friendship the whole time. I could tell they cared about each other even though they THOUGHT their only real connection was through Summer. Summer may not have been in this book in the present, but I loved how well we got to know her through flashbacks and the people they talked to. She's the type of complicated girl that I love to read about-- she's that alluring/dangerous girl that people can't resist, but probably should. I'm a total sucker for girls like Summer in books.
Mia was the one that really pulled at my heart because of the heartbreak she went through with Owen, a guy she grew up being best friends/hopelessly in love with. Owen had made Mia FEEL like they were going to be together, but then Summer stole him from her right before her death. Owen was originally arrested for the murder and he's also had to live under suspicion all this time. He was adorable and I loved him and I feel like Lauren Oliver writes perfect book boys just for me... okay, maybe for you too??
The side characters could've been done a little better. Mia has a new friend, Abby, that started out with so much potential-- but somewhere along the way, her development was dropped. I thought she deserved more attention. The other character was Brynn's cousin Wade. He was a "fan" of the case and came along to help them solve it-- but he was just sort of a weirdo that was THERE. I wanted him to mean something more.
The ending was good, if not a little meh. I don't really "get" why the person who did it, DID it. It seemed like it was meant to be surprising, but I felt like it was just confusing and didn't make much sense. I wanted this book to do something twisty in the end, and this really wasn't that book.
PS-- Is it weird that I thought that the cover was jellyfish instead of hair??
OVERALL: SO ADDICTIVE. If you love Lauren Oliver, you'll love this. I could get used to her writing Mystery/Thrillers & I hope they are all like this-- except maybe a TAD more twisty?? Broken Things is loosely based on the Slenderman Stabbing crime and I would rec it to all my true-crime & mystery lovers.
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books