If you were to chart my opinion of this book as I was reading it, the chart would be all over the map. There were parts I loved, parts I disliked, parts I appreciated, parts that I’m skeptical of, and probably more categories. I enjoyed it while I was listening to it well enough, but the more distance I get from it, the more faults I find with it.

This would have been significantly better had this been just about the dysfunctional nature of the Spellman family. Those bits (as in, the first half of the book, and then interlaced with the mystery parts) were the best parts. The mystery bit started off well, but ended terribly with one of my pet peeves regarding mystery conclusions.

Really interesting, great mystery with some good side plots. I really liked it. Little bits of classism, though. And some of the police procedural stuff I question. And there were a few things that were mentioned but never done anything with, which frustrates me. Still, I really liked the main characters and I look forward to the next book.

The first 40% is really fucking funny. And then the book takes a more serious turn. But it’s beautifully written, and it portrays anxiety and depression to a level of accuracy I’ve never seen in a book before. This book deserves every inch of these five stars I’m giving it and then like ten thousand more.

Sort of the cookie cutter mystery, as far as the plot and progression of the mystery goes. Interesting historical note but I think it makes it less of a mystery to say that this was happening everywhere and not just on this island. That being said, I enjoyed it.