Community Reviews
Possibly more of a 2.5/5 ⭐️
I think my main problem with this book is that I set my expectations too high.
I’m someone, that as soon as I see the words “son/daughter of a serial killer...” SIGN. ME. UP.
Unfortunately, when I buddy read this book with a friend... we both had some issues with it.
Issue #1: The writing style.
I’m not a fan of “choppy” writing. Like this. Sentences. That don’t show emotion. Or adjectives.
I understood why the writing was the way it was... the author wanted the reader to be inside the head of the narrator... a teen who may or may not be a psychopath like her mom.
... it just wasn’t for me.
Issue #2: Nothing Effing Happens.
At least not until like the last four chapters. The rest of the book, happens exactly like you’d expect it to. Her mom gets charged for murder. Duh. Millie has thoughts that she could be like her mother. Duh. Millie forms unhealthy attachment (“transference”) on a nice teacher when she’s shown compassion for the first time ever. It’s textbook psychology... so, duh.
#Issue #2.5: To go along with “Nothing Effing Happens” ... there are no major twists.
Even the one thing that happens at the end of the book Phoebe’s death was so freaking obvious. My friend and I felt we thought of more creative twists.
Issue #3: What. The. Fuck. Happened. To. The. Dad. And. Brother.
They explain it in the book a little... bit not NEARLY as much as the author should’ve.
Issue #4: Revenge.
At the beginning of this book, sure I wouldn’t have minded Phoebe dying. But the way that it ended up happening and the time it took place was SO unsatisfying. My friend Kaylan made a great point. The way that Phoebe’s death happened was so unsatisfying. Everyone ended up idealizing Phoebe even though she was a major bully... and I don’t mean a “typical” school bully. She wasn’t just calling people names... she made someone fall from a high distance in which the girl broke her collarbone!! And why did she do that? Because she was bored. Ummm. Sorry chica. I was rooting for Milly to go all psycho on your ass in place of Karma.
Instead, Milly didn’t think out her plan well enough and I (as apparently a sadistic reader, rooting for a character’s death) didn’t get the satisfaction of revenge, like I wanted.
Issue #5: I just didn’t have the motivation to pick this book up...
There were several times that I had to force myself to pick up this book. I just didn’t care about it like I thought I would.
I think my main problem with this book is that I set my expectations too high.
I’m someone, that as soon as I see the words “son/daughter of a serial killer...” SIGN. ME. UP.
Unfortunately, when I buddy read this book with a friend... we both had some issues with it.
Issue #1: The writing style.
I’m not a fan of “choppy” writing. Like this. Sentences. That don’t show emotion. Or adjectives.
I understood why the writing was the way it was... the author wanted the reader to be inside the head of the narrator... a teen who may or may not be a psychopath like her mom.
... it just wasn’t for me.
Issue #2: Nothing Effing Happens.
At least not until like the last four chapters. The rest of the book, happens exactly like you’d expect it to. Her mom gets charged for murder. Duh. Millie has thoughts that she could be like her mother. Duh. Millie forms unhealthy attachment (“transference”) on a nice teacher when she’s shown compassion for the first time ever. It’s textbook psychology... so, duh.
#Issue #2.5: To go along with “Nothing Effing Happens” ... there are no major twists.
Even the one thing that happens at the end of the book Phoebe’s death was so freaking obvious. My friend and I felt we thought of more creative twists.
Issue #3: What. The. Fuck. Happened. To. The. Dad. And. Brother.
They explain it in the book a little... bit not NEARLY as much as the author should’ve.
Issue #4: Revenge.
At the beginning of this book, sure I wouldn’t have minded Phoebe dying. But the way that it ended up happening and the time it took place was SO unsatisfying. My friend Kaylan made a great point. The way that Phoebe’s death happened was so unsatisfying. Everyone ended up idealizing Phoebe even though she was a major bully... and I don’t mean a “typical” school bully. She wasn’t just calling people names... she made someone fall from a high distance in which the girl broke her collarbone!! And why did she do that? Because she was bored. Ummm. Sorry chica. I was rooting for Milly to go all psycho on your ass in place of Karma.
Instead, Milly didn’t think out her plan well enough and I (as apparently a sadistic reader, rooting for a character’s death) didn’t get the satisfaction of revenge, like I wanted.
Issue #5: I just didn’t have the motivation to pick this book up...
There were several times that I had to force myself to pick up this book. I just didn’t care about it like I thought I would.
I liked the second half of this book better than the beginning. Based on the book jacket, I thought the story would be more about Milly's mom, the serial killer. That story line turned me off. Just the thought of a female serial killer was unbelievable to me (I'm sure there are some but I didn't want to read about them.) Instead the story focuses more on Milly and how her early childhood has shaped her and how she is dealing with life now as she is placed with a foster family while awaiting her mom's trial. Other characters come into the story; her foster sister, Phoebe is a bully. Morgan, is her younger new friend but has her own secret. MK is the art teacher at school who Milly likes but MK seems to mislead her. Saskia, the foster mom, is completely detached from her own daughter's life. Mike, the foster dad, is also a psychologist, an expert in trauma. He was trying to help Milly but I found that a bit strange-his professional life crossing with his foster dad role. There were a few surprises I didn't see coming. There are definitely dark characters who do disturbing things.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.