The Brighton Mermaid
May. 19th, 2020 03:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alobearI picked this book up at my local station book exchange. I'd read another Dorothy Koomson a while ago (which I picked up in my all-you-can-carry charity shop haul) and mostly enjoyed it, and thought this one sounded interesting.
It's a very cleverly constructed fractured narrative, which seems to be Koomson's thing (based on reading two of her books). I do like that way of storytelling - split timelines that gradually reveal what has happened in the past that is affecting what is happening in the present.
I do find, though, with thrillers, that I tend to read just to find out what happens, rather than enjoying the journey of the book itself, and that was the case to a certain extent here. It is well written, but it's much more about the mystery than the writing.
I liked both POV characters - Nell and Macy - particularly how flawed they are, but still relatable and sympathetic. It was an interesting exploration of family dynamics and sibling relationships, especially from the point of view of how badly things can be affected by assumptions and misunderstandings that people don't feel comfortable addressing directly.
After 400 pages of build-up, it did feel as if everything came together and got resolved a bit quickly, but I loved the resolution of the love triangle, and I found the outcome satisfying overall.
Dorothy Koomson isn't an author I'm likely to seek out actively, but I would read another one of her books if I happen to come across any more.
It's a very cleverly constructed fractured narrative, which seems to be Koomson's thing (based on reading two of her books). I do like that way of storytelling - split timelines that gradually reveal what has happened in the past that is affecting what is happening in the present.
I do find, though, with thrillers, that I tend to read just to find out what happens, rather than enjoying the journey of the book itself, and that was the case to a certain extent here. It is well written, but it's much more about the mystery than the writing.
I liked both POV characters - Nell and Macy - particularly how flawed they are, but still relatable and sympathetic. It was an interesting exploration of family dynamics and sibling relationships, especially from the point of view of how badly things can be affected by assumptions and misunderstandings that people don't feel comfortable addressing directly.
After 400 pages of build-up, it did feel as if everything came together and got resolved a bit quickly, but I loved the resolution of the love triangle, and I found the outcome satisfying overall.
Dorothy Koomson isn't an author I'm likely to seek out actively, but I would read another one of her books if I happen to come across any more.
