This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC -- any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. A list of trigger warnings is available in the beginning of the book.
We are given four point of views throughout the story -- Delilah, Jude, Whitney, and Bo -- all of which have lost their mothers in unexplainable disappearances in their small town of Bishop one night. Everyone who lives there says that nothing bad happens, except for the occasional woman going missing or being found dead in their front yard. But no worries! The town seems completely unfazed by these tragic events, which does not sit right with any of the girls.
Living in a run down house, the girls work through their feelings of mourning due to the belief that their mothers are dead, despite no bodies being recovered, unlike some girls who have been found dead all over town. The land of the town is more than dirt and sunflowers, but something more -- it is alive, and requires much more than water and sunlight in order to thrive and grow. There is something sinister happening to these women, and the girls are determined to get to the bottom it before something happens to another girl.
I really enjoyed the multiple point of views that the author gives -- it really lets you dive into the minds of each of the girls and understand their own unique lives. They each had a different relationship with their mothers, and the author does an excellent job showcases what the girls are going through. Bo in particular had the most strained relationship with her mother, while Delilah seemed to have the strongest bond with hers. Jude and Whitney's relationship with their mother is somewhat in the middle of Bo and Delilah's, yet we see more of their struggle in the relationship they have with each other as twins.
As the story goes on, more secrets are revealed and more questions are asked -- about the disappearances, who the girls can trust, and what in the world is going on with all of these sunflowers. In addition to trying to figure out what happened to their mothers, the girls have their own problems to address, starting with their personal relationships and struggles. Whitney is still recovering from the death of her girlfriend, Jude and Delilah seem to be falling for the same boy, and Bo has gone through something horrific that no one knows about.
The paranormal aspect of the book was very well done -- I did not find it overwhelming, and it was woven into the story at a pace that made the reader understand what was happening, while still leaving some mystery until the very end. The mystery of what the land desires and how it is given what it needs plays out as we get more into the minds of each girl, and characters come into play as more is discovered.
Hannah's writing style has great prose, and adds a sort of unknowingness into the story as you are not sure if what each girl says is true or an influence from the town. There was a ton of potential for the story to conclude on a really big bang, and while I was satisfied with the ending, there was room to really push barriers with the characters and plot. If you are really paying attention from the beginning, you can call the ending right away, but it doesn't take away from the read.
If you are looking for something to fill the void that Sharp Objects left you, this may be the book to launch you back into mystery and thrillers. The eerie atmosphere that the town provides would make this book the perfect autumn read.
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