BOOK REVIEW - The Alone Time - Elle Marr - Digital Book - 3*

BOOK REVIEW

The Alone Time - Elle Marr

One perk of being an Amazon Prime member (other than the free delivery and the television shows) is that you can select and buy a digital book once a month, free of charge (or for a discounted £0.99 for customers who aren't prime members), from a small list of editor's picks, in a perk called Amazon First Reads. This book was one of my Amazon First Reads earlier this year, so it was sat on my Kindle bookshelf. Have a look at Amazon First Reads here.

I was heading on a Hen Weekend that involved a few hours of travel by bus, so I packed my Kindle to read on the downtime. This is the book I selected to read. The premise seemed interesting, and I love a good thriller/mystery/crime story. 

BLURB

For two sisters, confronting the past could come at a terrible price in a riveting novel about a family tragedy - and family secrets - by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author Elle Marr. 

Fiona and Violent Seng were just children when their family's Cessna crash- landed in the Washington wilderness, claiming the lives of their parents. For twelve harrowing weeks, the girls fended for themselves before being rescued. 

Twenty-five years later, they're still trying to move on from their trauma. Fiona repurposes it into controversial works of art. Violet has battled addiction and failed relationships to finally progress toward normalcy as a writer. The estranged sisters never speak about what they call their Alone Time in the wild. They wouldn't dare - until they become the subject of a documentary that renews public fascination with the "girl survivors" and questions their versions of events. 

When disturbing details about the Seng family are exposed, a strange woman claims to know the crash was deliberate. Fiona and Violet must come together to face the horrifying truth of what happened out there and what they learned about their parents and themselves. Before any other secrets emerge from the woods. 

MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed this book. The story is told from multiple points of view, and on a dual timeline. This helps to tell the story at a good pace, revealing only what's required to move forward without giving away the big twist until the end. 

I really love dual timelines, especially in a thriller book, they're a really effective way of controlling the narrative. Having them come together at just the right time allows for that sudden realisation to dawn. It was great to be reading this, almost with an audience, as they witnessed my live reactions when things started coming together. On more than one occasion, I'd sit up in my seat and murmur "No f**king way" and then have to explain myself to the group! 

The author managed to take my hand and lead me towards the finale until I finally had it sussed out. I had some suspicions of what the main twist was but wasn't sure, which kept me engaged. I was keen to see if I was right. The only thing I wasn't keen on was the final addition to the story that came at the very end (no spoilers of course!). I felt like the book had stood up without it, and I was left with more questions than answers. 

The characters all had enough grey about them to keep things open, though Violet's brief love interest was a little strange and unnecessary. I thought we were going to make a sudden switch to fantasy/horror. I understood why it was included, to a point, but it felt like it had been included as an afterthought and wasn't fully padded out. 

Despite the fast pace, some really poignant moments made me stop and think. One quote in particular that stuck with me was "After a certain level of trauma is reached, the only choice we have is to either feel the pain in all its depth and depravity or choose numbness - ice to assuage the heat". This was really impactful and gave a real insight into that character's behaviours. 

Yes, the storyline is a little unrealistic in parts (especially the survival of the plane crash and living in the wilderness as young children), but if books didn't stray away from reality or probability, they would all be very mundane, so I don't mind a bit of artistic license being used to help give a sense of mystery or adventure. 

This was a great read for my journey and made the time pass really quickly. 

If you enjoy multiple points of view, dual timelines, and a book with twisty twists, this one is a great option. If you do read it, or have read it, let me know your thoughts (I'd love to know if anyone agrees with my opinions on the final reveal!). 

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