Broken Things

by Lauren Oliver

Sarah Drew (Narrator), Erin Spencer (Narrator), and Saskia Maarleveld (Narrator)

Everyone thinks Mia and Brynn killed their best friend after becoming obsessed and delusional over a novel, but on the anniversary of their friend's death a discovery pulls them back together to find out what actually happened that night.

• ISBN10: 0062224131
• ISBN13: 9780062224132
• Publish Date: 2 October 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

[girlinthepages]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.With the world a disaster right now and having been stuck in my home sheltering in place for over a month, I've actually found that reading mysteries and thrillers has been somewhat comforting- probably because they are such an escape from the real world right now. I decided to pull a long overdue copy of Broken Things off my shelves for my April Rainbow Try A Chapter Unhaul selection (the color prompt was dark blue) and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this seemingly under the radar thriller!

Broken Things follows two teenagers, Mia and Brynn, who have been ostracized from their community as most think they are responsible for the brutal murder of their friend, Summer. Though they were never officially convicted, the stigma still lingers five years later and suspicion has never truly moved away from them since their friend was murdered in a fashion similar to one described in a fanfiction the girls co-wrote. The plot of the novel seems as though it may take inspiration from the Slenderman stabbings that happened about six years ago, however in this instance the mystery of the true perpetrator has still gone unsolved.

Mia and Brynn have both handled their social pariah status in different ways, with Mia living at home while her mother devolves into a hoarding obsession, and Brynn bouncing from rehab to rehab. When they both end up back in town on the five year anniversary of Summer's death, they decide that maybe there's more to the case that meets the eye, and decide to see if they can find the killer after all of these years by teaming up with Mia's friend Abby (a famous beauty Youtuber), Brynn's quirky cousin Wade (who has been running a conspiracy theory blog about the murders for years) and Summer's ex-boyfriend who was also originally under suspicion.

Through the course of the "investigation" the gang conducts, it becomes clear that Summer has been martyred in death and was not the wonderful friend so many remember her to be- she could be cruel, manipulative, and vicious, but was also the victim of abuse and unthinkable circumstances as well. Oliver did a good job creating Summer as a very polarizing character who straddled the line of likeable/unlikeable, as did most of the other characters. I appreciate the dimension and nuance with which the characters were written, and their motives and apprehension created an unsettling and bleak atmosphere that was the perfect setting for the mystery.

Though I read quite a few YA thrillers and usually find myself able to guess the culprit, the twist in this story really took me by surprise. To be completely honest I'm not sure if it was 100% believable but it was different and reflecting back on the story, there clues were there, if subtle.

Overall: Broken Things is my favorite Lauren Oliver book to date and is a solid thriller.

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages

[Charli G.]

After seeing a couple of reviews that panned this book, I decided to give it a shot. I just wanted to see what the big deal was. I chose the audiobook version which seemed to be how everyone else was consuming this book. That and I'd honestly never listened to an entire audiobook before. Too bad I kept falling asleep.

The story does tend to seem a bit disjointed. It bounced between Mia and Brynn, Then and Now, and intersperses bits of both The Way into Lovelorn and Return to Lovelorn in there as well. It isn't a bad book, just a bit confusing and honestly, the person who did commit the murder really is forgettable, but I think this character was meant to be forgettable. It's the entire reason it is such a surprise this person did it.

Between the slightly confusing mix of past, present, characters, and books, plus a rather boring mid-story, I can see why other reviewers weren't thrilled with this book. I definitely wouldn't listen to the audiobook again, although I might read a physical copy if I could get my hands on one, just to see if there was a difference. As far as this audiobook version goes, it's a 3 star read because I kept falling asleep during the story, meaning there were parts that just weren't all that interesting.

[Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub]

Five years ago, when they were thirteen, Brynn and Mia's best friend was murdered. Everyone thinks they did it, obsessed over a fictional world called Lovelorn. The thing is, they didn't. In this book, Mia and Brynn decide to "go back to Lovelorn", face their past, and try to discover what really happened.

