Holly's Book Reviews

     After missing for nearly two years following the crash of their plane, Lillian Linden and Dave Hall must lie. To protect themselves and their families, they tell alternate versions of the events that played out on the tiny island they found themselves stuck on. Told from alternating time periods and POV's, we dive deeper into the internal struggles of being a survivor. 

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     I went into this wanting to read a contemporary mystery novel and this sooo delivered. We first meet our characters when they are preparing for the last interview (due to a contract) they will ever have to give after their time on an island in which four people (including an infant) passed. As the story progresses, not only does the timeline change, but so does the perceptive.  Told from both Lily and Dave's POV's,we get to see an intimacy that almost felt like I was violating these fictional character's privacy reading this novel.

     In the beginning I was a bit confused as not much explaining was going on, but we read about Lily's panic of sticking to the lies. The first time we went back in time with her POV, I was in love. She made the best out of a less than desirable situation when she's stuck on a trip with her mother-in-law who is constantly telling her ways to 'improve'. This varies from looks to how she acts, when Lily is just a bashful woman who prefers to view the beauty of the world in her corner with a book. Even before everything fell apart, Lillian was kind to a stranger who was struggling...and this is where our story seems to begin.

     Dave, a man who is slowly dying inside with the dreams of being a father and a dying marriage.  When we first meet him he seems so...sad. Like the light was being drained from his eyes. The time on the island seemed to HELP him regain some of himself that I think would have been forever lost had things not happened the way they did. 

     While Kent was a large part of their story and yet not at all, I feel that his bitterness WAS directed from the fact that the first day she told him that it was her fault, when in reality Theresa should have sat down earlier, even if it had been upfront with Kent. I'm not saying it's anyone's fault, but her death could have been prevented if she had worried about herself and not only the passengers. I'm not sure her death meant as much as the author made it seem. Yes, he was hurt, but no I think he used it as an excuse to be hateful to our MC's. 

     I think the thing that bothered me the most about this is how many time Lillian's EYEBROWS were mentioned. Also the fact that their lie was weird. It was fluent enough and there would be less court to go through, but a lot of the lies were unnecessary to fit with the truth. Like Paul. Or even how Margaret died. It still feels like something was left out. Genevieve said she died from blunt force trauma to the HEAD, but the would was treated more along the lines of the back/side of her head.  Maybe a mercy killing? I dunno.

     Overall, I really enjoyed this and the ending made me cry. I felt that it was wrapped up a little too sweet and fast but I'm not complaining.  It was bittersweet and all I want now is more of this author and maybe a short story to give us more of these characters and how they deal with all of the emotions and slowly fading feelings when all they will ever want is to protect one another.