Reviews

I enjoyed this one, which kept me on my toes and turns the idea of idyllic small village life firmly on its head. The story took two unexpected, very dramatic turns and I saw neither of them coming.

Mesa perfectly captures the suffocation of tiny village life, the prying eyes, the way everyone somehow knows each other’s business, the judgements and bulldozing through boundaries. The dismissive treatment of a single woman, community dynamics, neighbourly relations - it’s all there and all enhanced by the fishbowl effect of a small community. And it also all (understandably) feeds into Nat’s increasingly unhinged spiralling, which I almost wanted to read through my fingers.

A claustrophobic, spiralling story of trying to make a life in an isolated community as an outsider and toxic relationships.

roof77's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

jejunus's review against another edition

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dark sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Is this where all that studying has got you? they would ask. Waiting like a bitch in heat for a man she barely knows, bathing a half-mad old lady, sleeping alone, her only companion a dog she still has to tie up at night. What kind of life has she chosen? Was this the goal of all her supposed rebelliousness?

elianaini's review against another edition

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3.0

Me gustó mucho porque relata muy bien la sensación de pérdida de control que te da el encontrarte necesitando a alguien que antes ni registrabas.

audreysova's review against another edition

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3.0

I couldn't help but be so intrigued about what was going to happen in this small town. And while it wasn't the most riveting read, I still found myself compelled to continue reading.

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