A review by notsoquietgrrl
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

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

2.0

I suspected, going into this book, that the setting of a sanatorium and the related subject matter might be poorly handled, and sadly that suspicion turned out to be correct. 

It’s definitely an intriguing setting, and as we learn more about the gruesome past of the sanatorium, and the egomaniacal hotelier’s determination to obscure it, I really hoped the conclusion, and the string of murders, would lead to something a bit more complex and interesting.

Instead, the explanation relies on one of the worst tropes in thrillers,
the rape victim/mentally ill person turned murderer. In this case, we have both. The most ridiculous part? Despite the fact that both murderers claim that they are acting in the name of women victims, all but one of the murder victims in this book is a woman. Make it make sense! The author seems to want to examine the theme of control over women’s bodies, but decides to also have three women be graphically and brutally murdered (by other women!). The Scooby Doo style confession at the end topped it all off. Also, nail polish?!


Some positive points to end on. The writing style felt tight until the last 15%, and I actually didn’t guess exactly what was going on until the end, so it kept me entertained at least. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings