I don’t think it added much to the story and I just didn’t particularly get into it. The lush writing style was there, but this wasn’t really for me. 

     There are many thing about this “novel” that I don’t understand, but is it worth my time to think about it? No, but complaining is an internet staple. So much impaling. A one-fold, half-assed predictable plot. Some sex scenes were interesting, some were deeply disconcerting, and others were just plain boring. I don’t personally understand how that poor girl is supposed to keep up with the sex drive of FOUR horndogs. This was literally just sexy stockholm syndrome. It dragged on needlessly for SIX HUNDRED PAGES. Not a fun read at all.

      I enjoyed this book very thoroughly and adored the concept, but toward the beginning and middle I got the girls’ information confused because they weren’t distinct enough. I would have liked to see more developed characters, but I understand that we aren’t exactly our best selves when handling grief. 

Cora and Jamie were my favorites. The main romance was bland. The narration and backstory took over the novel’s present. Good message. Solid and enjoyable, but not immersive or spectacular. 

This impacted me more than I thought it would. 

     This review is going to be a rollercoaster ride and will contain some spoilers. This is one of the lowest ratings I have ever given a novel in my life. I wasn't expecting this to be anything like The Book Thief. I went into it with an open-mind. In short, I hated this book.

      I just did not care about anything that was supposed to be emotional. It didn’t work. This book was a flop in my eyes. 

Live footage of me the whole time I was dragging myself through this book: 😐😐

     Were all of the characters meant to be so unlikable? Everyone is greasy. The men are disgusting and oversexualize everything the women do. Ed claims to have strong feelings for Audrey but he views her as a sexual object more than anything else. His descriptions of his mother are disrespectful. He is 19, but sexualizes a literal 14 year old girl. It's repulsive. The women in this novel are treated like sexual objects. That being said, I think every character in the novel is flat and boring! Ed is awful. He's so uninteresting and has no complexity. No wonder his mom hates him. His friends are greasy. The banter is not funny. The dialogue is not funny at all. If some of the crude parts are meant to add something, it was lost on me. The fucking dog is the best character. 

     I had a hard time finishing this novel because it was not even a little engaging. The opening scene was awesome. There were sprinkles of intrigue throughout the novel, but it did not hold my attention. Trust me, I'm not hard to please. I'm just looking for a good time but this book was gross AND boring! I am finished with it and hardly understand the concept because it was done poorly. The entire thing felt cheap. 

     If I were Ed, you can bet your ass I would not have done 95% of the things he did. He stalked people. He was creepy. His moral compass was so questionable even though he developed a savior complex through his mission. He came to conclusions that no one else except the author who knows the fucking plot could have come to. The people on the receiving end of Ed's messengers were so calm with a strange man stalking them and loitering. No one would actually react that way. A girl like Sophie would have been terrified of him and likely avoided him. If someone came to my house for no reason and said, "I don't know why I'm here yet but I have a purpose," I would laugh in their face and tell them to get the hell out of my home. I would call the police if I caught someone watching me. Unless stalking is more socially acceptable in Australia . . . yeah, no. I'm still giving Bridge of Clay a chance with an open mind, but this is probably the worst and most forgettable book I have ever read. And I'm being nice. 

I mean, come ON. This is everything you want out of an epic sci-fi saga’s conclusion. 

     It was fascinating to see Levana’s backstory. I feel no sympathy for her. She is just as cruel and twisted as her sister was. Her lack of empathy is truly terrifying. She manipulated and abused a poor man mourning his wife. She held him captive for a decade and even though he tried his best to submit, she still murdered him in the end. It’s truly sinister. I feel even more justified in detesting this wretched woman.