Helpful Score: 3
If you read Gone Girl, this is a far inferior book. If you haven't read Gone Girl, look for that one first. To me this is a blatant knock-off not worthy of publishing. It has somewhat of its own plot, it goes back and for between time and characters and overall a good premise, but since a book so similar is out there and in my opinion written so much better, this is just a knock-off.
Helpful Score: 1
A very decent debut. The relationship between the main two characters is disturbing is it a classic case of Stockholm syndrome or no? Although I do consider this a page-turner, it loses a couple of stars because of the mother and father's relationship towards one another it was quite tedious having to read through those parts.
Helpful Score: 1
So Bad!
Let me start by saying, this book is awful, and that's really all you need to know. Poorly written, predictable plot, characters that are more like caricatures. I kept reading, thinking that closer to the end there'd be some twist I didn't see coming, but nope. This book was a complete waste of time! If you're expecting anything close to Gone Girl, you will be severely disappointed.
The story is about the abduction of Mia Dennett, told through the point of view of her abductor, Colin; her mother, Eve; and the detective investigating Mia's case, Gabe. Through these characters, the reader is trying to figure out what happened, since Mia, once she is rescued, has amnesia. (Insert eye roll here)
The poor writing, stereotyping of characters, and poorly developed relationships between the characters made this book almost unreadable, not to mention the bizarre and distracting sexual tension between Mia's mother and the detective. I kept asking, "Why do these two characters need to be attracted to each other?" It did nothing to progress the story line, and wasn't even developed enough to be a subplot, so I just didn't understand why it was part of the story.
Both Colin's and Mia's fathers are laughable caricatures. Colin's father is the violent drunk that abandons his family and Mia's is the rich judge we are supposed to hate because he is aloof and detached and loves money more than his own family. The emotions I was supposed to feel just never surfaced because I was too distracted by my giggles as I read the cliched and predictable descriptions and plot points.
The icing on the cake was the supposed plot twist at the end, where the reader finally learns what was really going on. The last 10 or 12 pages is told from Mia's point of view, but if you are hoping for some sick and twisted but ultimately genius plot twist (ala Gone Girl) please skip this one, or like me your eyes might roll so far back in your head as you are reading that you will fear they may get stuck like that.
Let me start by saying, this book is awful, and that's really all you need to know. Poorly written, predictable plot, characters that are more like caricatures. I kept reading, thinking that closer to the end there'd be some twist I didn't see coming, but nope. This book was a complete waste of time! If you're expecting anything close to Gone Girl, you will be severely disappointed.
The story is about the abduction of Mia Dennett, told through the point of view of her abductor, Colin; her mother, Eve; and the detective investigating Mia's case, Gabe. Through these characters, the reader is trying to figure out what happened, since Mia, once she is rescued, has amnesia. (Insert eye roll here)
The poor writing, stereotyping of characters, and poorly developed relationships between the characters made this book almost unreadable, not to mention the bizarre and distracting sexual tension between Mia's mother and the detective. I kept asking, "Why do these two characters need to be attracted to each other?" It did nothing to progress the story line, and wasn't even developed enough to be a subplot, so I just didn't understand why it was part of the story.
Both Colin's and Mia's fathers are laughable caricatures. Colin's father is the violent drunk that abandons his family and Mia's is the rich judge we are supposed to hate because he is aloof and detached and loves money more than his own family. The emotions I was supposed to feel just never surfaced because I was too distracted by my giggles as I read the cliched and predictable descriptions and plot points.
The icing on the cake was the supposed plot twist at the end, where the reader finally learns what was really going on. The last 10 or 12 pages is told from Mia's point of view, but if you are hoping for some sick and twisted but ultimately genius plot twist (ala Gone Girl) please skip this one, or like me your eyes might roll so far back in your head as you are reading that you will fear they may get stuck like that.
