The Shining Girls in 2017 Reading Challenge

Sep 23, 2013 Maxine (Booklover Catlady) rated it liked it

Shelves: crime-books-read, serial-killer-at-work

I really give this book a fluctuating 3-4 stars, so let's say 3.5 stars. It started with a great deal of promise in the first few chapters but as it went along I got increasingly frustrated, slightly bored and then annoyed at the way the book was flitting between characters and years, it had me lost in places and I was having to go back to previous chapter headings to connect the timeline dots at times.

There were some drawn out chapters that just simply were too much boring detail around certain I really give this book a fluctuating 3-4 stars, so let's say 3.5 stars. It started with a great deal of promise in the first few chapters but as it went along I got increasingly frustrated, slightly bored and then annoyed at the way the book was flitting between characters and years, it had me lost in places and I was having to go back to previous chapter headings to connect the timeline dots at times.

There were some drawn out chapters that just simply were too much boring detail around certain characters and events that I was like "oh hurry up already" about. BUT the book redeemed itself for me past the halfway point and started to gather both pace and some brilliant chapters. Again, following the confusing timeline through past, present and actual was difficult, and again I was flipping back to previous chapters to get the time frames straight in my head.

It has been compared to Stephen King slightly by some reviewers - pfft! to that I say, it doesn't even come close to the way Stephen King writes horror, builds up suspense or scares the pants off you as you read along. The Shining Girls had some elements of the storyline that were never really explained but might have been a better book if they were, especially around the killer and the HOUSE, won't expand on that due to potential spoilers.

Some graphic murder scenes indeed, but not as graphic as I was expecting, as a regular reader of crime/serial killer/murder books this was certainly not as stomach-churning as other books I have read. I did pace through the book in the early hours of the morning to finish it quickly from the half way point to the end, it did really hold my attention at that point.

But I think the way it was written was possibly too confusing and will be for many readers, the author had to have a visual display of the timeline herself when writing the book to keep track, I think us readers should have been given that tool too. I have read many books that switch characters and times but this book for me had TOO much of it going on around too many victims, non-victims and the killer himself. It was like a confusing party, too many people and you can't see clearly where the front door is to get out.

I did like the ending and had no idea of what was coming specifically although I had my suspicions but I would have loved more reveal around the HOUSE and the killer's purpose at the end overall.

A recommended read but it’s not a 4 or 5 star rave, recommend to everyone type of book. And considering I asked for this book as a gift and was eager to read it I was a bit disappointed to say the least. Some redeeming features held me in there with this one.

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Nov 28, 2014 Lauren Marlene Sanders-Jones rated it liked it

Shelves: read-more-than-once

The writing and the obvious attention to historical detail made this book magnificent; however, I would like to have known more about the origins of the house. I thought the ending was disappointing and the story felt incomplete.

I read this book a second time and my concerns remain; however, the story is haunting. I'm sure I'll end up reading it again at some point. ...more

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