This isn't the sort of book I normally read. I have a very vivid imagination which means that thrillers can easily get to be too much for me. However, this was done in such a way that I was able to handle it. Not only that, but I was hooked. It's much more than a who dunnit; it's a study of human nature, and an examination of the many different facets of a person that the world doesn't see.

I loved the way reality and a made-up world collided in the book as Mia, Brynn, and a few other characters tried to figure out the mystery. I was on the edge of  my seat, wondering whether the author would actually choose to divulge the answer, or leave me forever wondering.

The writing was skillful, weaving a story that was more about the survivors and how their lives were affected than about the murder in and of itself. That being said, there were a few difficult parts that I had to rush through: mainly, brief mentions of self-harm in two separate places, and a vague allusion to harassment.

I liked that the main reason the girls were suspects (aside from being the best friends) was that the murder matched one that they had described in a fan fiction they'd written; a fan fiction that no one else had read. I also thought the final few sentences in the book were flat-out brilliant.

All in all, while this isn't a book I'll reread, I did find it engrossing. I suggest it, but with the caveat that it does deal with some sensitive material. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, this is right up your alley.

[Kelly]

★★★★☆
The nonlinear narrative accompanies Mia and Brynn, known as The Monsters of Brickhouse Lane, as they investigate potential suspects in the ritualistic death of their friend Summer. Summer Marks is a foster child, her mother a substance abuser, her only possession a novel acquired from her maternal mother. The Way Into Lovelorn is a fantasy novel written by Georgia Wells and despite being published, the novel is incomplete. A point of contention for Summer, inspired to create her own The Way Into Lovelorn sequel.

Although barely adolescent, Mia Ferguson, Brynn McNally and neighbour and suspect Owen Waldmann were ostracised by the community despite being acquitted of her death. Mia was unrolled from school and tutored privately, Owen migrated to Scotland to complete his education while Brynn endured the abuse and aggression of her peers, unafforded the privilege of a private education. Brynn escaped her torment by entering rehabilitation for substance abuse, providing positive samples to remain within the counsellors care, her relationship with her mother and sister fractured.

Mia is returning to Twin Lakes on the eve of the anniversary of Summer's death to help her mother, a hoarder since the tragic incident that finds solace within her abundance of possessions. As Mia's mother enters counselling, Brynn is released from rehabilitation and for the first time in five years, the two former friends reunite to investigate Summer's murder.

The narrative centres on Summer and her interaction with Mia and Brynn as teens, their adoration of The Way Into Lovelorn and the importance of the fictional sequel the three friends created. It explores the motives behind the killing, from her relationship with Owen at Mia's expense, her manipulation of Brynn and her feelings for Summer and her character development from child to a manipulative and often malicious young woman.

Although I've enjoyed Lauren Oliver's novels in the past, Broken Things is considerably her break out novel. The nonlinear narrative is well paced, a blend of mystery and suspense as the storyline adds upon layers of intrigue. Very much a classical whodunit novel that readers will thoroughly enjoy.

[catiebug]

Lauren Oliver did it again. I love this book so much. And I didn't seethe ending coming! I normally can figure out the mystery, but this one I just couldn't. I was so engrossed in the story and looked forward to every time I could sit down and read it.

[Jo]

Originally published on Once Upon a Bookcase.

Trigger Warning: This book features animal cruelty, discussion of violent murder, discussion of bad experiences in foster care, implies - though doesn't outright show or say - child abuse.

Beautiful Things by Lauren Oliver sounded horribly sinister and so intriguing, but in the end, I found it to be a pretty forgettable read.

Five years ago, Summer Marks was murdered in the woods. Everyone believes that her best friends Mia and Brynn, and her boyfriend, Owen, did it - even though they were never convicted of it. But as that was mostly down to police mistakes - contamination of evidence, police failing to caution Mia and Brynn - everyone believes they got away with murder. That their obsession with a fantasy book The Way into Lovelord, and their fanfic sequel, Return to Lovelord, turned violent; Summer's murder was a re-enactment of the sacrifice they wrote into their fanfic. But it's not true, they didn't do it. But their lives have been turned upside down, not only by the murder of their best friend, but by people believing they did it. Brynn has been in and out of various rehab facilities for drugs and alcohol, though she fakes it every time as she can't bare to be around her mother and sister, who believe she did it. Mia was treated so badly she had to leave school, and is now homeschooled, while her mother turned to hoarding. But when clearing out her house, Mia finds their old favourite book, she discovers something that makes her believe that Summer parts of their fanfic weren't actually written by her. There's someone else who knows about Lovelorn, who knows what happened in their sequel, about the sacrifice. It's the first clue to finding out what really happened to Summer, finding out who killed her, and proving their innocence. If they can work out who did it, maybe they can finally move on.

Broken Things sounds really intriguing, as I said, and I was completely gripped throughout. I loved the dual narration by Mia and Brynn, seeing how their lives had changed since the murder, and the flashbacks, showing us their friendship with Summer - Summer, who was troubled; Summer, who was beautiful and special; Summer, who was often cruel and vicious - and their love for a story. I also loved the extracts from The Way into Lovelorn, and their fanfic sequel, Return to Lovelorn. Both books had quite dark and sinister elements to them, that was kind of troubling, especially as the girls had started to believe that Lovelorn was real, that they had found their way into it - a shed in the woods that was filled with old equipment belonging to people who are no longer around is one day transformed into a cute little cabin, with wallpaper and and furniture, a little hideaway the girls hang out in, and believe to be their entrance into the fictional world. It was all so interesting and intriguing!

But to be honest, I didn't really care about any of the characters. I disliked Summer, because she was such a bitch, but it was implied that, although it's not excusable, she has had a really hard time of it in various foster homes, and so that's why she is like she is. But I didn't really care about anyone else. And looking back - even though I was completely captivated, always reading, always wanting more answers - nothing really happened. Not in the present. When they're trying to work things out, it's just a load of conversations with people, research we don't see much of, and re-reading of the stories. There aren't even that many leads, it's mostly guesswork. It's not the kind of thriller that point out a number of genuine possible suspects. The few they think it could possibly be are obviously not the killer. For me, there just weren't enough real possible suspects, where I came up with my own theories of, "Oh, it could be them, because of XYZ, but it could also possibly be them, because of ABC." I had one suspect in mind, without anything actually pointing to them, because I just thought "Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out to be X?" But I was wrong. I didn't at all guess who actually did it, and was quite surprised at the reveal. But even the climax was really underwhelming, if you can even call it a climax. But I do guess that that makes it even more sinister, because there was nothing sinister or evil about them, and yet they are clearly unhinged, murdered a child, and it's hinted at sexually abused her. But there was never any sense of more danger to come. I just expect, when reading a thriller, that when you're trying to find a murderer, and you get close, the murderer is going to try and kill you to shut you up, or because you're a convenient next victim, in that they want to kill you to shut you up, but they also find some kind of enjoyment in it. But there was none of that.

So with not a huge amount actually happening, and a disappointing climax, I do feel it was kind of forgettable. I did finish thinking, "That's it?" It's not that the book was awful or terrible, it just wasn't thrilling enough for a thriller, in my opinion. It does have some plus points in regards to representation - Brynn is a lesbian, and Mia used to have selective mutism, and still struggles with it occasionally today, and with Mia's mother struggling with hoarding, and Mia's current best friend, Abby, being omnisexual. But overall, I was fairly disappointed.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley for the eProof.

[Sam@WLABB]

It had been five years since Summer's death. Five year since Owen, Mia, and Brynn were branded "The Monsters of Brickhouse Lane". They didn't do it, but with no leads, the case had gone cold, until Mia unearthed an old test of Summer's, which left her wondering if they missed something.

• Pro: Oliver had me hooked from page one. I wanted to know what really happened that day in the Long Field, and the way she slowly revealed the pieces kept me coming back for more.

• Pro: I know people said they guessed the killer early on, but that person was NOWHERE on my radar. When I looked back through the story, the clues were there, but it was by no means obvious to me.

• Pro: The mood was set really well in this book. It had that pulled-from-the-headlines feel, and all those emotions you expect to precipitate from such a situation - anger, anxiety, stress, sadness, and despair, imbued the story.

• Pro: Both Mia and Brynn were given interesting side issues to deal with, and those pieces did a great job of adding an additional dimension to each of the characters. And Summer! The full portrait of Summer slowly developed, and the exploration of her effect on each of these young women was quite interesting.

• Pro: As always, the storytelling was amazing. The bits of the original Lovelorn book and the fanfic written by our trio were interwoven with present day and past POVs from both Brynn and Mia. Each piece was well chosen and well placed to create and sustain the mood, as well as to move the story forward in a compelling way. My only complaint is that I felt like Brynn and Mia's voices were a little too similar.

• Pro: I would like to personally thank Lauren Oliver for that stupendous ending. There was not a lot of light or hope in this book, but the ending more than made up for all the darkness.

Overall: A compelling mystery, that had me hooked from page one with it's mixed of fandom gone wrong and toxic relationships.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

3.5*

I have some quite polarized thoughts about this book. Quite a bit of it I loved. Because it's Lauren Oliver and she's fabulous and I generally love all the things she writes. But then there were a few things that irked me. Like, a lot. Obviously, the only way to handle such a situation is a good stuff versus bad stuff, right? Right.

The Stuff I Liked:

• •Oh goodness, the writing. As always, Lauren Oliver knocks it out of the damn park. It's so quotable, so lovely, really. And so very easy to devour. I read almost the whole thing in one day, and it is not a short book by any means.



• •I loved how real the characters seemed. Even when they were being awful. Perhaps especially when they were being awful. These girls were pretty judgmental in general, but the way they were written made them also seem incredibly realistic. Because honestly, who among us hasn't passed judgment on another person? It was almost like showing that not-so-nice side of people, but it's an inner dialogue we've all had at one point or another- even if it's uncomfortable to admit.



• •The mystery was definitely consuming! The girls had such a rough time of things after the death of Summer- they were vilified by pretty much everyone (because obviously the world will eat up a story in which the best friends are suspects) and haven't had much success moving on. I liked that their friendship, especially their relationship moving forward, was explored so in depth. But also, I wanted to know who the real murderer was, because of course!



• •There's just a lot of commentary on messed up societal crap. Like how Brynn has to legitimately fake drug use just to get mental health help paid for. How disgustingly invested strangers are in the lives of teenage girls. And it goes on- those are early things that aren't spoilers, but trust that the book makes a lot of awesome points in that regard.



• •It was just plain old entertaining and engaging. This is hard to put into words of course, but the book was just enjoyable.

The Stuff I Didn't:

• The fat shaming. •I'll tell you upfront, there are a lot of unpleasant things that happen in this book. I mean, it's about a young girl's murder, so. But the fat shaming was really unnecessary and didn't make sense in the story. The "fat" character was a friend of one of the main characters, and she was apparently "obese" at 180 pounds. And it is stated that she is normal height, too. But she has "thyroid problems and prediabetes". What now!? This isn't the only time her weight is mentioned in an unflattering light, it just happens to be the one I have saved. Anyway, it made me stabby- especially because I can imagine a teen reading this and thinking "but wait- I am 180 pounds so does that mean I am grossly overweight?" and okay, don't young women have enough problems? And if it had anything to do with the story, or was resolved in any way, I'd probably have been less stabby, but it wasn't, so here we are.



• •The ending underwhelmed me. I mean, I am glad it did have an ending! (Especially since I am still so worked up over Requiem.) I just felt that it was kind of anticlimactic for a book that had been so engaging up until that point.

Bottom Line: Definitely enjoyed reading it, would have probably been close to five stars if I'd liked the ending better. Still a solid book, one I am glad to have read!

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Wow, just wow!