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A review by pandothiel
A Game for All the Family by Sophie Hannah
1.0
Let's just preface by saying this... the main character's name is Justine. Well, let's change that for Karen.
Karen, just like any other Karen, is loud, obnoxious, entitled, and self-righteous. An anonymous caller threatens her? She insults them because she's that clever and that unafraid! She will not go to the police because she doesn't need help, but when she is convinced to go, she goes ahead and insults everyone around her, let them know they're not doing their job properly, and refuses to do whatever she can to help. Nah, you're gonna have to struggle to get anything of value out of her.
I work in customer support and have faced her kind countless times: even when she's wrong she's right and will not listen to the explanation that makes perfect sense.
The background story meant to sympathise with her results in absolutely the contrary;
Karen will do everything to get in harm's way, and doesn't care how much she is going to hurt the others around her. She is stupidity incarnate, and dangerous at that.
As for the conclusion, once again Karen does everything to put herself in danger because, ya know, she knows better.
The intrigue was both convoluted and without sense. Come on, who would believe that? I kept hoping for a twist, something that would blow my mind, that the suspect was not the true antagonist and the obvious was a plot to hide the truth... but no. Everything that appears is exactly what it is. And a lot of things are left unexplained
All in all, don't bother. This book is not worth the time.
Karen, just like any other Karen, is loud, obnoxious, entitled, and self-righteous. An anonymous caller threatens her? She insults them because she's that clever and that unafraid! She will not go to the police because she doesn't need help, but when she is convinced to go, she goes ahead and insults everyone around her, let them know they're not doing their job properly, and refuses to do whatever she can to help. Nah, you're gonna have to struggle to get anything of value out of her.
I work in customer support and have faced her kind countless times: even when she's wrong she's right and will not listen to the explanation that makes perfect sense.
The background story meant to sympathise with her results in absolutely the contrary;
Spoiler
all hell broke loose when she defended a guy who both misgendered a transwoman, and accused a victim of domestic abuse to be lying. Although I do not believe in cancel culture and never will I go on Twitter for its shear toxicity, her reaction is deplorable. She's the perfect kind of I'm not transphobic, but...Karen will do everything to get in harm's way, and doesn't care how much she is going to hurt the others around her. She is stupidity incarnate, and dangerous at that.
Spoiler
Later on when she researches mythomania and the process of victimisation, she criticises and does not understand how someone acts this way, without seeing this completely represents her???As for the conclusion, once again Karen does everything to put herself in danger because, ya know, she knows better.
Spoiler
She goes on to kill the antagonist, cold-blooded and cold-hearted picks up brain matter and the clothes, go to central London and put everything in an alleyway, goes back home, keeps the body somewhere hidden and then buries it in her garden... but she's not the villain??? She makes for a far more threatening and dangerous character than the antagonist. But no, look how strong Karen is! She's the best!The intrigue was both convoluted and without sense. Come on, who would believe that? I kept hoping for a twist, something that would blow my mind, that the suspect was not the true antagonist and the obvious was a plot to hide the truth... but no. Everything that appears is exactly what it is. And a lot of things are left unexplained
Spoiler
Figgs? Changing the name of houses and boats? The unexplained feeling at Germander house? Honestly, I expected so much better than those simplistic explanations...All in all, don't bother. This book is not worth the time.