11/14/2023 0 Comments Dont go to sleep![]() ![]() The narrator was not a good choice for this work. I listened to the audiobook version and did not enjoy it. Not to mention there were many occurrences of anachronisms throughout that were just awful for a work of historical fiction (one example included Gianna’s use of the phrase “skin in the game,” which wasn’t a thing until sometime in the 1980s). In fact, there were many plot holes and loose ends that made this work infuriating, as well as many instances of happy accidents that were much too convenient to feel realistic. The supernatural/magical realism bits were also brushed over even though the rest of the book felt firmly grounded in actual historical events, which made for an unsatisfactory read. I just read a whole book about a girl trying to hunt down a serial killer for personal reasons, and then within a chapter everything comes to a head and is “resolved.” There was no real discussion or explanation for the mysterious connection between Gianna and the murderer, which was a massive oversight. It was extremely rushed, and nothing was meaningfully resolved. There were also instances when her internal dialogue would resolve one thing, but then for no explainable reason, she’d go and do something completely different. Gianna was awfully naïve and silly for a seventeen-year-old, and it made her difficult to tolerate. The characters had almost no real depth or development and there was really nothing that made the characters likeable or relatable. In fact, it seemed as if the work was more focused on the pandemic than the serial killer for much of it, which became frustrating. The author included realistic depictions of how people responded to the international outbreak of the flu, though the flu talk became repetitive and began to detract from the work after a certain point. The best parts of this book revolved around the portrayal of typical attitudes towards Italians/Italian Americans at this time in New Orleans. I also liked that it was inspired by real events and that between chapters there were little excerpts that seemed as if they were from newspapers. I enjoyed the premise of this work it was fun to read a work set in New Orleans during the beginning of the influenza pandemic. But as the killings increase and her dreams become more debilitating, Gianna wonders if she’s taken on more than she is capable of handling. ![]() Plagued by dreams and worries, Gianna asks her friend Enzo to help her hunt the killer. But this isn’t the only thing she has to worry about: a killer is on the loose near her home, one who almost killed her and her family seven years earlier. Read more of my reviews at Gianna lives in New Orleans during 1918 just as the influenza pandemic is beginning to break out within the city. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I found this to be an enjoyable book and appreciated the historical aspect. I was hoping for a little more oomph from the narrator at times. I listened to the audiobook and wondered what my experience would have been had I read the book. This book is in the YA category but can easily be enjoyed by anyone. The author did her research as she depicts the attitude towards Italian Americans at that time as well as the severity of the Spanish flu. I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book and the quest to find a killer. ![]() There is a supernatural element toward the end of the book. This book is loosely based on the real serial killer known as the Axeman of New Orleans who killed Italian Immigrants. She is motivated to catch him before it's too late! Gianna has been plagued by nightmares since her parents were attacked. Gianna and her friend, Enzo decide to investigate the killings for themselves. Gianna and her family survived the man with the axe, but he is now back, killing with an axe. Gianna is seventeen years old living in a world where WWI has come to an end, people are dying from the 1918 influenza pandemic/Spanish Influenza pandemic, there is anti-Italian sentiment, and an axe man is killing store owners. ![]()
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