The simplistic writing style and overdramatic presentation of everything was the issue for me on this one. I never felt connected to the characters and was getting frustrated by the plot progression choices. Sounds like it’s an interesting story overall, so give it a try if you don’t share my pet peeves!

 

😒 Using present tense style was making everything feel overly melodramatic. Like the emotional weight of someone’s death was delivered in the same tone as all the mundane moments (and it was probably even more noticeable on audio only) and it was too annoying for me. 

 

🙄 The drama and suspense read too over-the-top but, it didn’t feel purposeful OTT? Our main character was grieving in this way that read exaggerated, like imagining an autopsy table, berating herself for not protecting her sister, how no one loved her sister more than her. It felt forced and I was already struggling to connect to the story so this didn’t help. 

 

🥱 It was too juvenile sometimes. The way characters were presented felt oversimplified yet super self-aware in that way children’s books characters are sometimes written to point out the character flaws in an obvious way, and then they just feel one-dimensional because that’s all that defines them. 

 

😵‍💫 The past and present timelines clashed and rehashed the same topics, since we have our MC in the present and past, plus another past perspective involving her sister – all within the same setting. Maybe on text it would be easier, but on audio it’s too frustrating.  

 

Content Heads-Up (so far): Loss of sibling. Drug use (benzos, ketamine). Loss of sibling. Loss of parent (as child).

 

Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Porcelain skin tones. 

 

📚 Format: Library Audio