What Mother Won't Tell Me by Ivar Leon Menger
Raised on a remote island, a young woman soon realizes the most dangerous strangers are the ones in the bedroom across the hall…
Deep in the forests of Nordland, in a cabin on a small island, Juno has lived in almost complete isolation since early childhood. She has only Mother, Father, and her little brother Boy for company. They live in constant fear. Because danger lurks on the other side of the lake, seeking them out – Strangers, as they call them, who want to take revenge on their father and destroy the family. They live safely, under seven strict commandments.
Until everything changes.
When Juno is spotted by a Stranger she sets in motion a chain of frightening events and, in an increasingly threatening new reality, starts to suspect that more than a few secrets have been kept from her. She doesn’t know her parents at all, and she doesn’t know herself. But whoever Mother and Father are, they’ll do anything to keep Juno to themselves. This taut, psychological thriller is perfect for fans of Abigail Dean’s Girl A and Adrian McKinty’s The Chain.
Review:
I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this one with a suspicion of what it was about and what had likely happened with the kids and then spent the entire time waiting for a twist to prove me wrong. The twist never came. While it was a good story, and I enjoyed it, there wasn’t anything particularly fresh or exciting about it.
The story follows Juno, a young woman who has grown up on a remote island with only her parents and brother – simply known as Boy – for company. Their parents have warned them against ever leaving the island because there are dangerous men on the mainland, and Juno and Boy must never be seen. Once a week, an older man from the mainland comes to deliver the mail, and when he does, Juno and Boy must hide lest the old man see them and report back, putting everyone in danger. But as the siblings begin to question their existence and the motives of their parents, Juno soon realizes that the true danger may actually lie within the walls of her own home.
The book delves into themes of identity, trust, and the lengths to which individuals will go to protect their loved ones. Juno’s constant fear of the Strangers adds a layer of suspense and tension, intended to make readers question who can be trusted. The exploration of the family dynamic and the motivations of the parents added complexity to the narrative, but the ultimate resolution fell slightly flat for me because, as I mentioned earlier, I went into this one with an idea of what was going on. So, while the atmosphere was creepy, the mystery surrounding the Strangers and the truth behind Mother and Father and the reasoning for the cabin didn’t surprise me at all.
While I didn’t feel the story held many surprises, I did like the characters. Juno is written with depth and complexity, and I found myself empathizing with her and Boy and wanted them to be okay. While the mystery around Mother and Father wasn’t surprising, they are both strong characters and written in a way that you start out wanting to trust them. As Juno begins to unravel the truth, they become more menacing. Honestly, I felt the character of Mother was more complex than Father, and I would have liked a little more from him.
From the very beginning, the author sets an eerie and mysterious tone that borders on unsettling. The isolated setting of the cabin in the Nordland forests adds to the sense of claustrophobia and unease that permeates the story. The pacing was steady, with short chapters that kept me engaged. However, I kept holding out for a twist or something shocking to happen, and when it didn’t, I was left wanting. Overall, I felt that the plot was predictable and lacked the unexpected twists and turns that I had anticipated. While the story was gripping and well-written, there was a lack of freshness and originality that prevented it from truly standing out for me.
Overall, this is a solid psychological thriller that offers a compelling story and well-crafted characters. While it may not revolutionize the genre, it does provide an entertaining read. I would recommend it to fans of psychological suspense.
