Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Review: The Gazebo

Author: Emily McGlashan
Started reading: February 13th 2018
Finished the book: February 17th 2018
Pages: 104
Genres: Fiction
Published: May 25th 2017
Source: Got a physical copy from the publisher
Goodreads score: Not enough ratings
My score:
Synopsis
A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.
For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.And as Helen struggles to understand the killer's motivation, she begins to realize that she's in a desperate race against time.




My thoughts
This is a heartbreaking book about a girl that is struggling with a lot of troubled people in her life. It's quick to read and I was surprised by the ending. For a first book from Emily McGlashan, this was a pretty good debut!

Pros
  • Harsh subjects: There are a lot of harsh subjects in this book that are not something that I witness very often. The book contains racism, alcoholism, self harm, death, neglect, depression, eating disorders... Some very troubled characters are a part of Lola's life and that makes for difficult moments that she has to deal with.
  • Emotions: The emotions in this book, especially at the end of the book were raw, real and heartbreaking. I was very surprised by the ending, but I think it's a very strong ending. This book isn't all about roses. It shows the real side of for example alcoholism and depression. I realized a lot better, because of this book, that people with depression can't always be helped and that for them, sometimes, there is only 1 solution.
  • Nicely written: Emily surprises me. This is her first book and I love the way it's written. It was easy to read and it didn't take me long to dive into the story and to finish it. I was hooked because of the easy-going writing style.
Cons
  • No chapters: A book becomes a bit harder to read, if it doesn't have chapters. Sometimes I tell myself; One more chapter. But I couldn't with this book, because I would've finished it. There are no chapters and I do think that takes away a bit of the feeling that you're reading a real book, instead of a short story.
Overall
A great debut by Emily McGlashan, that leaves you with raw emotions and better understanding for those living close to a person with a depression. Easy to read and quick to finish. I hope to read more from this author!

Thanks for reading!
Please let me know what you think about this book/review.