The title of this book is a perfect representation of what’s between the pages. It is twisted, horrifying, raw, and it shines a light into all those dark corners we all want to pretend don’t exist. Oh, but they do.
The story is told in two timelines, the present day and 1985, when Ben Day murdered his mother and two sisters, leaving Libby the sole survivor besides Ben himself. Not surprisingly, Libby’s life has been anything but idyllic.
Libby’s character is interesting, although I know a lot of readers may not connect with her. She’s imperfect, with qualities that, on the surface, may be unlikable. Does she do things that would be easy to condemn? Absolutely, but there’s still something about her that makes you care, makes you understand why she is the way she is. Even before the murder of her family, Libby’s life was difficult. The added trauma at such a young change has irrevocably changed her. To me, that makes her sympathetic. This is a girl who’s grown into womanhood alone, with little to no real support. She’s lost, alone, completely unprepared for life. It made me feel for her, to want more for her, even if she is a bit on the emotionally deranged side.
Throughout the book, I had all kinds of theories as to where the story was leading. But I was wrong every single time. The book is deliciously demented in so many ways. There are times when the story edges toward unbelievable, yet even in those moments, it’s entirely imaginable. Sometimes, there was an almost palpable level of discomfort with the dark, disturbing moments, but yet it’s impossible to turn away from it!