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Remember Mia
Like Girl on the Train and Gone Girl, Remember Mia is a riveting psychological suspense, exploring what happens when a young mother’s worst nightmare becomes devastatingly real…
First I remember the darkness.
Then I remember the blood.
I don’t know where my daughter is.
Estelle Paradise wakes up in a hospital after being found near dead at the bottom of a ravine with a fragmented memory and a vague sense of loss. Then a terrifying reality sets in: her daughter is missing.
Days earlier, Estelle discovered her baby’s crib empty in their Brooklyn apartment. There was no sign of a break-in, but all traces of seven-month-old Mia had disappeared. Her diapers, her clothes, her bottles—all gone.
Frustrated and unable to explain her daughter’s disappearance, Estelle begins a desperate search. But when the lack of evidence casts doubt on her story, Estelle becomes the number one suspect in the eyes of the police and the media.
As hope of reuniting with Mia becomes all she has left, Estelle will do anything to find answers: What has she done to her baby? And what has someone else done to her?
First I remember the darkness.
Then I remember the blood.
I don’t know where my daughter is.
Estelle Paradise wakes up in a hospital after being found near dead at the bottom of a ravine with a fragmented memory and a vague sense of loss. Then a terrifying reality sets in: her daughter is missing.
Days earlier, Estelle discovered her baby’s crib empty in their Brooklyn apartment. There was no sign of a break-in, but all traces of seven-month-old Mia had disappeared. Her diapers, her clothes, her bottles—all gone.
Frustrated and unable to explain her daughter’s disappearance, Estelle begins a desperate search. But when the lack of evidence casts doubt on her story, Estelle becomes the number one suspect in the eyes of the police and the media.
As hope of reuniting with Mia becomes all she has left, Estelle will do anything to find answers: What has she done to her baby? And what has someone else done to her?
369 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2015
286 people are currently reading
12405 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Burt
11 books237 followersAlexandra Burt was born in a baroque German town in the East Hesse Highlands. She moved to Texas, married, and worked as a freelance translator. Determined to acknowledge the voice in the back of her head to break into literary translations, the union never panned out. She decided to tell her own stories. She currently resides in Central Texas.
Remember Mia is her first novel. Her second novel, The Good Daughter, was published in February 2017. Her third novel, Shadow Garden, is forthcoming in July, 2020. She is working on her fourth novel.
Remember Mia is her first novel. Her second novel, The Good Daughter, was published in February 2017. Her third novel, Shadow Garden, is forthcoming in July, 2020. She is working on her fourth novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 751 reviews
August 17, 2015
If you like a book which is well written, with believable, sympathetic characters, good plot, tightly written narrative and well paced – avoid this book, it is none of those things. It is truly awful. Where do I begin?
Estelle Paradise is a Failure. She's failed at college, she's failed in relationships, she's failed in Life. Enter Jack with whom sleeps soon after meeting him, becomes pregnant and marries. Their daughter Mia is born. Exit Jack to a new job out of town, leaving Estelle and Mia to fend for themselves in Jack's flat. Mia is a cry-baby – literally. Cries all day, cries all night, then – wham! - suddenly no more Mia. Where is she? Ah well, that's when Estelle becomes a little more interested in Mia than she has been since her birth a few months earlier.
It's obvious, to this reader anyway, that Estelle is in the throes of post-natal depression, but no-one else sees it. By page 36 Jack has signed Estelle into a psychiatric hospital, not because of the depression, but because by now Mia is missing and Estelle isn't making sense. Jack is in need of a course in anger management, and it's a blessing when he moves out of town, and ostensibly out of the book, as the only thing he did was father the missing baby. Jack is now off the radar.
Ms Burt has a wonderful way with words:
“......his eyes were two seas of silent reproach.”
Then a page further on we have a “sea of darkness” and then a “sea of irrationality”
This gets just a tad boring if not tiresome. Can someone actually be “covered in anguish”? Apparently so.
There are so many instances of clunky, clumsy writing it's impossible to quote them all. There are occasional lessons on brain and memory function, presumably to indicate the author has done some research; unfortunately it hasn't helped with the writing:
“.....The scent had a sparkle, but not the sparkle of glitter or fireworks, not the sparkle of a Christmas day snowfall or a frosty February wind, yet it was more than the freshness of chamomile and lavender and camphor....but at the same time it had warmth, but not the warmth of cinnamon or brown sugar....the scent was a combination, a juxtaposed blend of both, it was delicate and robust all at the same time, like a worn, soft quilt from your childhood....yet daintier than cotton, more refined, but strong at the same time. This scent was pure and grand and it was all around me.”
Believe me, that is just one example from halfway through. Some books are so bad they're funny; this book is 456 pages long and is so unbelievably bad I had to keep going. Finally on page 320, Chapter 21, I started sniggering, then laughing out loud and couldn't wait to get to the altogether predictable end. It has more padding than my Tog 13 duvet, but none of the snuggly comfort. It is easily 200 pages too long.
The dialogue – dear, oh dear – banal, trite, clichéd.
Characters? Cartoon cutouts, every one of the, Our heroine, Estelle, is one of the most irritating, unsympathetic, pathetic, miserable, inadequate characters I've encountered. She has no redeeming qualities; she says so many times she has “failed”, and by crikey, she's right.
So this has been compared to “Gone Girl” and “The Girl on a Train”, has it? Yes, it's right there on the back cover. Had I written either of those books I would be insulted. Do NOT be mislead – this is nowhere even close. Yes, I suppose it is an “unforgettable psychological thriller” but not in the way the author or publisher (this actually got published!) meant. Described as “twisty” and “gripping”, two totally inappropriate words in relation to this truly awful piece of writing.
I read this specifically to review for Amazon Vine - the only reason I finished it.
Estelle Paradise is a Failure. She's failed at college, she's failed in relationships, she's failed in Life. Enter Jack with whom sleeps soon after meeting him, becomes pregnant and marries. Their daughter Mia is born. Exit Jack to a new job out of town, leaving Estelle and Mia to fend for themselves in Jack's flat. Mia is a cry-baby – literally. Cries all day, cries all night, then – wham! - suddenly no more Mia. Where is she? Ah well, that's when Estelle becomes a little more interested in Mia than she has been since her birth a few months earlier.
It's obvious, to this reader anyway, that Estelle is in the throes of post-natal depression, but no-one else sees it. By page 36 Jack has signed Estelle into a psychiatric hospital, not because of the depression, but because by now Mia is missing and Estelle isn't making sense. Jack is in need of a course in anger management, and it's a blessing when he moves out of town, and ostensibly out of the book, as the only thing he did was father the missing baby. Jack is now off the radar.
Ms Burt has a wonderful way with words:
“......his eyes were two seas of silent reproach.”
Then a page further on we have a “sea of darkness” and then a “sea of irrationality”
This gets just a tad boring if not tiresome. Can someone actually be “covered in anguish”? Apparently so.
There are so many instances of clunky, clumsy writing it's impossible to quote them all. There are occasional lessons on brain and memory function, presumably to indicate the author has done some research; unfortunately it hasn't helped with the writing:
“.....The scent had a sparkle, but not the sparkle of glitter or fireworks, not the sparkle of a Christmas day snowfall or a frosty February wind, yet it was more than the freshness of chamomile and lavender and camphor....but at the same time it had warmth, but not the warmth of cinnamon or brown sugar....the scent was a combination, a juxtaposed blend of both, it was delicate and robust all at the same time, like a worn, soft quilt from your childhood....yet daintier than cotton, more refined, but strong at the same time. This scent was pure and grand and it was all around me.”
Believe me, that is just one example from halfway through. Some books are so bad they're funny; this book is 456 pages long and is so unbelievably bad I had to keep going. Finally on page 320, Chapter 21, I started sniggering, then laughing out loud and couldn't wait to get to the altogether predictable end. It has more padding than my Tog 13 duvet, but none of the snuggly comfort. It is easily 200 pages too long.
The dialogue – dear, oh dear – banal, trite, clichéd.
Characters? Cartoon cutouts, every one of the, Our heroine, Estelle, is one of the most irritating, unsympathetic, pathetic, miserable, inadequate characters I've encountered. She has no redeeming qualities; she says so many times she has “failed”, and by crikey, she's right.
So this has been compared to “Gone Girl” and “The Girl on a Train”, has it? Yes, it's right there on the back cover. Had I written either of those books I would be insulted. Do NOT be mislead – this is nowhere even close. Yes, I suppose it is an “unforgettable psychological thriller” but not in the way the author or publisher (this actually got published!) meant. Described as “twisty” and “gripping”, two totally inappropriate words in relation to this truly awful piece of writing.
I read this specifically to review for Amazon Vine - the only reason I finished it.
January 23, 2016
Little Girl Gone by Alexandra Burt got me in right from the get go i thought this was a wonderful read & shows this can happen to anyones child.
Mia was 7 months old & went missing without a trace all her bottles, diapers etc disappeared as well, meanwhile her mother Estelle has an accident wakes up to find Mia gone she ends up in hospital without any recollection of what happened & was frantic to know what happened to her child.
Detective Kilczek is brought in to find her & unravels a chain of events to make out Estelle is going insane with the help of her husband jack they search high & low for Mia without any success .
Estelle then gets drugged by an unknown person who i cannot name as it will spoil it she suddenly with the help of Detective Kilczek discover the person or persons involved & sets out to get Mia Back.
It shows a mother will do almost anything to get her daughter back one way or the other.
I found this a compelling read that will keep you in Alexandra Burt is an author to look out for she has a good writing style strong characters & plot.
Highly recommended
Mia was 7 months old & went missing without a trace all her bottles, diapers etc disappeared as well, meanwhile her mother Estelle has an accident wakes up to find Mia gone she ends up in hospital without any recollection of what happened & was frantic to know what happened to her child.
Detective Kilczek is brought in to find her & unravels a chain of events to make out Estelle is going insane with the help of her husband jack they search high & low for Mia without any success .
Estelle then gets drugged by an unknown person who i cannot name as it will spoil it she suddenly with the help of Detective Kilczek discover the person or persons involved & sets out to get Mia Back.
It shows a mother will do almost anything to get her daughter back one way or the other.
I found this a compelling read that will keep you in Alexandra Burt is an author to look out for she has a good writing style strong characters & plot.
Highly recommended
September 23, 2015
**4.5 stars**
First of all I’m going to address the elephant in the room as far as genre and bloggers overload goes. Yes this title has the word girl. And gone. And yes we are fed up with gone girls and domestic noir overload – there have been rumblings in the proverbial jungle and I myself swore after a recent disappointment that I wouldn’t be going there again for a while..still I’d heard great things about this one from trustworthy sources so hey, what the heck right? One more for the road…
My advice? Ignore the title. This is a different kettle of fish (although yes, missing girls in this case a baby, a mother who may or may not be a killer but that’s where the comparison should stop)
Little Girl Gone starts with the fact of a missing baby and the rather strange happenstance that mother, Estelle, did not report this terrible loss. The police shake their heads, the reader shakes their heads we all look to Estelle for answers. At first she doesn’t have any…and no don’t get caught up in the whole unreliable narrator bag either – this is very much simpler in that it is the story of one mothers journey through the madness of post partum depression, possibly psychosis and her attempts to discover the truth about her daughters disappearance. This truth lies inside her own head, in a locked mind that is refusing to give up what it knows.
The tale has that great pull of being both a real page turner and a truly emotional read – Estelle accepts that she may have harmed her child. She doesnt want to believe it and nor do we, but the fact remains that she has been very ill – ill enough that anything is possible. The story twists and turns as she tells her psychiatrist about her background, her life before and her life after the birth of baby Mia.
Alexandra Burt does a really magnificent job of exploring the mindset of a mother on the edge – there is a huge authenticity here that pops off the page. Estelle as a character draws both sympathy and frustration as she goes on this journey – her frustration is your frustration and boy does that make the whole thing highly readable and extraordinarily addictive.
I think the thing that impressed me most was how the solution was not the ultimate resolution – once the truth does emerge about Mia the author takes us further – Estelle has to deal with the knowledge, the fallout, the next things in a life she struggles with and it is completely fascinating and horrifically emotive at times, I was utterly gripped the entire way through and came out the other side feeling a bit like a wet rag. Very good reading indeed.
So yes, ignore the title – this book has so much more going for it than a drop in the ocean of the Girl craze…and would definitely come highly recommended from me.
Happy Reading Folks!
First of all I’m going to address the elephant in the room as far as genre and bloggers overload goes. Yes this title has the word girl. And gone. And yes we are fed up with gone girls and domestic noir overload – there have been rumblings in the proverbial jungle and I myself swore after a recent disappointment that I wouldn’t be going there again for a while..still I’d heard great things about this one from trustworthy sources so hey, what the heck right? One more for the road…
My advice? Ignore the title. This is a different kettle of fish (although yes, missing girls in this case a baby, a mother who may or may not be a killer but that’s where the comparison should stop)
Little Girl Gone starts with the fact of a missing baby and the rather strange happenstance that mother, Estelle, did not report this terrible loss. The police shake their heads, the reader shakes their heads we all look to Estelle for answers. At first she doesn’t have any…and no don’t get caught up in the whole unreliable narrator bag either – this is very much simpler in that it is the story of one mothers journey through the madness of post partum depression, possibly psychosis and her attempts to discover the truth about her daughters disappearance. This truth lies inside her own head, in a locked mind that is refusing to give up what it knows.
The tale has that great pull of being both a real page turner and a truly emotional read – Estelle accepts that she may have harmed her child. She doesnt want to believe it and nor do we, but the fact remains that she has been very ill – ill enough that anything is possible. The story twists and turns as she tells her psychiatrist about her background, her life before and her life after the birth of baby Mia.
Alexandra Burt does a really magnificent job of exploring the mindset of a mother on the edge – there is a huge authenticity here that pops off the page. Estelle as a character draws both sympathy and frustration as she goes on this journey – her frustration is your frustration and boy does that make the whole thing highly readable and extraordinarily addictive.
I think the thing that impressed me most was how the solution was not the ultimate resolution – once the truth does emerge about Mia the author takes us further – Estelle has to deal with the knowledge, the fallout, the next things in a life she struggles with and it is completely fascinating and horrifically emotive at times, I was utterly gripped the entire way through and came out the other side feeling a bit like a wet rag. Very good reading indeed.
So yes, ignore the title – this book has so much more going for it than a drop in the ocean of the Girl craze…and would definitely come highly recommended from me.
Happy Reading Folks!
August 29, 2015
Like Girl on the Train? No.
Riveting psychological suspense? No.
Terrifying? No.
Marketing blurbs, man.
Riveting psychological suspense? No.
Terrifying? No.
Marketing blurbs, man.
November 15, 2015
I love smart thrillers but Remember Mia fell short in a couple of areas. It is a decent read and captivating from time to time. At other times, it is odd, confusing, and repetitive. Plus, the main character is not very sympathetic and she has LOTS of inner thoughts at the beginning. I did keep listening because I wanted to know what happened to Mia but not sure I would recommend this read.
November 5, 2015
This book was described as suspenseful but I didn't find that to be true. It dealt with a lot of post-partum depression, which I understand but can't fully relate to, so therefore I found those parts tedious and boring. Unfortunately, the middle (Part 2), got bogged down with "sessions" with Estelle's psychiatrist. It also had quiet a few flashbacks that detailed Estelle's childhood, her marriage with Jack-- who I found to not be a sympathetic character, the depression that followed Mia's birth, and all that to find out the conclusion to what happened the night Mia disappeared. The writing was decent but I think there was too much about Estelle's depression; it just really slowed the story that I was quickly losing interest. By the end, I just wanted to be done.
**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2017
This was a big meh. The plot is good enough but the story doesn't offer anything new in the thriller genre. The ending feels empty and cliche . I did like the transition from beginning to the middle of the book but from then on the book loses cohesion and goes on becoming trite . This is just my opinion, it had its ups and downs but mostly downs.
June 13, 2015
Yey! I won this from the goodreads giveaways! I can't wait to get it. I hope it's very suspenseful.
Wow! That was a great thriller. I had my suspicions in the beginning about what happened. I was very surprised with how things played out though and the ending!! Remember Mia had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was hooked from page one. I'm surprised I haven't heard more book buzz about this one. Especially being along the same lines as Gone Girl and Girl on the Train which have been massively popular lately. Forget those! Remember Mia was so much better. I'm going to recommend it to everyone I know that's enjoys thrillers.
Wow! That was a great thriller. I had my suspicions in the beginning about what happened. I was very surprised with how things played out though and the ending!! Remember Mia had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I was hooked from page one. I'm surprised I haven't heard more book buzz about this one. Especially being along the same lines as Gone Girl and Girl on the Train which have been massively popular lately. Forget those! Remember Mia was so much better. I'm going to recommend it to everyone I know that's enjoys thrillers.
March 6, 2016
There is something profoundly troubling to me about Remember Mia. A missing baby, a car accident, amnesia…all of these events are seen from the perspective of an unreliable narrator. A woman probably suffering from Postpartum Depression, possibly even a psychosis. If we see the other characters from Estella’s view, they are very sinister, or at the very least, annoying. Her husband Jack is so annoying as to be someone I might suspect of nefarious deeds. Yes, he is cold, he is detached, and he is critical…from her view. Then there are the various construction workers at the house where she lives, all alone, with a baby who never stops crying. And the constant criticism she gets from her husband, from the neighbors, and from almost anyone she encounters.
But no matter what we may wonder about “Amnesia Mom,” as the press has dubbed her, because she was in a car accident with a gunshot wound and no memory of events, we must ask certain questions: Who, if anyone, took the baby? Why was every evidence that a baby had even lived there missing, too? And who can we trust? And finally, if Jack was so concerned about Estella’s state of mind, why did he set her up in a construction zone, literally, while he went to another city?
Committed to a psychiatric facility, Estella and her doctor slowly work to recover her memories. And when that happens, will there be a happy ending? The long, tedious journey kept me rapidly turning pages, my heart in my throat, hoping for answers. A book I could not put down, and despite my feelings about many of the characters, especially Jack, I felt a kind of peace at the unexpected conclusion. The middle section, and the psychiatric sessions were a little frustrating, especially since events flipped back and forth between the past and the present. In the end, however, I was glad I slogged my way through. 4.0 stars.
But no matter what we may wonder about “Amnesia Mom,” as the press has dubbed her, because she was in a car accident with a gunshot wound and no memory of events, we must ask certain questions: Who, if anyone, took the baby? Why was every evidence that a baby had even lived there missing, too? And who can we trust? And finally, if Jack was so concerned about Estella’s state of mind, why did he set her up in a construction zone, literally, while he went to another city?
Committed to a psychiatric facility, Estella and her doctor slowly work to recover her memories. And when that happens, will there be a happy ending? The long, tedious journey kept me rapidly turning pages, my heart in my throat, hoping for answers. A book I could not put down, and despite my feelings about many of the characters, especially Jack, I felt a kind of peace at the unexpected conclusion. The middle section, and the psychiatric sessions were a little frustrating, especially since events flipped back and forth between the past and the present. In the end, however, I was glad I slogged my way through. 4.0 stars.
September 16, 2015
3 stars!
Finally I have finished this book. The blurb said a psychological thriller. I found it to be mostly psychological sessions with an amnesiac woman. BORING!!!! While reading it was the darndest thing I found myself absent-mindedly playing with a rope and turning it into a noose.
I skipped so many pages of this book, it was sad. Finally about 55% of the way through the book it started to get exciting for about 15 minutes. Then finding nothing to hang the noose from, I got out my gun and started cleaning it. Thankfully, I got to the end of the book before I had to use it.
As I said, there were some good parts of this book, but it definitely was not a thriller. I think it was advertised totally wrong. I think it was written well, but the blurbs were very unfair to the author. I was expecting a fast paced read with lots of suspense and that is not what I got. I gave the book an extra star because the author wrote a good book, but readers are being fooled into something else.
Thanks Harper Collins UK and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
Finally I have finished this book. The blurb said a psychological thriller. I found it to be mostly psychological sessions with an amnesiac woman. BORING!!!! While reading it was the darndest thing I found myself absent-mindedly playing with a rope and turning it into a noose.
I skipped so many pages of this book, it was sad. Finally about 55% of the way through the book it started to get exciting for about 15 minutes. Then finding nothing to hang the noose from, I got out my gun and started cleaning it. Thankfully, I got to the end of the book before I had to use it.
As I said, there were some good parts of this book, but it definitely was not a thriller. I think it was advertised totally wrong. I think it was written well, but the blurbs were very unfair to the author. I was expecting a fast paced read with lots of suspense and that is not what I got. I gave the book an extra star because the author wrote a good book, but readers are being fooled into something else.
Thanks Harper Collins UK and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2015
Hmmm a difficult book for me to review without appearing too harsh. Firstly it was a great plotline and hooked me in quite quickly, however the main characters behaviour and "lack of action" left a rather sour taste, and because I couldn't relate to her inability to deal with things rationally I ended up getting more and more frustrated, however the fact that this book evokes such strong reactions from me isn't actually a negative! Who knows how people deal with horrific events in their life... perhaps other readers would find the book plausible and gripping. Unfortunately for me it fell short due to the main characters behaviour and reactions and the rather unbelievable reveal towards the end of the book.
August 26, 2015
movie adaptation, please! bestseller, please! Hollywood treatment, please!
oh, boy. REMEMBER MIA put me through the ringer.
review to come.
oh, boy. REMEMBER MIA put me through the ringer.
review to come.
