spawan

While I did enjoy this book, I don't know if I would have enjoyed it enough to give it four stars if I hadn't been stuck on a train for three hours with it. Don't get me wrong, it certainly isn't terrible and overall it was quite enjoyable, however it felt very contrived. I was always looking for the next 'reveal' - the next twist and turn - some of them obvious, some of them not. The sticker on the front says you will like this book if you like Jodi Picoult, and that isn't too far wrong. A very similar type of novel in terms of a 'moral' story being involved, however I think Jodi Picoult crafts and writes her novels better. This felt like a bit of a downgrade in comparison. Overall though, I found the book compelling enough to keep reading and finished it pretty quickly. The midwife's story was interesting and in the end you want to know what went on, but it comes across quite muddled at times with yet another 'secret' around each corner. How many secrets can one person have?! Therefore while I did like it, and wouldn't hestitate to pick up another Diane Chamberlain novel in future if it sounded interesting, it doesn't compell me to proactively seek out her other books. Interesting, but overall a bit melodramatic for my liking.

2022-09-11 07:16