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Before the Fall
Before the Fall
Noah Hawley | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.4 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
The description of the book (who crashed a private jet killing nearly everyone on board) makes it sound like another twisty-turny thriller along the lines of "The Girl on the Train", and while the central mystery does have some surprises and keeps one wanting to read, this is actually a much smarter book than that. It is far more interested in human nature, what makes each of us what we are, how we cope with tragedy, and how our minds can jump to make conclusions that aren't there. It even manages to dig into themes like art, the recent financial crisis, and the 24-hour news cycle. All of the characters are interesting and very well written. Everything seems entirely believable and the book is full of moments of genuine emotion. Those looking for another trendy "thriller-of-the-month" might be disappointed, but anyone looking for a truly great novel, possibly one of the year's best, should pick this up.
  
Broken Things
Broken Things
Lauren Oliver | 2019 | Mystery, Young Adult (YA)
6
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mysterious?
This book was good in the sense that the writing was gorgeous and it flowed well. Also there was some diversity, including an omni character and a lesbian. And that cover!!! oof, that was gorgeous. So, there were your pros. The bad stuff??? I picked up this book thinking it'd have a thriller, kind of psychological, a bit creepy, myterious, the usual. Because of that I loved the flashbacks. I did not, however, like the present tense. I signed up for something gorgeous, not a Scooby Doo mystery. It was slightly predictable as well, I figured out the mystery about halfway through. This book was a decent read, but I don't think I'll pick it up again.