A review by maryy_r0se
Blind Eye by Martha Burns, Martha Burns

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced
“There is this boy, just started the sixth grade. He’s bright as daylight but lives in fear of his own folks. Look out for him and spread the word.”

*I was gifted this book in exchange for a fair review.*

When Luke Pruitt and his wife are found dead, suspicions immediately rest on his teenage son, Leeland.  Everyone in their small, Western town knew Leeland was being abused, yet no one interceded. Following the Pruitt family through 3 generations, Blind Eye explores what happens when we ignore abuse and allow people to suffer at the hands of others.

What a heartbreaking read. With strong messages about the cycle of abuse and the bystander effect, this book was heavy but powerful. Perhaps my favorite part of this book was the use of “we” in the narration. Including the reader in the book was such an effective way to incorporate the themes of the bystander effect in situations of abuse.

I also loved how meaningfully the author choose which perspectives to feature and when. Sometimes books that switch perspectives feel disjointed, but it was obvious that the author pointedly chose whose story to feature and when, and (without giving too much away) withholding certain perspectives for extended periods of time really built the tension.
I felt like I was desperately waiting the entire book to hear from Leeland, and keeping that tension going until the end was a stunning choice.

If you’re an interactive reader like me, you might want to try drawing up a timeline as you read this! I love the nonlinear format, and I think that would have really added to my experience reading this.

Overall, I would recommend this book to individuals who are interested in a dark read with a unique setting and writing style.
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