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A review by hanarama
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
CW: imprisonment, violence, gore, blood, death, death of a child
The Good:
• Unique storytelling device
• Interesting mystery
The Bad:
• Lackluster worldbuilding
• Too many twists
You Might Like this if You Like:
• Agatha Christie
• Time travel
• Sherlock Holmes
At its core, I think that this is a really fun mystery with a unique premise. As the story unfolds, the time loops begin to make more and more sense. Seeing a mystery from so many different angles really helps to fill in clues and makes the hunt for answers feel more dynamic. All of the hosts give fresh voice to the main character, but I would have liked for their characters to be more distinctive in their narration. Some of the differences feel more like telling rather than showing.
I did feel like the world building beyond the primary setting was incredibly underwhelming. The explanation that's given is lackluster, and I honestly would have preferred to not get any answers about the world outside the estate.
Additionally, I feel like the end of the story has too many twists. It starts to feel like there are too many endings, and the story just keeps going. Some twists work and make sense (or can even be guessed by the reader) but it just keeps going and going.
I would have liked a tighter plot without so much of the other stuff. Overall though, I had a lot of fun with this book.
The Good:
• Unique storytelling device
• Interesting mystery
The Bad:
• Lackluster worldbuilding
• Too many twists
You Might Like this if You Like:
• Agatha Christie
• Time travel
• Sherlock Holmes
At its core, I think that this is a really fun mystery with a unique premise. As the story unfolds, the time loops begin to make more and more sense. Seeing a mystery from so many different angles really helps to fill in clues and makes the hunt for answers feel more dynamic. All of the hosts give fresh voice to the main character, but I would have liked for their characters to be more distinctive in their narration. Some of the differences feel more like telling rather than showing.
I did feel like the world building beyond the primary setting was incredibly underwhelming. The explanation that's given is lackluster, and I honestly would have preferred to not get any answers about the world outside the estate.
Additionally, I feel like the end of the story has too many twists. It starts to feel like there are too many endings, and the story just keeps going. Some twists work and make sense (or can even be guessed by the reader) but it just keeps going and going.
I would have liked a tighter plot without so much of the other stuff. Overall though, I had a lot of fun with this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment