4 red algae blooms

Ok. So I’m giving this 4 stars ONLY BECAUSE at some point near the end…I got completely confused as to what Nhung was supposed to look like? And it totally skewed how I was perceiving everything happening. That said. HOLY SMOKES. The lyrical prose of the novel, the descriptions of everything, from the desolation of Mercy to the vagueness (yet unmistakable chill) of Nhung’s assault, everything built up to this astonishing yet fitting end. I had some serious misgivings about Covey but oh my, she was everything and then some. I was so glad for the others who were found, and I loved that the adults were portrayed as the flawed people they are. Jimmy, who is cruel and callous but thinks he’s doing it all for his daughter, who he clearly doesn’t understand resents him, to Nhung’s mother, who because of her lack of communication, almost utterly destroys any relationship with her daughter, under the guise of the ultimate protection. I really did enjoy this. I will absolutely be reading more by this author.

*To see this and other reviews, please visit my Goodreads page here.