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A review by lebishop13
Sundial by Catriona Ward
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is very possibly the most terrifying book I've ever read. It's definitely going to keep me thinking for a looooong time. Read it, so we can think about it together.
From the start, Rob's relationship with her husband, her family, and the world around her is bizarre and kind of skewed. You can't quite put your finger on what is so unsettling. Every time you find something else out, you have to just keep asking yourself, "but why?!"
And then the pieces start coming together. And you can't look away. But are they coming together? The two narrators are so at odds with each other, you really don't know who to trust.
I can picture this as movie with a really strong color palette that changes as the plot progresses or depending on whose POV you're in.
There's also some really great unspoken commentary on the ethics of science which was the cherry on top of this thriller.
Read this if you like thrillers with the house/setting as a character, along with unreliable narrators, and a dash of ethics thrown in.
TW: abuse - child, spouse, animal
From the start, Rob's relationship with her husband, her family, and the world around her is bizarre and kind of skewed. You can't quite put your finger on what is so unsettling. Every time you find something else out, you have to just keep asking yourself, "but why?!"
And then the pieces start coming together. And you can't look away. But are they coming together? The two narrators are so at odds with each other, you really don't know who to trust.
I can picture this as movie with a really strong color palette that changes as the plot progresses or depending on whose POV you're in.
There's also some really great unspoken commentary on the ethics of science which was the cherry on top of this thriller.
Read this if you like thrillers with the house/setting as a character, along with unreliable narrators, and a dash of ethics thrown in.
TW: abuse - child, spouse, animal
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Miscarriage, Self harm, and Death of parent