June 21, 2022
Bez szału. Początek bardzo mnie zaciekawił, ale później to uczucie zastąpiło znudzenie.
April 1, 2016
Remember Mia is a well-written, fast-paced psychological thriller. There are twists and turns all the way through the story keeping you hooked until the end. It is in the same family of books like The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl leading to many comparisons that are fitting to an extent. Equipped with an unreliable narrator and thrilling plot, this one is quite good.
The story starts with twenty-seven year old, Estelle waking up in a hospital after a very serious car crash and can’t remember what happened. She is a young mother that suffers from postpartum depression with psychosis. She was found nearly dead at the bottom of a ravine with a gunshot wound in her head. Remembering that her daughter, Mia, is missing and this happened a couple of days ago, Estelle becomes the number one suspect. She remembers waking up from a nap to discover that the daughter she had seven months prior was gone. But not only is Mia missing, all of her things are gone too; her carseat, clothes, pacifiers, formula, bottles, everything! Where did Mia go? Who would take the girl and all of her things? Is Estelle forgetting something? The book becomes a lot more about Estelle’s mental state throughout with her being questioned as to whether she did something to her daughter. Her husband even thinks she did it who was away in Chicago at a temporary job at the time. The thing is that Estelle seriously doesn’t remember anything after her accident from the last two days. She has no idea why she was found in a town three hours from home or what she was doing there. She doesn’t know how she got the gunshot wound or seriously what happened. It gets to the point where even Estelle starts suspecting herself. Like I said, it is an extremely psychological book. It truly keeps you guessing until the end.
To be the debut novel from Alexandra Burt is shocking by how good this book is. I was surprised it was her first, but I can only hope it will not be her last. I would definitely recommend Remember Mia to fans of psychological thrillers. If you enjoyed Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train, give this one a go!
The story starts with twenty-seven year old, Estelle waking up in a hospital after a very serious car crash and can’t remember what happened. She is a young mother that suffers from postpartum depression with psychosis. She was found nearly dead at the bottom of a ravine with a gunshot wound in her head. Remembering that her daughter, Mia, is missing and this happened a couple of days ago, Estelle becomes the number one suspect. She remembers waking up from a nap to discover that the daughter she had seven months prior was gone. But not only is Mia missing, all of her things are gone too; her carseat, clothes, pacifiers, formula, bottles, everything! Where did Mia go? Who would take the girl and all of her things? Is Estelle forgetting something? The book becomes a lot more about Estelle’s mental state throughout with her being questioned as to whether she did something to her daughter. Her husband even thinks she did it who was away in Chicago at a temporary job at the time. The thing is that Estelle seriously doesn’t remember anything after her accident from the last two days. She has no idea why she was found in a town three hours from home or what she was doing there. She doesn’t know how she got the gunshot wound or seriously what happened. It gets to the point where even Estelle starts suspecting herself. Like I said, it is an extremely psychological book. It truly keeps you guessing until the end.
To be the debut novel from Alexandra Burt is shocking by how good this book is. I was surprised it was her first, but I can only hope it will not be her last. I would definitely recommend Remember Mia to fans of psychological thrillers. If you enjoyed Gone Girl or The Girl on the Train, give this one a go!
August 16, 2018
This is Alexandra Burt's first novel, and I believe that she is up on top with all the rest of the psychological thriller writers.
Estelle's husband Jack was unpredictable in many ways. When baby Mia is born she cries all the time with colic. Jack has to work a way from home for a few weeks, but while he gone, seven-month-old baby Mia disappears. Estelle Paradise failed to contact the police to tell them that her baby daughter has been taken from her cot in Brooklyn, NY.
Details were released that Estelle had critical head injuries as her car went down the ravine. It appears that Estelle Paradise can not remember anything about the crash or day her baby Mia disappeared. Estelle has been put in psychiatric care where she recieves help her try to remember what happened the day Mia disappeared.
A twist, gripping read that is impossible to put down.
September 25, 2015
REVIEW: LITTLE GIRL GONE by Alexandra Burt
LITTLE GIRL GONE is a novel of psychological horror, focusing on a seven-month-old baby who has simply disappeared. Not an ordinary abduction, all evidence of the infant is missing, from clothes and diapers, to prepared bottles and even soiled diapers in the trash. I was constantly seeing this in late Victorian, European terms: the emotionally and psychologically abusive husband, gaslighting the confused and unstable wife; the woman involuntarily committed [in that era, for "hysteria"], here for amnesia. Readers will resonate with the distraught, cowed mother, psychologically beaten down by husband and some police detectives, unable to recall--a tragic figure who nonetheless perseveres.
LITTLE GIRL GONE is a novel of psychological horror, focusing on a seven-month-old baby who has simply disappeared. Not an ordinary abduction, all evidence of the infant is missing, from clothes and diapers, to prepared bottles and even soiled diapers in the trash. I was constantly seeing this in late Victorian, European terms: the emotionally and psychologically abusive husband, gaslighting the confused and unstable wife; the woman involuntarily committed [in that era, for "hysteria"], here for amnesia. Readers will resonate with the distraught, cowed mother, psychologically beaten down by husband and some police detectives, unable to recall--a tragic figure who nonetheless perseveres.
July 18, 2015
This is another book that wasn't bad, but lost my attention. Things were going fine for a while, then I simply could not take anymore of Estelle's whining, Jack's berating of Estelle, and the police's accusations.One would expect to get all that in a story where a baby is missing, but it was nonstop, so much so that I was doing more wincing than anything else.
July 18, 2015
WOW!! this one definitely needs to be made into a movie. What a wild, crazy, heartbreaking yet heartwarming ride! It's the story of a missing baby, a mom who's been deemed "crazy", but the outcome....wow. Read this one!
August 15, 2016
This book is an emotional roller coaster! Couldn't put it down!
July 7, 2015
Wow! What a story! We are pulled into this book reading it immediately and frantically, glued to the pages from the start! We are really trying to figure out what is going on, what is happening, and we want to find out.
One day Estelle's baby, Mia, disappears. ALL of Mia's things disappear. EVERYTHING of Mia's disappears. Not one sock is left. Not one pacifier is left. Not one bottle of formula is left in the refrigerator. What's going on? Estelle's husband blames HER! What about HIM? This is a crazy case! The police are called in and Estelle is beside herself. We are frantically reading trying to find out what happened, but can't.
This book doesn't really slow down until about Chapter 11 when the story starts to go through things a little slower, when we can finally slow down and start to take in what really happened. Although, then again, we now have her husband, Jack, to deal with. He is a nasty one! Or at least in this part of the book he sure seems to be!
As we slow down reading, we find out the main character of this book, Estelle, was actually shot with a gun while she was driving, it hit her in the ear, knocking her unconscious causing her to end up driving down into a ravine alongside an exit ramp. The vehicle was in such a way that you could not see it. Everything that is wrong with Estelle is not ALL Post Partum Depression after all! Sure, she definitely has/had it, but there are other things at play here. Estelle DID HAVE A BABY! That is a proven FACT! Not everything that is wrong with Estelle is post partum depression.
We need to find out what is going on. but this book starts to become more about Estelle's psyche now, as we need to find out what she knows, too.
