\*this will have lots of spoilers sorry\* / \*excuse my english–its not my 1st language\*
I have to say that I am perhaps the biggest LJ fan, I have read most of her books and the thing i like about her writing style is how…… cozy and deeply intricate her characters are. …..the way she describer everyone is her books, makes everyone very relatable.
I like that instead of Police, FBI, and all that……the house-wife, the eldest child, the neigbour’s wife–the real people i.e, solve the mystery. It makes it more emotional and gives a sentimental value to each and every act (whether its right or wrong) performed by the convict.
Its hard to put into words, but I have seen the similar writing style in Pula Hawkins books. In that book also, the main characters are usally snoopy and too much obsessed with a stranger. And throughout the book, discover deeply disturbing things about their own lives.
On to the latest book-\*SPOILERS AHEAD\*
For those who have read the book, Id like for you to answer/discuss/ponder about these–>
1.) I feel like Nate >!should absolutely not have died.!< He had issues yes, but the way LJ >!handled his death!< seemed a bit rushed and…..not that well executed. Nate was an important side character, but towards the end the whole –hiring the actress to expose him– this part was—out of the blue–and seemed unnecessary. Just my opinion, what do u think?
2.) WHY THE EFF NO ONE SAYIN >!WALTER WAS A GROOMER??!<. He absolutely WAS. Ive been listening to a LOT of Alpha male podcasts with hate in my mind, and the way they talk about dating ‘younger chicks’ gives >!MAJOR grooming vibes.!<
3) This is a VERY subjective opinion , and i will recieve a LOT of hate for it, BUT, please guys, hear me out, Josie had a narc mom, yes she was needy and all, but that was the result of zero love and affection from Pat. Look, Pat told Alix, “I gave her everything and she was never happy”. But then she ALSO says that I wanted her to be on her own and ‘independednt.’ I wanted her to NOT be near me. Pat didnt want her, so im wondering what her -‘gave her everything’- even means? Because if she did bare minimum and then called it ‘Ive done everything for you.’ –then thats not it.
Regardless, what Im trying to say is, a child is easier to be a victim of manipulations/grooming when the child is not emotionally attached with the parents and is not under the watchful eye of the parents.
4) THIS POINT DOES NOT HUMANIZE JOSIE–Josie is 100% in the wrong, and so is everyone else(more on that later)– but I feel like her whole life turned out–the way it turned out–because she was under Trauma–parental neglect, grroming and ra\*\*– yes its ra\*\* because CHILDREN CANNOT CONSENT , she was 14 when he kissed her. And its intresting to see how LJ has tried to manipulate the reader into believing that Josie is the ‘bad guy.’ But i guess thats why its called a ‘psychological thriller.’
5) Now, I wanna know if in the de\*\*\* of Brooke>! -Josie, Roxy, Erin, Walter–!<all were involved? I feel like they were because of that ending inner monologue of Josie. What do u guys think happened? Because see, this is why i say, no one’s innocent in this book.
6) This is a bit more detached from the topic but from a Feminist POV –what do you guys think of the book?
Because I personally feel that, idea of feminism in Josie’s mind was messed up, and please not just feminism, EVERYTHING in her mind was messed up, I really dont wanna look at it from Josie’s POV because while all the other characters were portrayed normal, Josie was portrayed as a psychopath, which is totally not true–Josie had a LOT of PTSD. thats it.
From Alix’s POV though, I think yeah she was a feminist, even if she saved her money and spent Nate’s money, she was still a feminist because she started her own pod to spread the voice of various strong women that she platformed. Feminism is not a particular part of your personality. Feminism lies in the fact that you are happy in what you do and you are not being pressurized/indoctrinated–to do certain things. I do believe that because of her too much involvement in Josie’s life—she forgot/overlooked the deeprooted issues of Nate–i believe that she should have sat him down and talked with him about his drinking problem. Things would have been better.
by Athena_Savage