The first third or so is excellent. The tone is somber, the writing is evocative, the setting is isolated, and most women will understand the anxiety The first third or so is excellent. The tone is somber, the writing is evocative, the setting is isolated, and most women will understand the anxiety and pain of what the characters are going through.
It loses its way after the set-up, however, and never fully regains its urgency or depth of feeling. I really wish this had gone through a couple more rounds of edits to punch up the plot, enrich the character arcs, and more fully explore the fraught themes presented. This promises to take you to a devastating place, but leaves you a few stops short of that experience.
Categorizing this is difficult, too, it’s sort of a dystopian set-up but it’s supposed to take place in the forties—but it doesn’t really feel of that time period, either. And it approaches The Yellow Wallpaper-type psychological horror, but abandons that far too quickly.
Trigger warnings, obviously, for difficult pregnancy, childbirth, and loss.
Audio Notes: Narrator sets the tone very well with her delivery....more
Audio Notes: Tried this on audio; while the narrator has a pleasant voice, I don’t think her performance sets the tone I associate with the book. AlreAudio Notes: Tried this on audio; while the narrator has a pleasant voice, I don’t think her performance sets the tone I associate with the book. Already have my gorgeous hard copy, though, so will be plunging into this world this summer! ...more
I listened to just over 4 hours and it's fine, but there are some pacing issues and it's not keeping my interest at 38%. The thought of another 7 hourI listened to just over 4 hours and it's fine, but there are some pacing issues and it's not keeping my interest at 38%. The thought of another 7 hours just doesn't excite me....more
Notable because the author is the daughter of one of the experts on Antiques Roadshow--and the sections about antiques and her relationship to that arNotable because the author is the daughter of one of the experts on Antiques Roadshow--and the sections about antiques and her relationship to that are the most engrossing parts. The mystery kept my interest, too, though the ending was not as exciting as it could have been.
The writing is also a bit uneven; sometimes I was really into what was happening and sometimes--often--my mind wandered. But enjoyable enough, though the 40+ quotations from a dead mentor that opened each chapter got really wearisome. And I'm not sure this is compelling enough to follow for years through a series.
Ugh, could we please just rig hard copies of this book to automatically play What Was I Made For when you open the cover?Ugh, could we please just rig hard copies of this book to automatically play What Was I Made For when you open the cover?...more
As a novel, this doesn't even approach fulfilling its story or character arcs until the ending chapters, and by then it feels far too late. Plot couldAs a novel, this doesn't even approach fulfilling its story or character arcs until the ending chapters, and by then it feels far too late. Plot could be better drawn and more interesting, characters could be more nuanced, and the themes are unrealized or underdeveloped.
As a retelling of the story of Persephone and Hades, this premise is full of promise for a modern take, but again, not much happens until the end and a lot of the choices just didn't feel right. (view spoiler)[Would he really take that long to take advantage, for example? And "come back someday" just felt shoe-horned in to accommodate the mythic inspiration. (hide spoiler)] Minimally, I would expect to have some understanding of why she is drawn to him and tempted to stay--and there is a whole lot of leeway--but he specifically is just disgusting, physically, mentally, and in every other way.
Trigger warnings: Coercion and rape, as you’d expect.
Writing is okay, but this felt like the product of a writing prompt where the writer feels more interested in writing literary things than having enough to say. Motherhood, sexual awakening, imbalance of power, the grossness of powerful men, and countless other topics and themes are all under-explored....more
Strong start, but loses steam and becomes too predictable/neat. Leaning further into horror/supernatural elements/suspense would have helped.
Audio NotStrong start, but loses steam and becomes too predictable/neat. Leaning further into horror/supernatural elements/suspense would have helped.
Audio Notes: Brittany Pressly--again, pleasant enough voice, but skews really young/YA. If you've heard her read one book, you've kind of heard them all. ...more
Would have enjoyed this more if it weren’t so blatantly referential (just the brief mention in the beginning of the Highsmith novel would have been enough), if there was less exposition, and the psychology of the crimes wasn’t so shaky.
Liked it as a fast-paced, airport-type read, though, and I appreciate a male author who takes time with the way his characters think, especially female ones. I just wish one of those wasn’t quite so out there, or had a more convincing foundation. But I'd check out another book by this author.
Audio Notes: Stephanie Cannon’s narration is well done overall, and I like the way her diction is often counter to the speech patterns you’d expect. With so many characters, however, that habit/quirk becomes a little more obvious and a little less special. Characters don’t stand out as much if multiple voices are doing the same/similar unusual ways of speaking....more
Wendy Darling
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adult
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