You cannot help but to feel so strongly for Estelle because her husband is so mean to her. HE wants answers, but she can't remember a THING! Her husband wants the answers now, what happened immediately, but give her a chance! She has just been pulled out of a ravine after being unconscious for two days, and her husband has nothing nice for her, not even a simple, "I love you.". He can't even ask her how she's feeling. Obviously she's not feeling well, but most husbands' would at least ask their wives how they were feeling instead of just accepting the obvious here! Come on!
Estelle had driven in to Dover, a town that is very far from their home, and she had no reason, nor answers as to why she did it.
You start to think her husband is behind this somehow, he HAS TO BE! How could he not be because of the way he was treating his own wife? Did he even FEEL for his own WIFE? I could not help but to remember a thought Jack had had about Estelle, his now wife, but then girlfriend, that back when they were dating. He thought to himself that he 'felt' she looked at the world in a very 'emotional way'. Heck, this woman could become his scapegoat one day if need be! He probably thought Estelle would be the perfect woman to pin a crime on because she reacts to things in emotional ways. This gives Jack a nice scapegoat to blame Estelle as a good person to peg a crime on. It wouldn't take much to blame Estelle of anything, or even convince her SHE did do something so severe that she would believe it! This is Estelle's husband's, Jack. NOT a nice guy, or at least this is how I feel from the beginning! Jack, doesn't help Estelle with her memory, either. He continually puts her down and making her feel guilty, that she DID do something to the baby. She believes Jack so much that she start to dream of blood (from the car accident? She doesn't know?) and of other strange things because he makes her feel as if it IS HER FAULT! He asks her HOW can she LOSE a child? He continually acts like this, and frankly, I hated him! There was not one thing I liked about this man, and I felt he was behind this entire disappearance. Now we have psychologically abused Estelle left, feeling as if she DID do something to make their baby who had severe colic, keeping both her and her husband up all nights every night, and even (conveniently?) her husband gets a job in Chicago temporarily, and Estelle and the baby are to stay living in Brooklyn during this time! (Wow! Did Jack set up the deal of a lifetime or what? Jerk!) Estelle IS going crazy, but so would you without one friend being 'allowed' into your home, (yes, this is at her husband's request!) Estelle has no family to help her, either, and prior to this accident, she is with this baby 24/7 with the ONLY help was Mia's naps and sleeping at night, of which she was not good at. The baby never slept. She DOES START BELIEVING SHE IS CRAZY AND DID LOSE THE BABY! I don't know about you, but I sure would start to feel like I was at fault in Estelle's situation, too!
Now Jack convinces Estelle to sign papers. Papers that will institutionalize her so she can get her memory back about baby Mia.
The media gets wind of this story and call Estelle, 'MediaMom'.
There is so much more to this story, it's amazing that this is a debut author who wrote this! You're going to LOVE this if you like Thrillers!
Congratulations to this author, Alexandra Burt!
This book was provided to me by Penguin/Random House/Berkley for review purposes only, either positive or negative. Thank you Publishers! I truly enjoyed this book!
One day Estelle's baby, Mia, disappears. ALL of Mia's things disappear. EVERYTHING of Mia's disappears. Not one sock is left. Not one pacifier is left. Not one bottle of formula is left in the refrigerator. What's going on? Estelle's husband blames HER! What about HIM? This is a crazy case! The police are called in and Estelle is beside herself. We are frantically reading trying to find out what happened, but can't.
This book doesn't really slow down until about Chapter 11 when the story starts to go through things a little slower, when we can finally slow down and start to take in what really happened. Although, then again, we now have her husband, Jack, to deal with. He is a nasty one! Or at least in this part of the book he sure seems to be!
As we slow down reading, we find out the main character of this book, Estelle, was actually shot with a gun while she was driving, it hit her in the ear, knocking her unconscious causing her to end up driving down into a ravine alongside an exit ramp. The vehicle was in such a way that you could not see it. Everything that is wrong with Estelle is not ALL Post Partum Depression after all! Sure, she definitely has/had it, but there are other things at play here. Estelle DID HAVE A BABY! That is a proven FACT! Not everything that is wrong with Estelle is post partum depression.
We need to find out what is going on. but this book starts to become more about Estelle's psyche now, as we need to find out what she knows, too.
You cannot help but to feel so strongly for Estelle because her husband is so mean to her. HE wants answers, but she can't remember a THING! Her husband wants the answers now, what happened immediately, but give her a chance! She has just been pulled out of a ravine after being unconscious for two days, and her husband has nothing nice for her, not even a simple, "I love you.". He can't even ask her how she's feeling. Obviously she's not feeling well, but most husbands' would at least ask their wives how they were feeling instead of just accepting the obvious here! Come on!
Estelle had driven in to Dover, a town that is very far from their home, and she had no reason, nor answers as to why she did it.
You start to think her husband is behind this somehow, he HAS TO BE! How could he not be because of the way he was treating his own wife? Did he even FEEL for his own WIFE? I could not help but to remember a thought Jack had had about Estelle, his now wife, but then girlfriend, that back when they were dating. He thought to himself that he 'felt' she looked at the world in a very 'emotional way'. Heck, this woman could become his scapegoat one day if need be! He probably thought Estelle would be the perfect woman to pin a crime on because she reacts to things in emotional ways. This gives Jack a nice scapegoat to blame Estelle as a good person to peg a crime on. It wouldn't take much to blame Estelle of anything, or even convince her SHE did do something so severe that she would believe it! This is Estelle's husband's, Jack. NOT a nice guy, or at least this is how I feel from the beginning! Jack, doesn't help Estelle with her memory, either. He continually puts her down and making her feel guilty, that she DID do something to the baby. She believes Jack so much that she start to dream of blood (from the car accident? She doesn't know?) and of other strange things because he makes her feel as if it IS HER FAULT! He asks her HOW can she LOSE a child? He continually acts like this, and frankly, I hated him! There was not one thing I liked about this man, and I felt he was behind this entire disappearance. Now we have psychologically abused Estelle left, feeling as if she DID do something to make their baby who had severe colic, keeping both her and her husband up all nights every night, and even (conveniently?) her husband gets a job in Chicago temporarily, and Estelle and the baby are to stay living in Brooklyn during this time! (Wow! Did Jack set up the deal of a lifetime or what? Jerk!) Estelle IS going crazy, but so would you without one friend being 'allowed' into your home, (yes, this is at her husband's request!) Estelle has no family to help her, either, and prior to this accident, she is with this baby 24/7 with the ONLY help was Mia's naps and sleeping at night, of which she was not good at. The baby never slept. She DOES START BELIEVING SHE IS CRAZY AND DID LOSE THE BABY! I don't know about you, but I sure would start to feel like I was at fault in Estelle's situation, too!
Now Jack convinces Estelle to sign papers. Papers that will institutionalize her so she can get her memory back about baby Mia.
The media gets wind of this story and call Estelle, 'MediaMom'.
There is so much more to this story, it's amazing that this is a debut author who wrote this! You're going to LOVE this if you like Thrillers!
Congratulations to this author, Alexandra Burt!
This book was provided to me by Penguin/Random House/Berkley for review purposes only, either positive or negative. Thank you Publishers! I truly enjoyed this book!
