Helpful Score: 2
I read this book because I was a fan of Tawni O'Dell's "Backroads." However, this book did not live up to the precedent set by that novel. There were several problems that stood out to me that I simply couldn't get over. For instance, there were awful pacing issues, and worse, there were times when the point of view simply shifted between characters without warning, and it made it hard to follow along.
Furthermore, there were inconsistencies in the plot. For instance, one lady confesses that she never knew *something that I will not say due to spoilers* until someone told her about it recently (within the last month). Then, her daughter asks her something along the lines of, "And what about the fact that you ruined ______'s life? Do you care about that?" And the lady who just found out about this awful secret responds with, "Yes. I've had to live with that knowledge my whole life." Unless her life just started within the past month, there was a glaring error there.
Also, the book's plot was incredibly predictable. From the VERY MOMENT one of the characters received some very unsettling news, the rest of the story just unfolded before my eyes. There was no mystery left in the book for me, and I almost quit reading it right then. I did manage to soldier on, but in conclusion, I was definitely less than impressed with this particular O'Dell novel.
Furthermore, there were inconsistencies in the plot. For instance, one lady confesses that she never knew *something that I will not say due to spoilers* until someone told her about it recently (within the last month). Then, her daughter asks her something along the lines of, "And what about the fact that you ruined ______'s life? Do you care about that?" And the lady who just found out about this awful secret responds with, "Yes. I've had to live with that knowledge my whole life." Unless her life just started within the past month, there was a glaring error there.
Also, the book's plot was incredibly predictable. From the VERY MOMENT one of the characters received some very unsettling news, the rest of the story just unfolded before my eyes. There was no mystery left in the book for me, and I almost quit reading it right then. I did manage to soldier on, but in conclusion, I was definitely less than impressed with this particular O'Dell novel.
What a disappointment. I was so eager to read this book based on my experience with her other books. I really enjoyed them. This book was dull, almost pointless, and absolutely predictable. Nothing new in story or the telling of it. Almost as if Tawni O'Dell hadn't herself written it.
Tawni O'Dell is one of my favorite writers as her stories grip and squeeze your heart with emotions right to the end. That said, this book was a huge disappointment that I actually read to the end (which I don't do when I don't like a book)waiting for it to redeem itself. It didn't. Inconsistencies, predictable, and boring, too.
