roselaina
Went back and forth between rating this a 2 or 3. I settled on 3 because I really loved Lilah's journey, and the setting was original and a lot of fun. It almost made me want to watch a horror movie, which is saying something. The stalker plotline was engaging, although sadly the romance was not.
Overall, it was a decent effort by a debut author, and I would like to see what she comes out with in the future.
ETA: I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was fantastic.
Important Note: If you're reading this on ebook, make sure your ereader doesn't skip straight to the news story. It it does (like mine did), go back! The book actually starts by introducing the cast of characters in a fun way, and trust me, you will want all the help you can get to keep the characters straight at the beginning.
Now, onto the review.
*3.5 stars.
I read this book in a single day.
I didn't mean to. I sat down to read a chapter or two, but I just couldn't stop. The thing about Ruth Ware is that her books are just so dang readable. There are definitely a few quibbles I could see people having about this book. It doesn't feel at all like a thriller until quite a ways in. Until then, it's just some drama about business, which, let's be honest, is not the most thrilling topic. But somehow, she held my attention until things actually started to happen.
The other possible complaint is that the killer is obvious. Like, really obvious. But the thing is, Ware can still build some really amazing tension. In fact, I would go so far as to say that she made the killer obvious on purpose, in order to build a different type of tension. Rather than “whodunnit” it's “but-WHY-and-who-will-figure-it-out-and-when-and-will-it-be-enough” kind of tension. Ware really utilized the setting and the characters in a way that unfolded in a way that was slow and creepy and strangely addictive. I couldn't stop reading.
Was it a perfect book? No. In my opinion, it didn't feel polished in places; I know Ware is capable of better. And for the love of god, who puts “ffs” in their character's internal monologue?? That was extremely jarring and pulled me right out of the story. I wouldn't expect that from a beginner writer's first draft, much less a published book. But I digress.
Nevertheless, it was a solid, entertaining thriller. I think the key to enjoying it is the expectations. Don't go in for a whodunnit. Don't go in expecting “And Then There Were None” (like I did) or a million twists and turns. Just go in ready to enjoy the story and the chilling (heh, get it?) atmosphere.
Also, I totally want Snoop to be real.
4.5 stars!
Fun fact: I knew absolutely nothing about this book when I checked it out from the library. I was placing a hold on Loveless by Alice Oseman, and this one popped up in the search results. The cover was absolutely stunning and caught my attention immediately. I clicked over to Goodreads to read a summary but stopped myself when I remembered one of my challenges for 2022 is to read a book I know nothing about.
So I checked it out and proceeded to be positively floored. It was masterfully written, heartbreaking, beautiful, engaging, and honestly one of my favorite reads of the year so far. I could not have lucked out more with my random mystery book!
Over-generalizes, very concerning lack of sources, contradicts itself, and at one point, the author claims autistic people have a “sixth sense” of psychic abilities. I liked the easily readable, conversational style, but overall, I was not impressed. Definitely glad I vetted this before giving it to my partner.
3 stars for the first half, 1 star for the last half. What started as an interesting perspective on the different ways autism/AS can manifest turned into something that was part memoir, part really bad advice. Telling people you think autistic people have psychic abilities is a little wild, but it's your personal opinion, so go ahead. Telling people autism can be cured through diet is ridiculous. Telling people not to take antidepressants because they can just make “wise choices” to end their depression is not only untrue but downright dangerous.I am glad that this was a groundbreaking book in some ways when it was first published, but I would highly recommend reading [b:Women and Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Understanding Life Experiences from Early Childhood to Old Age 25519486 Women and Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder Understanding Life Experiences from Early Childhood to Old Age Sarah Hendrickx https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1432130425l/25519486.SY75.jpg 54051656] by Sarah Hendrickx instead (or at least first). It isn't without its own flaws, but if nothing else, it gives a much more research-based and well-rounded view of autism in women.
I was 100% ready to put this book down at the end of Part 1. But I kept going because of all the reviews that mentioned the ending.
And now that I have finished, I regret that decision, because things went down hill from there. Unless you enjoy reading sickeningly violent stories with so little social commentary that it renders the shocking horror of the story entirely pointless, skip this one.
