Reviews

Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter

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notartgarfunkel's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

catsrmything's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

As of late, the thriller/mystery genre has left me feeling so unsatisfied, underwhelmed, and frustrated. I didn't have much hope, going into the spooky season, that I'd find many five-star reads. Many of my recent reads have been redundant in plot or in concept, and overdone in the worst, try-hard kind of way.

Enter: Karin Slaughter

I. Am. OBSESSED! with Karin Slaughter's writing style. This was my first K.S. novel and I can already tell she isn't a cookie-cutter thriller author. I have already added her to my auto-buy author list. My Amazon cart has much of her backlist. It's officially, I'm a fan.

This book is layered, dynamic, and both well written and well narrated. The plot was original, the red herrings were perfectly subtle, the reveal was unexpected but was not impossible or unreasonable, and the reader isn't left yelling at the main character for overlooking obvious clues. The duel timeline was impeccably presented, and the two first-person POVs contrasted so well that they truly felt like two different people. Both of these writing techniques can make a book fall flat if not executed well.

And the narrator, Kathleen Early... Bravo. Truly. Have you ever listened to an audiobook where you had to take a break, not because of the story, but because of the narrator's voice? I have (*cough cough* A Court of Silver Flames!!!! *gag*). This narrator, however, left me enjoying this book at home, at work, while driving, at the gym, and while grocery shopping. I could listen to her all day! I'll surely be looking for her other work going forward.

If you haven't read a Karin Slaughter novel, the time is now. Get the audiobook!

Thank you, Netgalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publishing in exchange for an honest review

zmoats's review against another edition

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3.0

There's something that feels so relentlessly oppressive about the way this book progresses. While it can work in favor of the story, it also comes from feeling like I was reading parts of the story I had already read as Andrea turned over Girl, Forgotten's central mystery in her head. That's obviously representative of what it's like to have a case like this gnaw a hole in your brain. Especially when you are unable to solve it despite feeling so close to the answers. That just doesn't always translate well to storytelling, at least not in this case.

erinrae's review

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4.0

This is a slow burn whodunnit that kept me guessing right to the end! I enjoyed the police procedural aspects of the book and learning more about the US Marshals. While it was slow to start, the ending was thrilling. I enjoyed Slaughter's writing and was particularly impressed by the character development. I look forward to reading more about Andrea Oliver!