Black-Eyed Susans
Ratings29
Average rating3.5
Dark, funny and a little bit strange. Black-Eyed Susans is slightly better than your average twisty turny thriller. This is the story of Tessa/Tessie, one of the Susans who survived at the hands of a Monster and now that Monster is on death row and it seems he might be innocent.....duh duh duh!!!!!
There is a huge red herring quite early on in the story and I completely fell for it, I thought I had it all worked out, but I hadn't. Now I just feel a little bit sad and stupid because it was so obvious.
book 2/30 Black Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin 3.5/5
I read one of Heaberlin's other novels We Are All the Same in the Dark last year and absolutely LOVED it! Black Eyed Susans was good, but I didn't love any of the characters like I loved the protagonist in the former.
Black Eyed Susans is a thriller following Tessa, who was kidnapped and found buried alive with bones and body of other girls who were killed in rural texas as a teenager. The story flashes between present-day Tessa who is trying to get the man convicted off death row and 15/16 year old Tessie who is recounting her harrowing experience to her therapist before the trial. It's slower to start, but about 65% of the way through it really picks up speed to a crashing finale.
Suspensful, creepy, and requires willing suspension of disbelief but all in all enjoyable.
I'm not very sure about this book. I didn't like it, but I don't dislike it either. The narrative was very slow and I couldn't sympathize with the protagonist. It's not what I expected, but the reading kept me entertained somehow.
Excellent book. Original structure and plot. Not your 432nd average thriller. More psychological than anything else. Charming characters. Leans towards literature.