My Thoughts
The story takes place in New York City, and it is about the life of Rowan O’Sullivan, a former new mother whose life took an interesting twist after experiencing a traumatic birth to her baby.
Rowan’s world at the beginning is one of pure joy and anticipation for motherhood but soon turns into a living nightmare as Rowan begins to question her sanity. The author skillfully depicts the increasing unraveling of Rowan’s mind and painful misgiving that something is wrong. The reader is brought into a world of dread and fear as the protagonist’s mental state worsens.
The plot becomes an interesting twist when Rowan blames her part-time babysitter, June, of unspeakable things. The disappearance of June shortly after deepens the mystery, while Rowan is made to look like a prime suspect. The author masterfully develops the theme of memory and its unsteadiness as Rowan tries to reconstruct sequences for June’s disappearance. The tension in each chapter increases, leaving readers in awe until the truth is revealed.
The ability to create a claustrophobic structure within Rowan’s apartment is one feature that distinguishes this novel. The location becomes a character all its own and adds to the feeling of unease and isolation that runs through everything. As the walls of Rowan’s apartment close in around her, the author describes everything so vividly that readers can see them closing in on her just as they hear about how she continues to worsen.
The characters are highly developed and complicated. Rowan is a multi-layered heroine whose struggles and fears are tangible. The secondary characters, like Rowan’s husband, Gabe, or the mysterious June, add depth and spice to this story. The motivations and actions of each character are presented intricately in the plot to form an interesting set of characters.
While the story’s pacing remains consistent primarily, there are instances where the pace slightly slacks off. These instances are, however, few and far between, but overall, the tension prevalent throughout makes up for all this.
Therefore, the novel is a must-read for fans of the genre due to its good thought-out plot, atmospheric setting, and deep characters. The author made a suspenseful and reflective story that will make readers doubt their imagination of what is real.
