Providence

You can also find this review on my blog.

cw: animal death, ableism, domestic abuse, cancer

Spoiler-free Review
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this title on Netgalley mainly because I saw that the main characters were from New Hampshire. I always want to read books that take place at least in part in places that I've lived. The plot also looked interesting, so I gave it a shot. I'm really glad I did because this ended up being a very good read.

People who live to know a sicko are very eager to tell you their story. There's a pride, a sense of having survived something.

Caroline Kepnes is a great writer. This is the first work of hers that I've read, but immediately after finishing this, I added You to my TBR. She does a fantastic job of pulling the reader right into the story and creates interesting characters that you can really relate to. I really liked both Claire and Jon, as well as the relationship between them and how it changed over time. I also loved the Lovecraft references. I haven't read much Lovecraft myself, but am really drawn to Lovecraftian stories.

When I die, if there is a place called hell, I will go there.

I did think, however, that the characters could have been given a little more complexity. Jon and Claire are both overwhelmingly “good” people and don't really have any flaws (at least, none that they can control). I also didn't really enjoy the addition of Eggs into the story. I understood how he functioned as far as the plot went, but felt like he didn't add much to the story as a character. Maybe it's just because I didn't like him. He was constantly lying to his wife and essentially pretended that his autistic son didn't exist. By the end there is some redemption, but I still really don't think he deserved to be treated so well.

I hit the road, New Hampshire bound, I'm a typical Rhodie in the sense that I think we're the best. In Massachusetts, you have all these sweet-toothed Massholes stuffing their face with ice cream covered in jimmies, all puffed up with self-righteousness they get out of that little rock down in Plymouth. Never mind Maine; try being a woman in that state, let me know how it works out. Vermont has the worst Italian food I ever had in my life. And New Hampshire, all you gotta know is that they take pride in rocks, granite, tax-free shopping, and bottle rockets, their handles of grain alcohol so they can go home and light themselves on fire.

Otherwise, this was a fantastic read. I almost missed my train stop multiple times while reading and I kept getting so sucked in that I wasn't sure how I could put the book down. I may end up grabbing a physical copy of this for myself, but at the very least I will certainly recommend this book to others. This will be good for fans of thrillers, contemporary sci-fi pieces, and/or the writings of Lovecraft.

I settle on a little pink dress but then I remember Carrig's family, the wall of them, why are you so dressed up? That should be the state fucking slogan of New Hampshire.