Everyone Is Watching

Solid Mystery Lacks Real World Punch Of Other Similar Works. At this point, we've all read some variant of some mystery set in and around the world of reality television, right? This is truly a solid tale of its type, so far as it goes, so even if you haven't read one, this is a good one to start with there.

I'm not sure if a certain aspect of the tale was *meant* to be picked up on early or if I (and apparently a few other reviewers) just *did*, but to me if that particular aspect was supposed to be a "twist", it was about as curvy as say the bend in the US coastline from roughly Charleston to roughly Jacksonville - ie, easily seen from orbit without much effort at all.

The thing blatantly missing - or perhaps it was so subtle that even I simply missed it within this text, as other reviewers have said they loved its presence - was the lack of any actual social commentary baked in to the tale of "reality television", as most in this space tend to have to some degree or another. While I'm glad there was no heavy handed preaching on the subject - no matter the view the author was trying to convey - I do wish that there had been *some*, or perhaps, again, at least some that was more obvious and memorable.

Outside of those two aspects though, this really was a fun and solid mystery of its type, maybe not quite as hard hitting as some of Gudenkauf's previous works, but that is also ok - sometimes both the writer and the reader need a chance to simply enjoy a tale without having to think too hard or without having emotional strings pulled too heart or without too much strain on the heart re: pulse and blood pressure. Not to say that this tale is bland, it absolutely is not. It just isn't *as* intensive as Gudenkauf's prior books - akin to an "easy" 5K at half of your normal running pace while training for a half marathon. You're still getting a good workout, it simply isn't anywhere near the intensity that could hurt you. :D

Overall an enjoyable work and a solid one given its premise. Very much recommended.

3/5 ★

╰┈➤ Plot

I'm .... indifferent on so many different things in the book. I'm really confused on how the book ended, I think there were a lot of loose ends and the reveals weren't as shocking. There were some plot points that led you down one path felt like they had no merit at the end. I'm still sitting here going “what about this... or what about this”?

I was really excited for this because of one of her other books, The Overnight Guest, in which I guessed the plot twist but it still kept my heart pumping. This somehow felt less high stakes even though the premise felt like it should have been even MORE high stakes.

I think this had so much potential, it just fell short for me.

╰┈➤ Characters

I think you had all your tell tale characters to make up this kind of thriller - mum, lawyer, doctor, senator, journalist - all very typical. That being said, I didn't like any of the characters. I felt no emotional attachment to any of them - so I didn't really care what happened to them.

We don't really know why anyone wants to win the money (except Marie) other than the fact money = good. Which felt really shallow and gave me only one character to root for - Marie.

╰┈➤ World/Setting

The world was described very nicely and I love some Italian architecture. I think the world was the only thing that gave the book its ‘eerieness'. The setting was also very good, very Squid Game. But in Squid Game, I felt the characters pain and suffering.

╰┈➤ Pacing

Very fast paced. I chewed through this in a day because I was really interested, the book keeps you hooked, even if the plot points fell short. I was so excited to see how they all came together so I just kept on turning pages.

╰┈➤ Enjoyment

If the ending didn't turn out the way it did, I would rate this higher. I enjoyed all the little clues in Italian (yes I went to google translate), I enjoyed flipping the pages to see how it would all come together, the premise is brilliant - it just fell short at tying everything together in a bow and so the end kind of crushed it for me.

╔═════ ❀•°❀°•❀ ═════╗

score card:

plot: 2.5/5
characters: 2.5/5
world/setting: 3/5
pacing: 4/5
enjoyment: 3/5

total: 3/5ੈ✩‧₊˚

╚═════ ❀•°❀°•❀ ═════╝

reading log ⁺˚*･༓☾

02/04 5:31pm ୨ৎ
here's my prediction: 'figgy' is fern

02/04 4:50pm ୨ৎ
ok hang on things are starting to come together i feel like a bit of a detective putting clues together here – so they were all given wine bottles that had words on them written on Italian - and maybe i'm ruining this for myself but i decided to go to google translate and they give such a big hint into what's to come

02/04 8:00am ୨ৎ
this is super easy to get through and i am intrigued to see who wins i don't have any bets yet but there is for sure high stakes with fern locking cat away in the cellar .

02/04 4:22am ୨ৎ
it may or may not be 4am - i've read about 11%? not as heart racing as the overnight guest so far - i think it might be the setting

︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶

pre-reading ⁺˚*･༓☾

OH MY GOSH i'm so excited i've been waiting for this one to come out for some reason it released in australia today?? anyway i absolutely loved the overnight guest it was a 5 star read for me so yes i'm mood reading like hell right now (please don't hate me i'm going through a nasty break up)