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A review by clairebartholomew549
A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a taut, extremely well-paced, and emotional thriller and family drama that sucked me in right away. When her twin brother has died in what appears to be an accident, James comes back to her hometown after twenty years away to make peace with his death. But of course once she gets there, it doesn't really seem like an accident, and she decides to stay and try to figure it out.
I was surprised by how much I liked this book, since I'm not usually a huge fan of mysteries and thrillers. But I felt like this book had a ton of emotional depth, way more than I normally find in this genre (although to be fair, I don't read a lot of books in the genre, so I'm definitely not the best judge). James really wrestles with the reality of who her brother was and her own complicity in enabling his worst personality traits, and Young deftly explores how small towns protect their own, often to the detriment of outsiders and those who go against the grain, and how trauma follows you everywhere. The forest town of Six Rivers is impeccably atmospheric - it reminds me of Forks, IYKYK - and the mysteries unfold in a natural and, at least to me, mostly unpredictable way. James' grief is devastatingly articulated, and the cast of characters is compelling and nuanced. I really liked this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
I was surprised by how much I liked this book, since I'm not usually a huge fan of mysteries and thrillers. But I felt like this book had a ton of emotional depth, way more than I normally find in this genre (although to be fair, I don't read a lot of books in the genre, so I'm definitely not the best judge). James really wrestles with the reality of who her brother was and her own complicity in enabling his worst personality traits, and Young deftly explores how small towns protect their own, often to the detriment of outsiders and those who go against the grain, and how trauma follows you everywhere. The forest town of Six Rivers is impeccably atmospheric - it reminds me of Forks, IYKYK - and the mysteries unfold in a natural and, at least to me, mostly unpredictable way. James' grief is devastatingly articulated, and the cast of characters is compelling and nuanced. I really liked this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Car accident, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Sexual content