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A review by cindilm76
The Rumor by Lesley Kara
1.0
This is a very difficult review to write. When I'm offered an ARC from the publisher and author for an honest review, I really try to take time on the book to really give a fair review. I've been given the opportunity to read some really amazing books this way & have gone on to encourage others to read them to - even when out shopping with strangers! Sadly, I can't find anything really good or exciting to say about this book.
The copy I was provided was an uncorrected proof, and I can only hope that others have noticed these issues & they have been fixed before publication.
I felt that the story wasn't believable at all. I felt that there were far too many characters in the book and it became really confusing as I read along. Most of those characters could have easily be omitted & not affected the story.
From reading other reviews, and the acknowledgements at the end of the book, I see that this book was first written with a setting in the UK & then "Americanized". I cannot for the life of me understand WHY this was attempted. And it was done so very, very badly. I don't think those who attempted this had much or any experience with America or a map of the country. The constant use of the word 'sea' was a dead giveaway ( I've never encountered ant American to use that word) & this book is supposed to be set in Chicago & Iowa. No sea! No ocean! Also, Dearborn (Michigan) & Chicago (Illinois) are not the same nor even close by. It was just so distracting.
The constant comments about Michael's race was tedious & at one point Joanna/Johannah/Jo/Joan/Joey/JJ/etc ... comments that they were the picture of a hipster family with a black stay at home dad and a working white mother. Even though days have passed since I read that, I'm still offended.
By the time we came to the big reveal, everyone in town had been accused of being Sally & I just did not care at all.
I feel that the author read "Big Little Lies" & said "I can do that" but it really didn't work out in my opinion. Why this is even being compared to that book baffles me.
I'm sorry, but this is a 1 star book for me.
Even though I disliked the book so much, I am grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book.
The copy I was provided was an uncorrected proof, and I can only hope that others have noticed these issues & they have been fixed before publication.
I felt that the story wasn't believable at all. I felt that there were far too many characters in the book and it became really confusing as I read along. Most of those characters could have easily be omitted & not affected the story.
From reading other reviews, and the acknowledgements at the end of the book, I see that this book was first written with a setting in the UK & then "Americanized". I cannot for the life of me understand WHY this was attempted. And it was done so very, very badly. I don't think those who attempted this had much or any experience with America or a map of the country. The constant use of the word 'sea' was a dead giveaway ( I've never encountered ant American to use that word) & this book is supposed to be set in Chicago & Iowa. No sea! No ocean! Also, Dearborn (Michigan) & Chicago (Illinois) are not the same nor even close by. It was just so distracting.
The constant comments about Michael's race was tedious & at one point Joanna/Johannah/Jo/Joan/Joey/JJ/etc ... comments that they were the picture of a hipster family with a black stay at home dad and a working white mother. Even though days have passed since I read that, I'm still offended.
By the time we came to the big reveal, everyone in town had been accused of being Sally & I just did not care at all.
I feel that the author read "Big Little Lies" & said "I can do that" but it really didn't work out in my opinion. Why this is even being compared to that book baffles me.
I'm sorry, but this is a 1 star book for me.
Even though I disliked the book so much, I am grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book.