Normally I´d summarize the book at first but this time I wont. With over 700 pages and so much happening in it, summarizing it would probably either get too long or would have too much spoilers and details in it. Therefore I´ll just write about my thoughts, my opinion and my feelings to this book.
What I can say is that the book is about love,life, dreams, fate, hurt and how situations, persons and circumstances can influence your present and future. The book shows how you sometimes have to do things you don´t want to but have to. Things that make you unhappy and breaks your heart, even though it´s the best choice, the best thing you can do. The book is about fears, abuse, being broken and lonely and how to find the light in the darkness. It´s about changes and changing. About hiding and trying to live a normal life. The book is about finding happiness and owning your mistakes and flaws. Its about being brave and finally getting what you want, need and love.
The best parts of the book were the beginning and the end. In between there was just too much that wasn´t really interesting. To be honest- I was bored most of the time. The book wasnt really dark as well.
The writing style was good though.
I liked Justin/ Finger. And I loved how he got his nickname. It was sth different. I constantly tried to imagine how I´d handle everything if I would be in his position. He did good. And I was impressed with him being this fighter and so confident. He didnt let his scars and missing fingers bother him too much. I suppose I liked him more because of it. Also loved how he loved Serana and how passionate, protective and caring he was. He was a good guy. I felt bad for him, for not living the life he dreamed of, for loving so hard and being lost without her. He deserved more.
At the beginning I liked Serena. She was strong and a fighter, even though she was hurting, broken, scared and trying to shut herself in. But the more the book continued the less I liked her. Some of the things she did I can understand but there are also a lot of things I didn´t like. Not only was she constantly miserable, no she made others feel miserable as well.
Tania was awesome. She was such a good friend and helped both a lot without expecting anything in return.
The book had so many different ppl in it. Too much in my opinion. It wasn´t easy to keep up with everyone. Especially when there were characters who started with the same letter and whose names had the same length. Also- lots of them seemed like they were just thrown in and weren´t really necessary to the story.
There were a couple of times I wondered about Justins and Serenas age. The book followed them over years and ...I dont know... I hated that both got older and older. I hated that they lived lives they hated. They had the chance to change it. They were able to get in touch and finally make their dreams come true. Hated that they didn´t do it. Hated that they didn´t fight. And at the end they were what? In their 40th? Early 50? I couldn´t connect to them. I was constantly hoping for them to have their happy end. I wanted Finger to have the family he wanted, to be a dad. I mean Zöe was fine, she was great. Liked her and those scenes were kinda cute. But it´s not the same. They wasted so much time...
What I loved were Serenas Tattoos. Loved how every compass had some meaning to her. How it showed a part of her life. Places that had an impact in some way on her.
I also loved how she became a designer. I´m a fashion designer as well so I could relate with her.
Everything about the clubstuff and the chapters and rivals and so on-boring. All the death and killings- boring. There was nothing scary, dark or twisted to this story. Nothing was shocking :( Turo was quite an interesting character though. He could have been more involved in the story and could have changed it a bit. I might have liked the book more then. But I guess I have to imagine it.
The end was fine. I´m glad that it ended that way and with both having their happy End. But in general I wasn´t really satisfied and happy with the story. I will read other books by Cat Porter anyway though. I might just have picked the wrong one to start with.
But as always- give it a chance and read it yourself. You might have a different opinion after you´ve read it. :)