4.5 stars
Bad Things Happen here was an incredibly addictive YA thriller, with flawed but compelling characters, twists turns and deadly secrets that had me glued to the page!
It’s set on an idyllic island of, inhabited by the uber wealthy—Parris has hidden its dark and tragic history behind a veneer of glitz and glamour for decades. It’s a place haunted by the unsolved deaths of countless young women-including Luca’s best friend Polly. All Luca wants to do is heal from her grief of her loss, but after a drunken party Luca returns home to find the Police at her house… Her sister,Whitney, is dead.
With the help of the new girl next door (Naomi) Luca decides to take the investigation into her own hands and find out what exactly happened that night. But nothing in Parris, is ever as it seems and the secrets it’s hiding at just be deadly…
I really enjoyed this and loved just how suspenseful it was. I was fully immersed int he small town, close friendship atmosphere and was on the hooked by all the lies and secrets that Luca uncovers—my perceptions of characters was constantly changing and I loved that!
Luca, our protagonist was a really three dimensional character with flaws and emotions that really endeared me to her—I’ve never experienced loss in quite the same way she has but it was heartbreaking to see how the deeply grief affected her. It also puts a spotlight on the lives of the victims’ nearest and dearest and how gossip and malicious rumours can affect them.
But personally it’s the very important (and relevant) issue surrounding privilege and race that I found really significant. It shouldn’t be surprising to know that privilege leads to discrimination when a person doesn’t fit in the boxes already ascribed to them. And on an Island like Parris, wealth and privilege go hand in hand which means the case (and Luca) are unfairly judged based on discriminatory biases which do nothing to help the actual investigation.
Thankfully, Luca does finally get closure, but like real life the truth is messy, complicated and not nearly as satisfying as she hoped it’d be. I really liked the ending (as bittersweet as it was) because it really does capture Luca’s emotional journey and growth.
Overall, a beautifully written and thought provoking, YA thriller that explores the nuance of life—in all it’s messy, complex and morally grey glory.
TW: self harm, suicidal thoughts, death, grief, murder and references to physical and sexual assault
Bad Things Happen here was an incredibly addictive YA thriller, with flawed but compelling characters, twists turns and deadly secrets that had me glued to the page!
It’s set on an idyllic island of, inhabited by the uber wealthy—Parris has hidden its dark and tragic history behind a veneer of glitz and glamour for decades. It’s a place haunted by the unsolved deaths of countless young women-including Luca’s best friend Polly. All Luca wants to do is heal from her grief of her loss, but after a drunken party Luca returns home to find the Police at her house… Her sister,Whitney, is dead.
With the help of the new girl next door (Naomi) Luca decides to take the investigation into her own hands and find out what exactly happened that night. But nothing in Parris, is ever as it seems and the secrets it’s hiding at just be deadly…
I really enjoyed this and loved just how suspenseful it was. I was fully immersed int he small town, close friendship atmosphere and was on the hooked by all the lies and secrets that Luca uncovers—my perceptions of characters was constantly changing and I loved that!
Luca, our protagonist was a really three dimensional character with flaws and emotions that really endeared me to her—I’ve never experienced loss in quite the same way she has but it was heartbreaking to see how the deeply grief affected her. It also puts a spotlight on the lives of the victims’ nearest and dearest and how gossip and malicious rumours can affect them.
But personally it’s the very important (and relevant) issue surrounding privilege and race that I found really significant. It shouldn’t be surprising to know that privilege leads to discrimination when a person doesn’t fit in the boxes already ascribed to them. And on an Island like Parris, wealth and privilege go hand in hand which means the case (and Luca) are unfairly judged based on discriminatory biases which do nothing to help the actual investigation.
Thankfully, Luca does finally get closure, but like real life the truth is messy, complicated and not nearly as satisfying as she hoped it’d be. I really liked the ending (as bittersweet as it was) because it really does capture Luca’s emotional journey and growth.
Overall, a beautifully written and thought provoking, YA thriller that explores the nuance of life—in all it’s messy, complex and morally grey glory.
TW: self harm, suicidal thoughts, death, grief, murder and references to physical and sexual assault