Unspeakable Things

Unspeakable Things
by Jess Lourey


Blurb:

Cassie McDowell’s life in 1980s Minnesota seems perfectly wholesome. She lives on a farm, loves school, and has a crush on the nicest boy in class. Yes, there are her parents’ strange parties and their parade of deviant guests, but she’s grown accustomed to them.

All that changes when someone comes hunting in Lilydale.

One by one, local boys go missing. One by one, they return changed—violent, moody, and withdrawn. What happened to them becomes the stuff of shocking rumors. The accusations of who’s responsible grow just as wild, and dangerous town secrets start to surface. Then Cassie’s own sister undergoes the dark change. If she is to survive, Cassie must find her way in an adult world where every sin is justified, and only the truth is unforgivable.

My Reaction:
I listened to the audiobook version and found it riveting. I loved the can-do, positive attitude of the protagonist. Honestly, if it weren't for Cassie, I might not have liked this book at all. The subject matter is dark and disturbing, the "mystery" is average, and I found the ending rather rushed and not completely satisfying-- but for the bulk of the book, Cassie is the focus, and I loved her!

I also loved the flood of nostalgic memories brought on by the 1980s rural setting. (I grew up in a rural community in the 80s, though we lived on a relatively busy highway, and I mostly stayed close to home-- much more sheltered and fenced-in than the "meet up with the neighborhood kids each morning and don't come home until just before dark" version of "retro childhood" that's so common in fiction and other people's memories of youth).

Caitlin Kelly's narration was great. Unfortunately, sometimes narrators "interpretations" distract from the story, but in this case, it was a big positive. Cassie's personality came through loud and clear.

I saw an epilogue mentioned in another review and went to read it on the author's website. She left it out of the book (and audiobook) because she wanted readers to form their own ideas of what happened to her characters after the events of the book. Overall, I think she did well to leave it off (though clearly not everyone agrees).


SPOILERS to follow!!

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I was glad that Cassie turned out okay-- married, even had kids. I never doubted that she'd be alright. She's a survivor, and no way would she have been denied a life of her own.

What I wasn't so thrilled about was that she and Sephie lived with their mother after Cassie "told her story". On one hand, that's probably what Cassie wanted, but on the other... Their mother had to know what was happening, and she failed to protect her daughters. She left them alone with their father-- gave him the opportunity to terrorize and abuse. She was complicit!

I understand that she had been abused herself, growing up-- (wasn't that heavily implied?)-- and that it's complicated, but I hated their mother, and I still do. She didn't do enough. She barely did anything! Even apart from failing to protect them from abuse, she seemed so cold toward her children. A couple of the saddest moments are when it's clear that she doesn't express normal affection and love for her daughters. Doesn't tell them she loves them. Almost forgets/barely acknowledges their birthdays. (You don't need a lot of money to make a child feel special on his/her birthday.)

I know, I know! She wasn't "raised right", probably doesn't know how to be a good, loving mother, but some people manage to overcome those kinds of obstacles and grow into wonderful, admirable people. This woman didn't. She was caught in the cycle of sickness, and I just found it really sad that her daughters were stuck with her, even after escaping their evil father. (And to be honest, I'm not buying that she wouldn't have gone back to her crappy first husband, once he got out of jail...)

I was also sad that Sephie ended up living with their father, as an adult. That part seemed very odd... Is that realistic/typical behavior? I've mentioned surprise that their mother didn't end up back with her creepy abuser of a husband, but I'm even more surprised that Sephie would live with him. I can believe that she might maintain contact and pretend everything was normal, but moving in with him is shocking and hard to swallow.

On the other hand... It's just occurred to me that Sephie was named after Persephone, who was doomed to spend a portion of her life in the Underworld, living as the wife of Hades... And Cassie was named after Cassandra, who was cursed with knowledge of the future that no-one would believe. Cassie does repeatedly try to speak to people in authority (police, her parents), and is always ignored, until the very end. I have a feeling these things aren't coincidental.


SPOILERS over!

It feels strange to say that you liked or enjoyed a book with these kinds of themes, but I did! I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, but I found Cassie a very worthwhile character, and I'm glad to have met her.