A review by liseyp
The Half Burnt House by Alex North

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Christopher was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was attacked as a school pupil. But, for him and his sister Katie the impact of that event is felt throughout their subsequent lives. But, is there really such a thing as coincidence, or was that attack simply another step in a predetermined story that was always leading to the same ending. 

 

A gripping story, although the complexities of knowing what is true and what is the twisted logic of characters affected by childhood trauma, are sometimes hard to follow. If you like a nice clear cut resolution to a story I’d suggest giving this one a miss. 

 

The characters are mostly well-rounded. The main female character’s husband is a little bit one-dimensional and could have done with being a bit more likeable. There are also a number of plotlines that were worthy of more development than they got.