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lizziesharpee_'s review
2.0
I originally watched the TV series (Same name as book on Hulu) before reading this book and the series was better. She spent 100 ish pages describing bloody beaches. I was just skimming through the whole book. It was only towards the end when it was getting good. I knew what was going to happen, but it was such a disappointment.
stitchinthyme's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kateburstein31's review
4.0
I found this book very interesting and captivating overall. The style of writing was unique and beautifully told as the book unfolds centered around a mystery. I have given 4 stars instead of 5 because at times I felt the story dragged on and perhaps could have been condensed in some ways. But I do recommend this book.
shelbyanoel's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
sad
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
3.5
mikayla0806's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
allysonkreh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
melinda_and_her_books's review
3.0
I honestly didn't care for this book that much. It did keep my interest but I did find it a little all over the place.
jess_mango's review
4.0
Saint X on the surface appears to be a murder mystery but I found it to verge more towards literary fiction, which was perfectly fine with me.
The central character in this book is Claire. When Claire was around 7 years old, she went on a vacation with her family to a resort on Saint X, an island in the Caribbean. On the last day of their trip, Claire's college-age sister Alison goes missing. Eventually she turns up dead on Faraway Cay, just offshore of the island. Initially, 2 young men, Clive & Edwin, who work at the hotel are arrested but the evidence is just not there so they are released. The book alternates narrative perspectives, but most of the story is told from Claire's point of view. In "present time" Claire is working as an editor in NYC. One day she gets in a cab that happens to be driven by a man with the same name as one of the men initially arrested for her sister's murder. Claire becomes obsessed in finding out what really happened with her sister and pretty much starts stalking the man.
I enjoyed this book. It was a slow burn but I definitely wanted to see what happened and the story kept me on the hook. We see Claire's obsession leading to the unraveling of her life. The author does a great job portraying Claire's mental and emotional state. We feel her grief over the loss of her sister and her feeling of loss of never really getting to know Alison. Schaitkin also did a great job setting the scene of Saint X as and the divide between the people who live and work there and the wealthy resort guests.
The story also feels familiar because of high profile cases like the Natalee Holloway case (killed in Aruba) and other instances we hear of people meeting a tragic end on vacation. I recommend this book to fans of literary fiction featuring family dynamics, grief etc.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The central character in this book is Claire. When Claire was around 7 years old, she went on a vacation with her family to a resort on Saint X, an island in the Caribbean. On the last day of their trip, Claire's college-age sister Alison goes missing. Eventually she turns up dead on Faraway Cay, just offshore of the island. Initially, 2 young men, Clive & Edwin, who work at the hotel are arrested but the evidence is just not there so they are released. The book alternates narrative perspectives, but most of the story is told from Claire's point of view. In "present time" Claire is working as an editor in NYC. One day she gets in a cab that happens to be driven by a man with the same name as one of the men initially arrested for her sister's murder. Claire becomes obsessed in finding out what really happened with her sister and pretty much starts stalking the man.
I enjoyed this book. It was a slow burn but I definitely wanted to see what happened and the story kept me on the hook. We see Claire's obsession leading to the unraveling of her life. The author does a great job portraying Claire's mental and emotional state. We feel her grief over the loss of her sister and her feeling of loss of never really getting to know Alison. Schaitkin also did a great job setting the scene of Saint X as and the divide between the people who live and work there and the wealthy resort guests.
The story also feels familiar because of high profile cases like the Natalee Holloway case (killed in Aruba) and other instances we hear of people meeting a tragic end on vacation. I recommend this book to fans of literary fiction featuring family dynamics, grief etc.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.