The Reunion

I did have to get used to the story changing in the first chapter from first person to third person, which isn't a big deal at all, just something to take note of so you can keep reading with haste.

The introduction, where straight away, it showed something that I really liked: just how unreliable human memory is. Our memory is our own, and we think of it as mostly infallible. Of course, if we don't remember something we know it is lost, but if we remember we assume that is the correct course of events. That isn't the case at all however as even if you think you remember something, it is never going to be spot on. Other factors have to be taken into account. Like whether the person giving the information was under duress while giving that statement.

Another factor, one that is more relevant to this story is that if it is a mundane day, where you don't think anything is going to happen, and there isn't anything special going on, you aren't going to have the clearest recollection of events. I really appreciated this small detail that, at least with many books of this genre that I read, usually if left out.

We are shown third-person perspectives for a lot of different characters because the narrator is not omniscient, but rather only in one character's head at a time. We are meant to feel instantly connected to the character because they have been living their whole lives before we entered the fray, so they don't think about everything about their lives and tell us all about themselves. For example, when Rain is first given the spotlight we are let in on a major secret that she is keeping and yet it is treated as if there is nothing wrong with what she is doing. Which, for her to keep doing it means that she doesn't really see much wrong in it in the first place.

This familiarity is again shown because every character seems to always be thinking about something that they don't mention. We can later infer what this was, but when first introduced we know nothing, which is exactly how the author intended it to be.

Another thing is how the mundane is made to be a veil for everything else. Things are shoved into the normal story, where they are having fun, doing what they normally would, and then in the middle of that something is revealed, or hinted at that is like a punch in the gut. The contrasting between these is excellently thought out, but I am not the biggest fan of this. While it makes sense and is done well, the way it incorporates Samantha's writing style doesn't hit the right notes for me and sometimes feels a little too mundane. I am not one to only talk about how much I enjoyed the book, that is what my rating is for, but I also try and analyse these books objectively, so that others can get a good idea of what to expect, from the book rather than the feelings I feel when reading it. Throughout this half, I felt like putting the book down multiple times and didn't feel the urgency to read as much as possible. Objectively I can appreciate this half of the book, but it didn't draw me in and wasn't in line with my other interests.

Hidden behind the kind words and mundane lifestyle are secrets just bursting at the seams, waiting to be revealed. Hints are thrown, but nothing is ever certain. Inklings are had, but they don't give much and you are left wondering what had happened in all those years. Although the main focus, the cause of a lot of the things that happened is the disappearance of Eleanor, that doesn't mean that is all there is to it. There is a lot more going on beneath the surface, and we are first introduced to this new angle once the new disappearance happens.

Before I had started reading the second half of the book I considered dropping it. I wasn't enjoying it much and although it was brilliantly crafted, I just wasn't sure how it was all going to come together, and whether the reveal was going to be worth it.

I am so fucking glad that I didn't drop this book because I was on the edge of my seat for the entire second half of this book. The first scumbag, who was a horrible human being, knowing that we had seen inside their head and yet weren't able to pick up on the signs at first. And even after the main event they still carried on as if they had done nothing wrong as if the rest of the world was in the wrong, not them. This wasn't that shocking, as we all know that people can be horrible, but that wasn't what made this great. The construction of this book was amazing, through the second half it never felt like it was going on for too long and there was always the right amount of action and information to always keep you drawn in. This wasn't the reason that I rated the book so highly though, a well-constructed mystery thriller book can only be taken so high by its writing.

The reason that I rated this book as I did is because of the final reveal. All this time, right under our noses and yet we never knew. Of course, there were hints, if there weren't it would've been a horrible reveal as it would have made no sense. But the number of people listed as suspects, and yet nothing came of it, and one of the few people who wasn't put under the microscope was the person who had actually been doing it the whole time.

I had jokingly thought about this possibility, knowing that the rating would be raised a lot if that ending came to fruition, and as the ending got closer I realised just how much it was looking like Samantha was taking it in that direction.

Everything built up to the finale, where even more information was given about why that person did what they did to Lenni. From a sick twisted way, you could see where they were coming from, but at the same time any normal, rational human being wouldn't have done what they did.

At the end of the day, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, even if mystery thrillers aren't your favourite. When that final reveal happened it felt like my heart stopped, and I think that any book that can accomplish that is deserving of being read.

8.9/10

book: The Reunion

author: Samantha Hayes