WARNING. SPOILERS. This is more of a rant/discussion post than a proper review.
2 Stars.
This started off so well. It reminded me of a cross between Sharp Objects and Get Out, tone wise. It was well-written prose wise. It was VERY addictive and I got through it fast. I enjoyed a lot of the time spent reading the book, especially pre-reveals, so it wasn’t a total loss by way of entertainment. The ending pretty much ruined everything, but I don’t regret reading this.
I wasn’t going to post about this book or even review it (I try to minimize my negative reviews, especially as an aspiring indie author). I like to see the good in books, usually, but I also like to analyze things from my perspective, especially popular stories that aren’t getting much of a critical hearing.
This book had a lot to analyze, that’s for sure.
I find Joan incredibly annoying, first of all, so it was hard to relate to her as a main character. The whole “build up” of the “weird town” is mostly people just not acting like 21st century leftists. Your husband didn’t like the radical haircut that you got without mentioning it to him? People bring you casseroles? People think women should have and raise children rather than being a reporter in the big city? People don’t think women should dress like prostitutes? Your doctor tells you not to drink while pregnant? THE HORROR!
(While saying you can smoke, of course, lol. I’m not saying a glass of wine while pregnant is a big deal, especially later on, but her reaction to being forbidden from alcohol is so dramatic)
I’m definitely not the target audience for this. At all.
I’m a Christian housewife who actually likes her husband (Deck is a huge creep, obviously, but not for the reasons she thinks early on!) and having children and taking care of my family. I find the whole ideological bent of this book so arrogant. It literally never occurs to the author that /some women actually think the old ways were better, at least in part/.
The good women are modern, “free”, get abortions, and do what they want.
The bad women go to church, think women should dress in a classy manner, listen to their husbands, etc. (Yes, they are also actually evil and psycopathic, but again, you don’t know this right away)
Gee, thanks, Jess Lourey.
The worst part, however (besides perhaps the “oh, just get an abortion” attitude) is the way this book portrays people with deformities.
It’s not like a Gerald’s Game situation where the deformed person is actually a villain or a bad person. These deformed and disabled individuals are completely innocent results of their psychotic, incestuous parents – and the author uses them as horror monsters. For literally no other reason than “deformed people look scary”.
Look, I am the LAST person to complain about “ableism” and that sort of thing. Multi-millionaire dwarf Peter Dinklage can stop being a baby and deal with being offended by Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
But there’s a line. And using innocent victims as scary monsters with NO REAL RESOLUTION WHATSOEVER FOR THEM is just gross. Absolutely gross. But hey, why should I be surprised. Those who promote abortion see small humans as not fully people. Why should I be surprised that they don’t see a child of God in the face of a person with a deformity, but rather a literal monster to jump out and scare a modern, hip, free woman?
Overall, I am wary to pick up anything else this author writes. I don’t mind *some* darkness in what I read, but it has to be met with light somewhere, even in secular novels. This book just left me feeling rather icky about the state of the world and modern morality. I can’t recommend it.
