Reviews

The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall

amberh1020's review

emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

aerbourne's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

hellasmella's review

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

miamia1's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective relaxing sad 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? It's complicated

3.25

Interesting book, more a family drama than a thriller. A bit too long and dragged at the end

chelsey_broadway's review

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

jilly7922's review

5.0

This book is about a long time popular high school teacher and family man who is accused of sexually assaulting some of his high school students on a ski trip. It is about how the family his wife, daughter and son dealt with the accusation and whether or not the accusation was true or not.
Overall I rated this book five stars out of five. This was so emotionally and passionately written. It was so realistic I thought I was a voyeur watching this story unfold in front of me. It was heartbreaking and real. It was well written, and the character development was excellent in every way. I really liked the layout of this book on how it had a chapter from each family member's perspective and how that person was handling the accusations against their husband/father. The only thing that was a little disappointing was the ending it was too short, and it seemed as if there was no closure to the book. But this was mostly because I was so into this book and didn't want it to end. I wish the ending were more fair to the rest of the book. But overall I am so glad I read this book because I completely enjoyed reading it even though it was heartbreaking. Go out and read this book because it is highly recommended.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Zoe Whittall, and Random House Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

For more book reviews come and read my book review blog at: http://turnthepagereviewsbyjill.blogspot.com

lubel80's review

3.0

I wish we could do half-star ratings here. 3 feels a bit low, but 4 is too high. Anyway, decent book. I cared for the main characters for the most part and was interested in their journeys. But the writing itself was not great. And the courtroom scene was absolutely stupid. I can handle the unhappy ending, since it's probably more true to life, but the actual scene where George gets off (no double entendre intended) was infuriatingly ridiculous. The epilogue was also infuriating, but in this case it's because I thought it was probably very realistic. I really like the concept and I feel like it shines a light on people we rarely get to read about, but would be greatly affected by the actions of the person who would most likely be the main subject in other books.

papertraildiary's review

4.0

Wow, what a powerful book. I'm very glad a story like this is out there. It definitely plays with your mind a bit on how we treat people who have gone through certain traumas, and how that affects their mental health, decisions and well-being. You'll feel for the characters while you witness what they have to go through, and wish that you could help. The kind of situation they're in is a never-ending car crash. But it's up to them to support each other from falling into the darkest of the dark. I quite liked Zoe's writing. I haven't read anything else of hers yet. There are little details that still stay with me - like even just the bank teller playing with her wedding ring while Joan is having a meltdown about her husband. Zoe has such a keen eye for observation, you know you're in the right hands for this story.

lsparrow's review

2.0

I always want to like her books. And often I am interested in the ideas of the book or the premise that the book begins on but in the end I find the characters so difficult to connect to. I am not sure if it is that they are so removed from me or that they don't feel real to me, there are little details that make the characters seem contrived despite their overall realism. I was interested in the idea of this well loved father and community man who is accused of being sexually inappropriate with 12 year old students and the struggle that the family especially the wife and mother have of grappling with this new idea of their father/husband. But in the end it felt realistic in a predictable way.

mcearl12's review

2.0

Well written but a bit long and boring