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laura_grindey's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Good story and plot line. There was small bits in the story that just didn't seem necessary like the sexual activity with Brazuca but overall the story was good. I think it missed having a reunion of some kind with Bonnie but I understand that there is likely a follow on book or this may have happened to show that Nora's initial intentions were only ever to find Bonnie and make her safe, not to build a relationship. The short chapters really paced the book well but the parts / sections didn't really make sense as I didn't feel they were sectioning areas or specific time periods.
Overall, a well-paced story that was worth reading!
Overall, a well-paced story that was worth reading!
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Alcohol
helloitskate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child abuse, Car accident, and Pregnancy
Minor: Self harm, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Abortion
tlaynejones's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Classism
horizonous's review against another edition
After reading some reviews I'm convinced my initial feeling is correct that I would probably soon start hate-reading this. I'm all for characters who deal with some sort of trauma but in this case it just seems like there are tropes and clichés stacked on top of each other just to create.. something out of this main character and explain her standoffish loner personality:
- sober alcoholic (so far at least)
- more or less homeless, secretly lives in the basement of her work place without anyone noticing because her colleagues don't even know what car she drives or that it's parked by the back entrance day and night, oh and she doesn't have a life outside work anyway so of course she's always around
- traumatic childhood spent in foster homes
- was brutally raped which resulted in a coma and a pregnancy
- the child she gave up for adoption now goes missing and her past comes back to haunt her
- basically describes herself as a walking lie detector
- is judgmental of everything and everybody including her horny stray dog which she mentions every time the dog comes up and a teenage girl she describes as a prostitute because she wears a skirt and a t-shirt
- has definitely some anger/violence issues
- was kicked out of the military (at this point I can only guess why, but I'm sure she would have told me further into the story in a long internal monologue dripping with cynicism)
- and of course carries always some hairpins in case she needs to break in somewhere
On top of that, the writing is just clunky. I'm not the biggest fan of a first person narrative because of how unrealistic the inner life of a characters is portrayed a lot of the times. As if someone is walking around thinking about how dark and unfathomable their eyes are all day.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Rape, and Pregnancy
Minor: Racism, Violence, Blood, and Abortion
◦ Mental illness = PTSDlilifane's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was a little predictable and convenient, but I liked the protagonist so much, I didn't care. Technically she's an unlikable character who does questionable things, but that's what I actually valued in her. Sheena Kamal managed to portray Nora in a way that I could understand all her actions, as frustrating as some of them were. And I liked her humor, that's always a huge plus.
The setting in and around Vancouver was really cool, and I enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery and the mood of the book.
I also liked how social commentary was implemented in the story, how Indigenous people/women/girls are overlooked all the time, how no one cares when they go missing.
The only thing that bothered me (and bothers me a lot of times in mystery thrillers) is how the ending was delayed. It always throws me off when I expect a story to come to its conclusion, but another scene is added and then another and another.
But all in all it was a "fun" read and I highly recommend the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer, Rape, Suicide, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Abandonment
moonbeam_erin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer, Self harm, and Car accident