There was no obvious reason for reading this book, except that I read the preview through my library app, why I can't remember, and it happened to be set at the beginning of a year and talked about New Year blues. It seemed an ideal read at the time.
This book is relatively quick to draw you in, but it is a teenage novel, which used to be an area of literature I loved, but now struggle with. Everything about its setting and language shows it as a teenage novel.
We have a lead character, Victoria Spring, known as Tori, who clearly has issues. She also has a beloved brother in recovery from serious mental health problems.
Throughout the novel we're presented with quite a few mysteries. The first is who is Solitaire? This is a mystery blogger and prankster at Tori's school and she keeps ending up a bit close to some of the events. But then are mysteries involved around old friend Lucas, new friend Michael, and supposed current best friend Becky.
I figured out the Solitaire mystery way before Tori did. It wasn't too tricky for me but, as it's aimed at teenagers and I'm a adult who has read a lot of whodunnits and seen a lot of mysteries in TV, it's no surprise really that I worked it out.
Tori has an odd relationship with her mother that never really went anywhere. I think it is all meant to contribute to her general feelings but it just felt out of place to me, as though it was something major that never really had any bearing on the plot and it's annoying that her mother is never accountable for her attitude.
Some things aren't properly explained. I felt like the story didn't flow very well and it wasn't clear what was happening, why or how at times. Possibly this is meant to be an indication of how Tori feels. She is meant to have a sense of derealisation and doesn't notice how much her despair is outwardly displayed or affects her actions or how she processes things.
It was absorbing enough with its mysteries and complex relationships. In some ways I liked the character with her "I don't care attitude" towards some things and her strong loyalty to her brother.
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