September 11, 2015
Comparisons to Gone Girl and Girl On The Train did nothing to help this book. I went in expecting an incredibly fast paced, concise and coherent plot. The narrative felt all over the place, there were some bizarre descriptions and ways of presenting events. I didn't find it compelling and was thoroughly confused most of the way through. Sadly I didn't enjoy it and wouldn't recommend.
December 23, 2015
I had seen all the hype on social media in the lead up to LGG's release, and I was lucky enough to win a copy on a Halloween give away from Killer Reads over on Facebook so I finally got around to reading it in the past couple of days!
About the book (via Goodreads)
A baby goes missing. But does her mother want her back?
When Estelle’s baby daughter is taken from her cot, she doesn’t report her missing. Days later, Estelle is found in a wrecked car, with a wound to her head and no memory.
Estelle knows she holds the key to what happened that night – but what she doesn’t know is whether she was responsible…
My thoughts:
Firstly, I have a love/hate relationship with books that have "girl" or "gone" in the title, and this had both. However, it is nothing like those other books to which the inevitable comparisons are drawn.
I have to say, even nearing the end, I was still undecided as to whether or not I liked this book! I think it's because I didn't really like Estelle, which in turn made me less inclined to empathise or root for her. In saying that though, upon finishing, she slightly redeemed herself in my eyes.
The book is written in four parts, and the chapters are relatively short so it's an easy book to read. I'm sure, given the time, I could have read it in one sitting.
The narrative has enough twists and turns to make you say just a few more pages, which is something I look for in a good book.
As a mother, I could relate to some of Estelle's anxieties and emotions with a new baby, but at the same time I wanted to hit her for her terrible decisions at different points in the book.
Alexandra Burt has done a great job in that sense. The neuroses that only a new parent can feel were captured perfectly. Couple this with a hard, almost unforgiving husband, and you have a recipe for relationship trouble.
I find it hard to say I enjoyed a book with a theme as horrendous as child abduction, but Little Girl Gone was a well written, pacy, page turning book. It had just enough tension to keep your heart rate up at times too.
While not the best book I've read this year, I did enjoy it! I gave Little Girl Gone 3⭐️ on Goodreads.
Happy reading
About the book (via Goodreads)
A baby goes missing. But does her mother want her back?
When Estelle’s baby daughter is taken from her cot, she doesn’t report her missing. Days later, Estelle is found in a wrecked car, with a wound to her head and no memory.
Estelle knows she holds the key to what happened that night – but what she doesn’t know is whether she was responsible…
My thoughts:
Firstly, I have a love/hate relationship with books that have "girl" or "gone" in the title, and this had both. However, it is nothing like those other books to which the inevitable comparisons are drawn.
I have to say, even nearing the end, I was still undecided as to whether or not I liked this book! I think it's because I didn't really like Estelle, which in turn made me less inclined to empathise or root for her. In saying that though, upon finishing, she slightly redeemed herself in my eyes.
The book is written in four parts, and the chapters are relatively short so it's an easy book to read. I'm sure, given the time, I could have read it in one sitting.
The narrative has enough twists and turns to make you say just a few more pages, which is something I look for in a good book.
As a mother, I could relate to some of Estelle's anxieties and emotions with a new baby, but at the same time I wanted to hit her for her terrible decisions at different points in the book.
Alexandra Burt has done a great job in that sense. The neuroses that only a new parent can feel were captured perfectly. Couple this with a hard, almost unforgiving husband, and you have a recipe for relationship trouble.
I find it hard to say I enjoyed a book with a theme as horrendous as child abduction, but Little Girl Gone was a well written, pacy, page turning book. It had just enough tension to keep your heart rate up at times too.
While not the best book I've read this year, I did enjoy it! I gave Little Girl Gone 3⭐️ on Goodreads.
Happy reading
September 2, 2018
This book was okay. Its about Estelle (I dont feel like the name fit the character at all) and her 7 month old baby, Mia, who disappeared from her home in the middle of the night along with all of her bottles, formula, etc. Estelle wakes up in a hospital with no memory of the recent past except for the knowledge that her daughter is gone. She and her husband had a shaky marriage and he took a job in a different city and had Estelle and Mia move in to a house in Brooklyn. The book is interesting because it seems as though Estelle has suffered from postpartum psychosis and shes killed her baby. She is in a mental hi\ospital through the whole story. She didnt think she did but by the end shes convinced herself that she is a monster and did indeed kill Mia. They even find a note that she left before she drove into a ravine and shot herself (thus ending up in the hospital).
However- we find out that truthfully, one of the neighbors in Brooklyn and his sister had been stealing kids and "placing them" (ie selling them) to different homes. They took Mia then kidnapped Estelle. Throughout the journey they drugged her, then the sister killed her brother, convinced Estelle to help, and also convinced her to leave the note and attempt suicide.
In the end, a "church" was raided that housed many stolen kids and Mia and Estelle were reunited (4 years later).
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and had high hopes for it, but I felt like the twist was anticlimactic and not much of a twist and I honestly just didn't care much. Regardless of what happened to Mia, I think Estelle had some postpartum mood issues that were sadly unaddressed and her husband is an ass who is pretty MIA throughout the story. I can't exactly pinpoint what would've made this book better, but overall it was just okay. I won't be keeping it on my shelves, but I guess I would still recommend it as a library pick.
However- we find out that truthfully, one of the neighbors in Brooklyn and his sister had been stealing kids and "placing them" (ie selling them) to different homes. They took Mia then kidnapped Estelle. Throughout the journey they drugged her, then the sister killed her brother, convinced Estelle to help, and also convinced her to leave the note and attempt suicide.
In the end, a "church" was raided that housed many stolen kids and Mia and Estelle were reunited (4 years later).
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and had high hopes for it, but I felt like the twist was anticlimactic and not much of a twist and I honestly just didn't care much. Regardless of what happened to Mia, I think Estelle had some postpartum mood issues that were sadly unaddressed and her husband is an ass who is pretty MIA throughout the story. I can't exactly pinpoint what would've made this book better, but overall it was just okay. I won't be keeping it on my shelves, but I guess I would still recommend it as a library pick.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2015
First, I would like to thank HarperCollins publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the honor of reading this book.
Wow! This is my first reaction as I finish this exquisitely written novel. The psychological suspense is incredible. You don't know what is really happening and then Boom! Once I got going on this book I finished the 2nd half in less than a day. It will keep you guessing and that is what a book in this genre should do. I thought I knew what was happening, but you won't, no matter how you try. This is one of the best psychological suspense books that I have ever read, I swear to you. The storyline is riveting and so vivid in its descriptions, you are there, inside the story. The character development is flawless and while you will not like a lot of the characters, you will know them intimately. You will keep turning the pages until the very last word. Absolutely fascinating read! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an edge of your seat, suspense filled story of a Little Girl Gone. This book deserves the absolute highest praise and I just can't do it justice. Please read this one, it is intense in its suspense.
Wow! This is my first reaction as I finish this exquisitely written novel. The psychological suspense is incredible. You don't know what is really happening and then Boom! Once I got going on this book I finished the 2nd half in less than a day. It will keep you guessing and that is what a book in this genre should do. I thought I knew what was happening, but you won't, no matter how you try. This is one of the best psychological suspense books that I have ever read, I swear to you. The storyline is riveting and so vivid in its descriptions, you are there, inside the story. The character development is flawless and while you will not like a lot of the characters, you will know them intimately. You will keep turning the pages until the very last word. Absolutely fascinating read! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an edge of your seat, suspense filled story of a Little Girl Gone. This book deserves the absolute highest praise and I just can't do it justice. Please read this one, it is intense in its suspense.
