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A review by tysuckz
Dear Amy by Helen Callaghan
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Honestly it just droned on.
There will be spoilers throughout this review, as always, but I'll probably block off the larger ones.
But generally speaking, the first 3/4s of the book was constant droning from Margot. She complains about her ex, complains about her life, says she is fine and she isn't fine, has medication & convinces herself she doesn't need it etc etc etc.
She receives these letters from Bethan.... and doesn't take them to any authorities until she has released the 2nd and she takes it to a man at a university (Martin). Where she explains how she truly believes in these letters and it actually bring Bethan.... why not take them to the police then? Very stupid. Then she acts like she is some kind of investigator but to be honest that aspect takes us absolutely nowhere because before long she's being stalked and that's all she talks about .
MASSIVE SPOILERS:
To be honest, disregarding the end of the book, half of it just doesn't make sense. There are so many plot holes and things that just don't make sense. I mean if she really did have some form of Dissociative Amnesia or Idenitity Disorder, I do imagine she would have some symptoms ie... missing parts of her memory... completely losing days? But somehow she doesn't have that at all, at least she never discusses it ??? Then all of a sudden we know she is Bethan and that is that.
Another issue I have with the whole dissociation aspect of Margot/Bethan is that she explains towards the end that she willingly stole Margots identity when she had died. Realistically... if she had stolen Margots identity, but somehow forgot all of the tragic things that happened to her in relation to her kidnapping... how did she forget she was Bethan but not that she became Margot? Baffling.
END OF MASSIVE SPOILERS.
I also have issues with how the plot constantly switches from person to person and there is no chronological order to the switching. I mean sometimes we will be Margot in the past and sometimes we will be the kidnapper in the past and there really is no way to figure it out half of the time until the end of that section which is actually very annoying.
There will be spoilers throughout this review, as always, but I'll probably block off the larger ones.
But generally speaking, the first 3/4s of the book was constant droning from Margot. She complains about her ex, complains about her life, says she is fine and she isn't fine, has medication & convinces herself she doesn't need it etc etc etc.
She receives these letters from Bethan.... and doesn't take them to any authorities until she has released the 2nd and she takes it to a man at a university (Martin). Where she explains how she truly believes in these letters and it actually bring Bethan.... why not take them to the police then? Very stupid. Then she acts like she is some kind of investigator but to be honest that aspect takes us absolutely nowhere because before long she's
MASSIVE SPOILERS:
To be honest, disregarding the end of the book, half of it just doesn't make sense. There are so many plot holes and things that just don't make sense. I mean if she really did have some form of Dissociative Amnesia or Idenitity Disorder, I do imagine she would have some symptoms ie... missing parts of her memory... completely losing days? But somehow she doesn't have that at all, at least she never discusses it ??? Then all of a sudden we know she is Bethan and that is that.
Another issue I have with the whole dissociation aspect of Margot/Bethan is that she explains towards the end that she willingly stole Margots identity when she had died. Realistically... if she had stolen Margots identity, but somehow forgot all of the tragic things that happened to her in relation to her kidnapping... how did she forget she was Bethan but not that she became Margot? Baffling.
END OF MASSIVE SPOILERS.
I also have issues with how the plot constantly switches from person to person and there is no chronological order to the switching. I mean sometimes we will be Margot in the past and sometimes we will be the kidnapper in the past and there really is no way to figure it out half of the time until the end of that section which is actually very annoying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape