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Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Good Sister in Books

May 8, 2021

The Good Sister

Sally Hepworth | 2021 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences

7.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is the first book I read of hers, but it will not be the last.

It appeared Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be. In reality, their relationship is much different. Rose is the responsible, pragmatic sister who always looks out for Fern. Fern is the quirky one who always sees the good in everyone. People do not realize Rose looks out for Fern because of her publicly perfect mother, who in secret is a sociopath, and because of what Fern did when she was younger.

The book is much more than I thought it would be. It is a psychological thriller that explores how people with high-functioning autism are treated and how they view everyday occurrences. It is also a family drama, a dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless.

Hepworth builds the main characters and the people surrounding them well. She describes their world well enough to be in their world but without too much detail slowing down the story. Her storytelling and the story made Sally Hepworth an author. I want to read more of her work.

On Goodreads, Hepworth is the #1 most followed author in Australia.

This 200-word review will be published on Philomathinphila.com.

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Split (2016) in Movies

Jul 12, 2019

Split (2016)

2016 | Horror, Thriller

7.8

(124 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

M. Night Shyamalan once again has audiences very excited for absolutely no reason. The trailer portrays an interesting psychological thriller of a man (James McAvoy) subjected to many different forms of consciousness, as the plot tells he is one of the first to openly portray over twenty different personalities.

He even takes on different physical characteristics down to a metabolic level as he switches from persona to persona. This combined with the character of a doctor (Betty Buckley) who is thrilled to perhaps have discovered the missing link to understanding the unused portion of the human mind, sounds like it makes for a great sci-fi thriller.

Unfortunately rather quickly the plot devolves after the disturbed man’s abduction of three teenage girls turns over the top hokey and stereotypical. Nothing can be said that will make up for the impending disappointment of viewers as yet again Mr. Shyamalan has an idea that sounds quite intriguing, yet falls completely flat and leaves viewers feeling as if they are the brunt of the joke.

As the psychotic killer develops into a character audiences could really be scared of, a turn for the worst happens when he is transformed by his own mind into an animal. Reaching beyond anything physically possible in a much staged way, he becomes a superhuman creature who rampages until he is caught.

Even with skilled acting at his disposal Shyamalan has managed to make another very poor quality film. At each step of the way, the suspense almost grabs you but is completely predictable. It’s too bad but this one earns

Kudos

Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Apr 16, 2020

"To say I was blown away by The Caretakers is an understatement. Seriously, this book gave me goosebumps and a severe book hangover."

Come read my review for the psychological Gothic thriller THE CARETAKERS by Eliza Maxwell. This book has become one of my favorite reads, so definitely check it out! Enter the #GIVEAWAY to #win a $25 #Amazon GIFT CARD and/or a signed copy of the book.

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2020/04/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-caretakers.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
In the isolated estate she’s found the perfect getaway. But there’s no escaping the past in this chilling novel from the bestselling author of The Unremembered Girl.

Filmmaker Tessa Shepherd helped free a man she believed was wrongly imprisoned for murder. When he kills again, Tessa’s life is upended.

She’s reeling with guilt, her reputation destroyed. Worse, Tessa’s mother has unexpectedly passed away, and her sister, Margot, turns on her after tensions from their past escalate. Hounded by a bullying press, Tessa needs an escape. That’s when she learns of a strange inheritance bequeathed by her mother: a derelict and isolated estate known as Fallbrook. It seems like the perfect refuge.

A crumbling monument to a gruesome history, the mansion has been abandoned by all but two elderly sisters retained as caretakers. They are also guardians of all its mysteries. As the house starts revealing its dark secrets, Tessa must face her fears and right the wrongs of her past to save herself and her relationship with Margot. But nothing and no one at Fallbrook are what they seem.