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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I’m not quite sure how to rate this. I certainly didn’t enjoy it and did end up skimming, but that was more from the constant, pervasive sense of dread than because of anything wrong with the book or writing.. The writing itself was fine - my only complaint would be about the ending. It didn’t give any sense of closure.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Sammy and Crystal Cox are siblings growing up in the 1980s. They live with their Mom who works two jobs and is a bit clueless. Crystal has a vision disability where she is legally blind but she writes for the school yearbook and newspaper. Following the disappearances of two paperboys from their small Midwestern town, Crystal decides it’s the perfect story to win a writing contest for a scholarship. Officer Dale Goodkind is the detective on the case who is haunted by his past. This book is gut-wrenching! We are given two possible men who are the potential monsters kidnapping the boys. Sammy and Crystal know things no one else does. They are both amazing characters. The end has me freaked out. Then I go to research the author and find out the story is based on the real disappearances of Johnny Gosch, Eugene Martin, and Marc Allen. The boys disappeared from Des Moines, Iowa between 1982 and 1986. Knowing this really happened has me even more freaked out!!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Kidnapping
This book hooked me at the beginning and kept me on my toes throughout. Definite suspense throughout. Look forward to reading more from this author.
Am I going to become a mystery/thriller reader? After gobbling this book up in two days, maybe!
I stepped outside my comfort zone after a fellow librarian raved about White's first foray into suspense writing (I had already read [b:The Good Divide|28801133|The Good Divide|Kali White VanBaale|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1454091949l/28801133._SY75_.jpg|49013044] and expressed wild enthusiasm for White's writing there) and was not disappointed. The dark, character-driven mystery combined with a local real-world connection (how many books do you know that feature Des Moines, Iowa?) that immediately made me invested in the story and characters. White's immersive writing and her intricate plot consumed my thoughts for days after I finished the last page. I was captivated! My gut (and heart) was wrenched! I became a suspenseful, emotional wreck! And I loved every moment!
Also, a birdie told me that Kali White is working on another real-world inspired thriller, and I cannot wait. If White becomes a predominantly thriller/suspense writer, I wouldn't be mad. Just sayin'.
I stepped outside my comfort zone after a fellow librarian raved about White's first foray into suspense writing (I had already read [b:The Good Divide|28801133|The Good Divide|Kali White VanBaale|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1454091949l/28801133._SY75_.jpg|49013044] and expressed wild enthusiasm for White's writing there) and was not disappointed. The dark, character-driven mystery combined with a local real-world connection (how many books do you know that feature Des Moines, Iowa?) that immediately made me invested in the story and characters. White's immersive writing and her intricate plot consumed my thoughts for days after I finished the last page. I was captivated! My gut (and heart) was wrenched! I became a suspenseful, emotional wreck! And I loved every moment!
Also, a birdie told me that Kali White is working on another real-world inspired thriller, and I cannot wait. If White becomes a predominantly thriller/suspense writer, I wouldn't be mad. Just sayin'.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Kidnapping
Minor: Self harm
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
https://book-bucket.com/2020/08/23/the-monsters-we-make-by-kali-white/
What an intense story. Right from the beginning there is that sense of danger for the young boys of Des Moines. The author is very clever in that nothing is laid out for the reader, and yet we are not left wondering what is happening. I particularly loved Crystal's story. I thought her character's thoughts and actions were perfectly and realistically portrayed and she was very relateable. The tension was well maintained thoughout the book and was even a little creepy.
Where I felt the story fell a bit short was in the way Crystal and Sammy seemed to be handle an extremely traumatic incident a little too well. That felt a little unreal in an otherwise extremely realistic story. Having said that, it was still a fantastic read!
What an intense story. Right from the beginning there is that sense of danger for the young boys of Des Moines. The author is very clever in that nothing is laid out for the reader, and yet we are not left wondering what is happening. I particularly loved Crystal's story. I thought her character's thoughts and actions were perfectly and realistically portrayed and she was very relateable. The tension was well maintained thoughout the book and was even a little creepy.
Where I felt the story fell a bit short was in the way Crystal and Sammy seemed to be handle an extremely traumatic incident a little too well. That felt a little unreal in an otherwise extremely realistic story. Having said that, it was still a fantastic read!