It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace.
Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched.
One of my reasons for being late with this post was to selfishly avoid spoilers for myself. So in case you haven’t finished yet Katie, Sue, I already assume you’ve read the last chapter and know what happens haha, my questions will be super general. The story is told backwards, does this work for you or do you find it confusing?
Do you enjoy suspense novels?
How does this novel compare to Girl On A Train?
Merry Christmas to you both! Hope your holidays were as wonderful as ours! The kids enjoyed their gifts and we had a lovely time just being together. We had Christmas earlier in the month with Franklin’s family and will have Christmas with my family this coming weekend, so we were able to have a very peaceful holiday just the four of us!
ReplyDeleteThis month’s novel was a total page turner. I finished it in three days. I was hooked the whole time. The thing I didn’t like about telling the story backward was the fact that I still had all the nervous tension that Nic started off with(or finished with) while she was became more and more calm due to events not yet happening for her. Not sure if that reasoning makes sense? I did feel it was a very creative way to present the story. I read a great deal of suspense novels when I was in college, not really sure which genre I favor more these days. To answer your other question, Nancy, I think I liked All the Missing Girls better. I enjoyed Girl on A Train but I liked this one better. Again I think this was strongly because of the unique insight.
Sue, you admittedly read the endings of books first. Was this possible where the ending of the book is the beginning? Or did you follow the story as it was told since it was already like reading the ending? Nancy, did you successfully avoid spoilers? Were either of you able to predict “whodunit” before you completed the novel? I was not. The ending took me by surprise (well not the part about Nic getting back with Tyler).
Do either of you feel sympathy for Jackson? As the primary suspect for Corinne’s disappearance, it ultimately limited his entire life. It reminds me of Jodi Picoult’s Salem Falls. An innocent man is falsely accused and convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor. Afterward the stigma sticks with him. Jackson is unable to maintain long term relationships or have a more fulfilling career because many will not believe he is innocent. Initially I had a great deal of sympathy for Corinne, believing that she was a helpless victim. But as we learned what a manipulative person she was, I lost all that.
Incredible book Nancy! It has been nice to have a few really great novels in a row! We are moving along to Ghost Road for next month, yes?
Much love to you both!
-Katie
Hello Ladies
ReplyDeleteYour three Christmases sound wonderful, Katie. The planning that goes into them must be incredible. Love your account of your immediate family enjoying the day together. We were lucky enough to have Mum and Dad with us on a gloriously sunny day. We had a look at the sea and ate curry, at Dad’s request. Mum and I had a vegetarian meal, lots of trifle, and listened to Nat King Cole. Mum loves him. Hope you had a happy time, too, Nancy.
Because this novel emphasises the power of family ties, and a person’s almost instinctive connection to the place in which they were brought up, I had a lot of sympathy for it. However, as you both anticipated, I couldn’t get to grips with telling the story backwards. In a conventionally structured novel, you know where the end is. I found myself ridiculously irritated when Laura suggested Nicolette might not have enjoyed a dinner at Daniel and Laura’s a few days previously. I just wanted to leaf through to find the account of the dinner, but I had no idea where that account was!
I also had problems with the first person narrative. Nicolette didn’t always reveal all I needed to know about the characters. I found it difficult to visualise Bailey and even Tyler, though Annaleise came over as a more rounded character. But the plot was interesting. I liked the idea that everything is inter-related, that there’s no escaping the consequences of one’s actions. No, Katie, I did not predict the end, though it was clear Nicolette’s father held the key to it, and something connected him to Tyler. My fear was that given the author’s contrary approach we might never find out!
There are only two missing girls. Do you think the title ‘All the Missing Girls’ refers to girls losing their childhoods? I think I’m trying to read too much into it. Anyway, Tyler and Jackson lost their childhoods too. Like you, Katie, I had huge sympathy for Jackson. Recently, in a few rape trials held here, evidence that completely exonerated the accused was produced at the last minute. Meanwhile the innocent parties had been pilloried in the press. And the notoriety will stick with these guys for a long time.
I’m not sure about suspense novels, Nancy. I imagine it’s a difficult genre to write. Very easy for the reader to criticize. Making a sweeping generalization, I think that the concern for plot sometimes means other aspects of novel writing are less well developed. Makes me sound like a literary snob. Sorry.
It will come as no surprise to you both that I preferred Girl on a Train, though not because of the structure. I had more sympathy with that book’s central character. I found it hard to sympathise with Nicolette. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable book – entertaining and escapist. Just what was needed as I tried to organize Christmas. Thank you, Nancy.
A very happy 2018 to you and your families. May it bring us all health and happiness
Hello Ladies,
ReplyDeleteGood to hear your Christmases were successful, we were pretty quiet here but still wonderful to spend the time with family.
I enjoyed our story this month and found it difficult to put down. Katie, I did happen to read a spoiler when I was writing my post so I found out Nic had hit Corrinne with her car and it certainly coloured my reading of the story from then on. I was disappointed I saw it as I love the not knowing of suspense novels best of all. I didn’t know who killed Annaleise though that kept me guessing.
I’m not sure if I really liked the backward telling of the story, I often found myself confused and needing to check why things were happening, but as you say Sue, I was unsure of where to look. I found myself smiling to myself at those times imaging your frustrations as well. I don’t know if the story would be so engaging if it was told sequentially though.
Because I knew Nic had hit Corrine with the car I was constantly bothered by her and inability to face the truth. I was particularly cross how she seemed to have so many people willing to go to extraordinary lengths to protect her, her dad, her brother, poor Tyler and Everett and she was never accountable for what had happened. I was appalled she showed no remorse for the devastation of Jackson’s innocent life and even letting him think his girlfriend was pregnant by someone else. I really didn’t like her character !!
I enjoyed how Ms Miranda tied so many lives together and so many what ifs and if onlys occurred that could have changed the trajectories of the characters lives .
I did enjoy this book more than Girl On A Train, only because I became more involved with the characters.
I hope you all enjoy your New Years celebrations, stay safe and cheers to 2018 !