Synopsis:
“WHO ARE YOU WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING?
When a beloved high schooler named Lucinda Hayes is found murdered, no one in her sleepy Colorado suburb is untouched—not the boy who loved her too much; not the girl who wanted her perfect life; not the officer assigned to investigate her murder. In the aftermath of the tragedy, these three indelible characters—Cameron, Jade, and Russ—must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both. In crystalline prose, Danya Kukafka offers a brilliant exploration of identity and of the razor-sharp line between love and obsession, between watching and seeing, between truth and memory.
Compulsively readable and powerfully moving, Girl in Snow offers an unforgettable reading experience and introduces a singular new talent in Danya Kukafka.” (Source: Goodreads)
Review:
I tried really hard to like Girl in Snow, Danya Kukafka’s debut novel. When that failed, I forced myself to finish it. I hoped it would improve, that something would bring me to the edge of my seat. Instead, I ended up swallowing an anti-climatic jumble of words with few characteristics of a mystery novel and absolutely none of what a reader expects in a thriller.
This review is not a reflection of Kukafka’s ability to write; she certainly has a knack for character development. Rather, it’s a statement of the banality of this work. Girl in Snow drags from page to page, with each chapter revealing more useless facts about each character. Sure, Cameron’s love borders on obsession; yes, Jade is a brat; and Russ is simply a police officer. By the last page though, readers learn every little detail of these three’s life – but for what purpose?
Girl in Snow may appeal to readers who like something that crawls at a snail’s pace, but labeling this book a thriller is misguiding. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 💀
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