Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 10/02/2023
Published by: Bolinda/HarperCollins UK
ISBN: 9780008606855
Cover:
The dark background colours convey a sense of suspense and foreboding, making this design fitting for the genre and story. In contrast, striking yellow and white colours are cleverly used to make the design stand out and reference some aspects of the story.
Writing:
Although the story is told from Red’s point of view, the picturesque, third-person narrative made me feel like I was right there experiencing the chaos that unfolds with the characters. Besides this, a deliciously tense atmosphere was established and gradually intensified throughout the story, eventually making it hard for me to stop reading.
it was harder to ignore something when you were trying.
Storyline:
Despite the slow start as the stage was set and characters were introduced, the numerous twists and unpredictable storyline were engaging. At some point, as the characters came undone and shocking revelations were made, I became deeply invested in how the mystery would be resolved. Thankfully, the satisfying ending neatly tied up most loose ends whilst leaving a few things for readers to ponder.
Main character:
Red is a sweet character with a sad backstory that explains her insecurities and shyness. However, I constantly hoped her character would be more confident and interesting.
Pretending was half the game. And she should know. Her life depended on it
Secondary characters:
The five main supporting characters were infused with unique personalities, but Oliver’s character overshadowed the rest. While his arrogance and assertiveness repeatedly got on my nerves, I also appreciated how his character was skillfully used to drive the story.
Romance:
The little romance in this story consists of a few cute moments that are later thrown into question. With little resolution provided, readers are left to imagine what happens next for the characters.
Narration & Audio:
I have no faults with the narration by Emma Galvin. Fitting voices are done for different characters, and these enrich the dialogue-heavy story. I also enjoyed the ominous music and ticking clock effect, which enhanced the tense atmosphere of the story.
All things considered, I am glad I was not put off by the slow start of this story, as I really enjoyed the second half. Once established, the high stakes and unpredictable storyline made it difficult to stop reading. A similar character-driven mystery to check out is Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney.
Do you agree or disagree with anything mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
To read other book related posts, click here or check out the tag cloud for more options.
[…] Q: Do you have any similar book recommendations? You can’t go wrong with any of Agatha Christie’s iconic mystery series, such as the Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple series. For modern mysteries with vibrant characters and captivating storylines, I recommend The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and Five Survive by Holly Jackson. […]
[…] by Alice Feeney’s writing style and the constant revelations throughout the story. I recommend Five Survive by Holly Jackson as another character-driven, unpredictable read to check out if you enjoyed […]