Reviews with content warning for Murder - Little Star

Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Little Star by John Ajvide Lindqvist

6 reviews

torihbu's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this is a winding existential glimpse into the psyche of the teenage girl. how easily young minds can be swayed in response to how society beats down on them, in the event that someone comes into save them and guide them toward an adverse direction. young people are incredibly impressionable and driven by peer pressure, and without even realizing it, they can be coaxed into horrific acts to quell the loneliness and despair that crops up inside them. this book shows the human capacity for wrong-doing and the complexities of seeking justice and how this complexity can manifest itself unsuspectingly within the minds of teenagers. some parts were a bit slower than others, but aside from the pacing, this novel was poetic in its examination of teenage angst gone too far

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pineconek's review

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The twists! The turns! The dark scandinavian vibes! The detachment in descriptions of violence!

I don't want to spoil too much, so I'll say this: Little Star is the story of two girls. One of them is found as a newborn in the woods and is raised in... questionable conditions. The other grows up as the youngest sibling in a comfortable nuclear home. Both have an affinity for music and poetry. Both have curious perceptions of morality. Both know that they are little, and the big people of the world will gobble them up.

I read this in about three sittings and generally found it hard to put down. The rhythm of the book is odd - fast paced when we meet one of our protagonists, and then a slow burn when the second comes into play. It was impossible for me not to be sucked into the dynamic of "obsessor" and "object of obsession". And there were many "I... can't believe the author went there" moments in this book, which is something I love.

If violence, disturbing expressions of sexuality, and people generally doing horrible things are not your cup of tea, stay away. But if you loved Let The Right One In and are looking for more of "two creepy children feed each other's worst instincts" then you'll absolutely love this. 4.25 stars on tSG, rounded down for GR.

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vireoeo's review

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

If you've ever been a Weird Little Girl, this one's for you, but it's gonna be uncomfortable. My brother lent me the book and told me it was the most disturbing thing he'd ever read (more so than Let the Right One In, which I disagree with), so when I started finding the main characters wildly relatable, I got concerned. I kept waiting to STOP finding the main characters wildly relatable. It didn't happen. Teresa in particular spoke to me in a way that will stick with me for a long time.

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