A review by minimicropup
The Clinic by Cate Quinn

dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

At first I liked this story. But the over-scheming and a corny convoluted plot that was so boringgg killed it for me.
 
Energy: Accusatory. Audacious. Judgemental. 
 
🐺 Growls: Abrupt shift from intriguing to silly. Villain monologue + everyone making dumb decisions…constantly. Contrived, convoluted, and scientifically/psychologically contradictory storyline. One-dimensional villain. 
🐕 Howls: Not sure about that mental health rep….seemed preachy and didn’t address wildly inaccurate claims presented as fact by characters. Poorly researched scientific context that kept knocking me out of the story.     
🐩 Tail Wags: Easy listening audiobook for long commutes. Character personalities. The setting. Visceral exploration of addiction and rehab industry. 
 
Scene: A high-end but secretive rehab facility in the Pacific Northwest. 
Perspectives (3): A famous country singer who died in rehab. Their sister also struggling with addiction determined to infiltrate the rehab facility and find out what happened. A manager recruited to work at the rehab facility. 
Timeline: Current (2020s). Linear.
🔥 Fuel: Foreshadowing. Undercover quest. Unreliable/struggling narrator. 
📖 Cred: Turn all your disbelief off over-the-top far-fetched
 
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Emerald grass. Mist. Meditation. Incense. Tiger Balm.  Blowfish. Lavender. Liquid nitrogen. 
  • Addiction struggles
  • Accident, suicide, or murder? 
  • Mad psychiatrist sci-fi moments
  • Dark side of celebrity and rehab 
  • Close proximity hook-ups and catching Feelings
  • Machiavellian scheming, traitor among us
  • Patient journal and med file snippets
  • Brooding, self-sacrificing main characters
  • Bystander style narratives ranging from in the character’s minds to fly on the wall
  • Meandering plots, silly situations
 
Content Heads-Up: Addiction (graphic, on page; experiences, withdrawal, denial, enabling). Gambling. Drug use (oxy, heroin). Loss of sibling. Alcoholism. Overdose. Violence (physical). Parental abuse/rejection. Repressed childhood memories. Medical (sedation, seizures). Intrusive thoughts. Human trafficking (brief mention). Hallucination. Sociopathy/antisocial personality disorder/psychopathy. Suicide attempt (off page). Confinement. Hypothermia. 
 
Rep: White, Black, and Latina American. British. Pale, golden, caramel, and dark skin tones. Cisgender. Hetero.
 
📚 Format: Everand Audio
 
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