Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor Publishing for giving me an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are mine!
DNF at 12%. I think this one is really going to be a personal preference book. Yes, I know as a reviewer that all books come down to personal preference but it feels more true with this book.
I knew when I picked it up that the style would be more meta-textural style and that it won't move in the standard of mysteries. I approached it, ready for the ride but unfortunately, the book's tone really put me off. There are two "narrators", a third-person narrator following McAnnis, our lead, and a second-person narrator that directly addresses the audience and is fully aware that this is a murder mystery.
This second-person narration is what puts me off because it's not inviting or enticing. It's too teasing and a little too "Oh, aren't I clever?" at times. It feels less enticing and more like someone trying too hard to seem mysterious and quirky.
When the narrator switched to the third-person and a more traditional style, it was easier to flow with the book but the moment it shifted, it just pulled me out of it. Yes, I know McDorrman is trying something different intentionally here. I'm just not a fan of it.
Maybe if I heard this book on audiobook, I'd be more forgiving, especially with a skilled voice actor.
If this book rocks your world, I wouldn't be shocked but for me, the tone isn't my cup of tea.
(That said, there's a character who seems cunning named Meredith Blake and I need someone else to tell me if they immediately thought of The Parent Trap remake. Just me? That's fair)
TW: Alcholism, ableist phrases, mentions of forced institutionalism.
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