August 6, 2015
Holy freaking slow clap.
This book was pretty amazing. I couldn't put it down (and, in fact, read it in less than 24 hours).
This book evoked emotions and loyalties I don't realize I had. I think that's the true sign of a great read.
I look forward to more books from this author!
This book was pretty amazing. I couldn't put it down (and, in fact, read it in less than 24 hours).
This book evoked emotions and loyalties I don't realize I had. I think that's the true sign of a great read.
I look forward to more books from this author!
October 9, 2015
Originally posted on This Chick Reads
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I know what most of you were thinking when they heard this book was out, probably something along the lines 'Oh, no. Another Gone Girl!' And you know what, that's not a bad thing, I was in the same group of people, slightly getting fed up of books compared to Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train.
But you know how they say never to judge a book by the cover? Well, I guess same way it could be said never to judge a book by the title. So, yes, lately we've seen the pattern of insta successful books which by a chance have 'girl, daughter, husband' in their title. But hey, a catchy title is important especially for a debut, as it makes the book stand out.
But let me now compare 'Little Girl Gone' with some well known besellers written in the last year or so. The few resemblances I've seen are: the fact they're written by a female, their similar titles and the unreliable MCs. These are the only things I find in common.
So how is 'Little Girl Gone' different than the rest of the psychological thrillers written lately? I shall get to that too, but let me tell you a few words about the plot first. Estelle's badly injured and found in a car. She has no recollection of how she ended up on that road and in that car and why she's injured. Slowly she's getting her memory back and remembers her baby daughter Mia is missing. However, as we find out later, Estelle didn't report her daughter missing. Why the hell didn't she? What kind of mother doesn't report a missing child? A guilty one? An unreliable one who's got something with her child's missing? An addict? You'll constantly be asking yourself #didshedoit.
Switching from past to present, we get to see who Estelle is, we see her many flaws, the marriage which is everything but happy, the daughter who seems to never stop crying, the constant stress and great turmoil Estelle is experiencing. I'm telling you, there were times that I wanted to hug and hold Estelle in my arms and others when I wanted to give her a good shake.
This is one of the things that makes this book stand out and so good, the fact that despite her numerous flaws I simply couldn't hate Estelle. Most of the actions she takes to find her daughter seem ridiculous, and seems like she's leading you to judge her. She's weak, she's got tons of problems, however she felt so real to me.
I think Ms Burt did a rather brave thing when she created Estelle. We're well aware most readers are loving books that have happy endings, or at least book characters they could connect to. But Estelle doesn't fit the scheme, seems she's doing everything wrong and risks of being deeply hated and even judged. As a mother, I can see why she's going bit gaga, and could understand her to a certain point. However, the fact she didn't rapport Mia missing was what was eating me inside and what I wanted to find out.
Now this is the second thing that fascinated me. Though I was initially drawn to the mystery of the missing child, soon I got so deep in analyzing Estelle's complex character and her actions. I was trying to get into Estelle's head and see her reasons for being the way she is. I was looking for the roots of her problems. Hell, at times she even made me suspect the very existence of Mia. Honestly, it all felt like a roller coaster. I felt like someone was playing with my head and I simply couldn't predict where Ms Burt would take me next.
As you see, I really enjoyed 'Little Girl Gone' and even found it a more gripping than 'Gone Girl'. My tbr pile is massive, but I started reading it the same day it arrived. I read it in a single sitting, in just 4 hours or something like that. In my book, that's always a good thing. It means the book keeps my interest and turns the pages all by itself.
Though I was fascinated with the pacing and the way Estelle was portrayed, I must say there were some 'holes' or unanswered questions which are stopping me from giving 'Little Girl Gone' the max star rating. I admit, these holes made me feel confused at times, but still I enjoyed the ride.
'Little Girl Gone' is dark, atmospheric and gripping read that definitely deserves to be on your TBR list. A thought provoking read that explores human nature and just what humans are capable of. Definitely recommend to fans of psychological thrillers.
September 17, 2015
Poor choice of title as it only aids the comparisons to Gone Girl. (Oh, they have changed the title! It is still Little Girl Gone on Goodreads, but Amazon has Remember Mia, a better choice.
Brief synopsis: When Estelle’s baby daughter is taken from her cot, she doesn’t report her missing. Days later, Estelle is found in a wrecked car, with a wound to her head and no memory.
Estelle knows she holds the key to what happened that night – but what she doesn’t know is whether she was responsible…
Another woman with amnesia!
The good: The book gives an interesting account of postpartum psychosis and the importance of early parental attachment.
The bad: Way too much time on Estelle's postpartum difficulties, and the book is quite long. It is difficult to read the details, and I had to put the book down several times. Cutting some of this section would have given plenty of information about Estelle's mental state and moved the novel along at a better pace.
Also problematic, deciphering what is spoken aloud and what is being thought; sometimes this is clarified by italics, but not always. Since Estelle is so confused and has no memory of certain events, knowing the difference between what is thought and what is said becomes even more important.
And it is only around half-way through the book that you get an idea about what really happened, even if there are some clues--so you have to suffer the anxiety of reading Estelle's psychosis for way too long before even getting to the meat of the story. Serious editing would have condensed the length, avoided reader burn-out, and resulted in a better paced story.
NetGalley/Harper Collins/Avon
Mystery/Thriller. Sept. 24, 2015. Print version: 400 pages
(Just checked and this was published in July and is being republished in Sept. with fewer pages--343 as opposed to 400. It may make a big difference in the quality of the novel! New cover as well.)
Brief synopsis: When Estelle’s baby daughter is taken from her cot, she doesn’t report her missing. Days later, Estelle is found in a wrecked car, with a wound to her head and no memory.
Estelle knows she holds the key to what happened that night – but what she doesn’t know is whether she was responsible…
Another woman with amnesia!
The good: The book gives an interesting account of postpartum psychosis and the importance of early parental attachment.
The bad: Way too much time on Estelle's postpartum difficulties, and the book is quite long. It is difficult to read the details, and I had to put the book down several times. Cutting some of this section would have given plenty of information about Estelle's mental state and moved the novel along at a better pace.
Also problematic, deciphering what is spoken aloud and what is being thought; sometimes this is clarified by italics, but not always. Since Estelle is so confused and has no memory of certain events, knowing the difference between what is thought and what is said becomes even more important.
And it is only around half-way through the book that you get an idea about what really happened, even if there are some clues--so you have to suffer the anxiety of reading Estelle's psychosis for way too long before even getting to the meat of the story. Serious editing would have condensed the length, avoided reader burn-out, and resulted in a better paced story.
NetGalley/Harper Collins/Avon
Mystery/Thriller. Sept. 24, 2015. Print version: 400 pages
(Just checked and this was published in July and is being republished in Sept. with fewer pages--343 as opposed to 400. It may make a big difference in the quality of the novel! New cover as well.)
October 25, 2016
I also posted this review on my blog, bibliofagista. You can check it out here.
