I thought the overall start of this book was decent, but it didn't necessarily draw me into the story in the way I would want from this sort of thriller. There's an element of mystery to what exactly happened to Goldie in town to make her so socially despised, but by this point it seems relatively likely that she was in some sort of car accident with her ex-boyfriend that lead to one of their classmates losing his ability to walk, even if that part isn't actually in the section I've read. Overall, combined with the lack of any of the more lethal, murderous intrigue I was hoping for this far in, it's not as gripping as it could be. In addition, The experience of being a "lifer" at a camp is a little specific, and even though the book describes it well, I have a bit of trouble finding the premise any kind of relatable or accessible. That being said, I like what this excerpt is doing with playing with class and the conflict between Alpine Lake and the surrounding township a lot, and I hope the text expands more on that. I also find Ava very interesting as a character, I think she's written in a way where her being the one who sees the death/the fallout I expect to happen between her and Goldie is set up really well just through her personality.
This book certainly might pick up and I'm certainly not writing it off, but so far it just feels a little slow and, fittingly, exclusive to me.
This book certainly might pick up and I'm certainly not writing it off, but so far it just feels a little slow and, fittingly, exclusive to me.