Pretty Baby
Ratings34
Average rating2.9
This book was.....not great.
For most of the book we're moving along quite predictably. You know why “Willow” is talking with the police. You soon know she's not dangerous. You know the baby is not hers. There is no twist when it comes to Willow.
Heidi. Well, I hated Heidi. I hated her a lot. And then she loses her mind. Like, out of the blue goes from a relatively normal human to absolutely lost her marbles crazy. And I think maybe you're supposed to feel bad for her, but you know what? No. I don't feel sorry for her. Because Heidi, for all her “save the world, bleeding liberal heart”ness, is a selfish woman hiding behind a do-gooder. From the moment Heidi laid eyes on Willow, she wasn't concerned about the girl, she wanted that baby. She premeditated that kidnapping. Say she was truly concerned about Willow's well being. She did not care at all about her husband or actual daughter's feelings. She wanted that baby and she didn't care what her family thought about it.
So no, I didn't like Heidi and there was no twist. It was just a sad story about the trauma of a young girl being overlooked constantly by all the adults around her. But even in the telling of that, it wasn't her story.
Not bad, not amazing. It was confusing, with how often the vantage point shifted from person to person and backwards and forwards in time.
This is a good read. The mystery of where the girl on the train and the baby came from is tantalizing and slowly, artfully revealed. The interaction between them and the Chicago couple who take them in is unpredictable and intriguing. The characters are believable. The ending is satisfying.
Pretty Baby was fast-paced and generally a good choice for a quick summer read. Many of the plot twists were fairly predictable, but there were definitely some surprises. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters - perhaps more development would have enhanced my enjoyment. The ending felt rushed, with several characters' resolutions straining credibility. Not bad, but I think there are many others in the genre that would ultimately be more satisfying.