* I got this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. *
As the blurb says, the novel is about Estelle and finding what happened to her daughter, Mia. The story starts with Estelle in the hospital, having amnesia – she dose not know what happened to her or to her baby. Therefore, a big part of the novel is focused on Estella trying to recover her memory. There is some action as well – in the memories that are coming back, and after the protagonist gets her memories back.
The book is divided into four parts. Some chapters are in the present time, while others are in the past – especially in the first part. Another part is focusing on Estelle recovering her memory, while the last section jumps into the future. I personally didn’t have a problem with the time-line not being constant, but some people might not like it.
The novel dose not have a constant pace. It changes from low-paced, to medium-paced. This is not a problem, not necessarily. However, it means that some parts pull you into the story, while others are a bit boring. Actually, I think that the book is too big; it has a lot filling, which drags the story, and is a pity because the main idea is quite interesting.
Personally, I liked the story, the concept. It can be fascinating to read about a person recovering from amnesia, and how their past affects their present and their future. Add a missing baby into it, and it gets even more mysterious. The main downside is the filling and the low-paced parts, as mentioned above.
The end was a bit disappointing. It wasn’t terrible or anything, I just expected the novel to end with a bang. Also, what happened to Mia was kind of unrealistic – actually, it’s not what happened, it’s how it happened and why.
The main character is Estelle. She is not the most pleasant character, and it’s not because she has problems. I like damaged characters – but then again, there are damaged protagonists, and simply idiotic ones. And Estelle is both.
Estelle describes herself as a failure: she failed in college, at work, as a mother, as a wife, as a person. However, she dose not do anything about it. She dose not seek therapy, even though she has childhood trauma; she dose not try to improve herself; nothing. But she gets married and has a baby.
After she gave birth to Mia, Estelle developed postpartum depression, which gets worse and worse if left untreated. Actually, postpartum depression is one of the main focus of this novel, which is interesting. But my problem is Estelle and how she deals with everything.
Jack is Estelle’s husband. I have mix feelings about him. He can come of as an ass, and that’s how the novel wants to portray him – as a shitty person. But at the same time, I felt sorry for him. It wasn’t his fault that his wife had mental problems. Also, he was an ass from the beginning, he didn’t hide this part of him, and yet Estelle still married him. He is a lawyer, she was a waitress. So, it takes two to tango.
Overall, it was worth reading this book, despite it’s flaws.
I do recommend this book, especially to people who:
like psychological thrillers, especially ones that deal with amnesia and postpartum depression;
like damaged characters;
would like to try a thriller/crime book, but do not like graphic scenes;
As always, this is my personal opinion. If you want to read this book, read it and make up your own opinion. You might like it more than I did or not.
* I got this book via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. *
As the blurb says, the novel is about Estelle and finding what happened to her daughter, Mia. The story starts with Estelle in the hospital, having amnesia – she dose not know what happened to her or to her baby. Therefore, a big part of the novel is focused on Estella trying to recover her memory. There is some action as well – in the memories that are coming back, and after the protagonist gets her memories back.
The book is divided into four parts. Some chapters are in the present time, while others are in the past – especially in the first part. Another part is focusing on Estelle recovering her memory, while the last section jumps into the future. I personally didn’t have a problem with the time-line not being constant, but some people might not like it.
The novel dose not have a constant pace. It changes from low-paced, to medium-paced. This is not a problem, not necessarily. However, it means that some parts pull you into the story, while others are a bit boring. Actually, I think that the book is too big; it has a lot filling, which drags the story, and is a pity because the main idea is quite interesting.
Personally, I liked the story, the concept. It can be fascinating to read about a person recovering from amnesia, and how their past affects their present and their future. Add a missing baby into it, and it gets even more mysterious. The main downside is the filling and the low-paced parts, as mentioned above.
The end was a bit disappointing. It wasn’t terrible or anything, I just expected the novel to end with a bang. Also, what happened to Mia was kind of unrealistic – actually, it’s not what happened, it’s how it happened and why.
The main character is Estelle. She is not the most pleasant character, and it’s not because she has problems. I like damaged characters – but then again, there are damaged protagonists, and simply idiotic ones. And Estelle is both.
Estelle describes herself as a failure: she failed in college, at work, as a mother, as a wife, as a person. However, she dose not do anything about it. She dose not seek therapy, even though she has childhood trauma; she dose not try to improve herself; nothing. But she gets married and has a baby.
After she gave birth to Mia, Estelle developed postpartum depression, which gets worse and worse if left untreated. Actually, postpartum depression is one of the main focus of this novel, which is interesting. But my problem is Estelle and how she deals with everything.
Jack is Estelle’s husband. I have mix feelings about him. He can come of as an ass, and that’s how the novel wants to portray him – as a shitty person. But at the same time, I felt sorry for him. It wasn’t his fault that his wife had mental problems. Also, he was an ass from the beginning, he didn’t hide this part of him, and yet Estelle still married him. He is a lawyer, she was a waitress. So, it takes two to tango.
Overall, it was worth reading this book, despite it’s flaws.
I do recommend this book, especially to people who:
like psychological thrillers, especially ones that deal with amnesia and postpartum depression;
like damaged characters;
would like to try a thriller/crime book, but do not like graphic scenes;
As always, this is my personal opinion. If you want to read this book, read it and make up your own opinion. You might like it more than I did or not.
October 13, 2015
I received this as a Goodreads giveaway. It came with a cheery note, from Avon Books, hoping that I enjoy it. It was also adequately packaged. (Perceptive readers might guess I'm searching for positive things to say, and I reached the bottom of the barrel a while ago.)
With the economic downturn, I'd hoped that publishers would deal with shrinking book sales by careful selection of what to publish; fewer books would be released but the cream would still rise to the top, and those books that still do get published and marketed would be of the highest quality.
Oh, boy, was I wrong.
After reading Little Girl Gone, I'm now imagining there are unemployed editors, sitting on the curbs outside publishing houses asking for spare change whilst clutching proof-copies pulled from dustbins. "Please, I'm homeless, I haven't eaten for three days, but I know which repetitive passages to cut from this novel."
Maybe a publishing exec took pity on one of these poor waifs and allowed the out-of-work-editor to do his/her magic. What was left might have made an excellent short story, though perhaps the finance department would have vetoed that idea, instead suggesting a change of title from Remember Mia to something that would remind readers of Gone Girl. That decision did nothing to improve the readers' experience, but I bet it helped with marketing.
With the economic downturn, I'd hoped that publishers would deal with shrinking book sales by careful selection of what to publish; fewer books would be released but the cream would still rise to the top, and those books that still do get published and marketed would be of the highest quality.
Oh, boy, was I wrong.
After reading Little Girl Gone, I'm now imagining there are unemployed editors, sitting on the curbs outside publishing houses asking for spare change whilst clutching proof-copies pulled from dustbins. "Please, I'm homeless, I haven't eaten for three days, but I know which repetitive passages to cut from this novel."
Maybe a publishing exec took pity on one of these poor waifs and allowed the out-of-work-editor to do his/her magic. What was left might have made an excellent short story, though perhaps the finance department would have vetoed that idea, instead suggesting a change of title from Remember Mia to something that would remind readers of Gone Girl. That decision did nothing to improve the readers' experience, but I bet it helped with marketing.
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