Getaway

So this was a quick read. I enjoyed the camping horror aspects. That being said, I was a bit perplexed how three people weren't trying to take this man down together. I suppose the moral of the story precludes what some people would actually do. I get Imogen being compliant. And I get that Gale was apparently strong, and he also had weapons. I don't necessarily believe he managed to kill a cop with just a knife. I think the cop would have killed him first. I mean, they aren't known for their subtlety.

No one really knows what they'd do in that situation. But most of it could have been avoided with better choices. Bad choices were consistently made. Choices I can't imagine anyone would actually make. Okay, yeah, you need your iodine tabs back. But don't walk into an unknown situation with a known thief who is obviously hiding from everyone. Mindboggling choices, especially from Beck, the supposed smart, knowledgeable one. Sometimes incredibly selfish choices, which I get. But part of me is just like, ‘I thought you loved each other?' Were it me and my wife (HAHA! camping is terrifying, and this novel is proof to this absolute fop), I would be ready to rip someone's throat out if they threatened her. And that's not me being macho, that's just me being a protective wife with a tendency toward berserker rage in a given situation.

The hero of the story, Imogen, is not quite gaslighted by her friend and sister; but neither woman really ever wants to consider that she's right about a situation. To their extreme detriment.

So, yeah, choices made, made no sense.

THAT being said. Because I do not liking camping, this was horror for me. Even before they ran into the villain, I was disturbed and horrified. Even though I grew up in the country on a mountain in a skiing town. I enjoy the details about camping, because I don't know them, since I don't like camping. This was a fun read, just not a great read.

Seriously, though, Beck is a dolt.

edit

After having my wife read this and discussing it last night when we should have been sleeping, I have dropped the rating down. Absolutely, there seems to be some toxic positivity going on here. And some mental health shaming, which perhaps the author didn't intend. But clearly, they all need therapy, and Imogen shouldn't throw away something that helps her cope, like her CBD. But the fact that she WASN'T already in therapy and on medication is ridiculous. She didn't seem to be broke; but even if she were, surely Pittsburgh has options that are either free or have a sliding scale for payment. And that ending. Woo, that ending. Lying to their significant others after a traumatic experience; not bothering to seek therapy afterwards; hoping that somehow, randomly, the poor dead hiker gets found (they're lucky he DID); being happy and healthy and besties again? No, nope, no way. Tilda is a trashfire; Beck is a self-righteous, know-it-all; Imogen, the smartest, honestly, feels empowered by killing a person–an asshole, to be sure–but really, she'd probably just be traumatized even more. I don't buy that ending. If they never spoke again, and the sisters had very strained relations–I'd believe that. If Jamal broke up with Tilda, and Afiya divorced Beck because neither dealt with the trauma, I'd believe that. But I don't buy that ending.