This is such a mixed bag.

There are so many good things about this book. It is written very well, the grammar and sentence structure pull you immerse you in the story. The chapters are very well paced. I usually don’t enjoy books that flitter back and forth between future and past perspectives but this does it seamlessly, using the chapters to reinforce certain points or trends throughout the book.

The characters feel so real. For those who relate to the characters, they hit so close to home. For those who don’t relate to the characters, it’s an incredible way of learning more about a culture that you wouldn’t otherwise. Everyone is so believable.

The story is compelling and incredibly frustrating. Claudia’s desperation when she slowly realises that something is wrong is palpable. She knows. Yet no one is willing to give her the time of day, at least nobody who could make a difference to the situation. This is what happens when people of colour are missing, they’re simply not given the same time and resources as others. That is what makes this story so painful, because it’s once you’ve heard before, and unfortunately one that you’ll hear again in the future.

I read this whole book in a day. It’s not particularly long but it packs a huge punch. But now I’ll come to my main issue with the book: the twist that you hit around the 3/4 mark. No spoilers, but the twist just feels so unnecessary. Just, why? It doesn’t add to the story, if anything it detracts from Claudia’s suffering and pulls me out of the experience. It’s particularly frustrating because the rest of the book was an incredible read. If not for that decision, I would certainly rate this book 5 stars.

An incredbile book; thrilling, compelling, frustrating, and shines a light on a real issue. Unfortunately for me, one decision pulled me out of the experience, but I still strongly recommend this to others.