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Ziua 1
Supraviețuitoarea este prinsă într-o minciună.
Presa transformă nenorocirea în spectacol.
Cei din afara comunității susțin că evenimentul nici nu a avut loc.
Ce s-a întâmplat cu adevărat în Ziua 1?
Un individ înarmat atacă o școală dintr-un orășel englez de la malul mării, declanșând un șir de evenimente care aruncă întreaga comunitate în haos. Rănile nu se închid niciodată, pentru că locuitorii sunt hăituiți și de presă, și de conspiraționiști.
Însă nici între ei nu mai există acea înțelegere care făcea din Stonesmere un spațiu aproape idilic.
Fiecare are propria versiune asupra evenimentelor din Ziua 1, secretele sunt îngropate prea adânc, suspiciunile sunt înrădăcinate prea puternic. Indiciile despre adevăr sunt ascunse în spatele unor fațade șubrede, care ar putea dărâma întregul oraș.
Un roman psihologic care arde mocnit, jucându-se cu mintea cititorului și a personajelor, și care descrie conflictul dintre adevăr și interpretare personală, dintre experiența directă și teoriile conspirației, dintre goana după senzațional și încercarea de a depăși o tragedie.
Presa transformă nenorocirea în spectacol.
Cei din afara comunității susțin că evenimentul nici nu a avut loc.
Ce s-a întâmplat cu adevărat în Ziua 1?
Un individ înarmat atacă o școală dintr-un orășel englez de la malul mării, declanșând un șir de evenimente care aruncă întreaga comunitate în haos. Rănile nu se închid niciodată, pentru că locuitorii sunt hăituiți și de presă, și de conspiraționiști.
Însă nici între ei nu mai există acea înțelegere care făcea din Stonesmere un spațiu aproape idilic.
Fiecare are propria versiune asupra evenimentelor din Ziua 1, secretele sunt îngropate prea adânc, suspiciunile sunt înrădăcinate prea puternic. Indiciile despre adevăr sunt ascunse în spatele unor fațade șubrede, care ar putea dărâma întregul oraș.
Un roman psihologic care arde mocnit, jucându-se cu mintea cititorului și a personajelor, și care descrie conflictul dintre adevăr și interpretare personală, dintre experiența directă și teoriile conspirației, dintre goana după senzațional și încercarea de a depăși o tragedie.
384 pages, Paperback
First published February 20, 2024
955 people are currently reading
13345 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Dean
4 books1,011 followersAbigail Dean is an author from Manchester, UK. She lives in London with her husband, children, and a very cantankerous cat. Her latest novel is THE DEATH OF US, a love story interrupted by a single, terrible act of violence. Film rights have been acquired at auction.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 827 reviews
December 12, 2023
Thank you Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are AWLAYS honest.
Trigger warning: school shooting involving children | 4.5 rounded UP. NICHE BANGER ALERT.
Writing: that's my type! | Plot: slow, character-driven, depressy | Ending: right in the feels
SYNOPSIS
Marty and Trent navigate the aftermath of a tragic school shooting.
MY OPINION
OOHHWEEE!!!!! J'ADORE!!!! This is a NICHE banger. If you liked Girl A, The Favor by Nicci French NOT Nora Murphy (dnfed that one) and S.E. Lynes (prose alone, not her plots), then you may enjoy this. If you expect thrills, chills, twists, and turns, as well as linear timelines and more straight-forward writing (Alice Feeney, CoHo, Freida, Megan Goldin, Riley Sager, etc) then SKIP. This is most certainly NOT a thriller. It is very bleak, very character driven, and rather 'slow'. Not one twist in sight my friends.
I see that Abigail Dean likes to fictionalize bleak af tragedies. Girl A is the Turpin case, and Day One is Sandy Hook. Tbh I didn't really read the synopsis, so when the school shooting occurred, I was a lil shook. There are a lot of similarities between this book and Sandy Hook, mostly around the conspiracy theory shitstorm egged on by the nefarious Alex Jones. I always enjoy books that really get into the mind of a conspiracy theorist and demonstrate how a 'normal' person has devolved into such a whackadoodle state. Dean does a fantastic job SHOWING not telling how Trent descended into madness.
The writing is *chefs kiss* FOR MEEEEE. The streets might call this writing style 'awkward', 'disjointed', 'choppy'. I'm always tickled pink when I see an author stretching the confines of syntax to carve out their own style and tone. Do I sound like a pretentious wanker? Yes. Anyways. Here's an example of what I mean:
...And however tired she was, it was the first thing she asked. However tired—even when the tiredness was right there on her face. When it had crept into her bones, and became a tiredness he should have recognized—
And what did he say? Fine. OK.
She would have listened though. She would have listened.
Unlike The Quiet Tenant ot All the Dangerous Things which leans heavily on melodramatic similes and flowery language to force emotion into mundane scenes, Dean stays fairly simile-free and chooses the right moments to hit you where it hurts. My fave quote of this book (for context: Marty is being interviewed right after the school shooting)
'What happened,' the woman said, 'in the hall?'
My memories trembled. I reassembled the room, just as it should have been. Gathered the children back to the stage. Put the chairs back in place. Dried the floor. Tucked phones back into pockets, handbags, palms. There I was, in the heart of the audience, with my mother's hand in mine.
Broseffff?????? What a beautiful way to SHOW that Marty wishes she could go back in time before the tragedy struck and that she regrets not being there with her mother. Basic writing would be like: I wish I could go back in time and make sure I had been in the audience with my mom like I promised I would be.
Anyways, if you're a pretentious wanker like me, you may enjoy this one. It's definitely more 'litfic' without being too dramatic. It's an uncomfortable read. It's a sad read. It's a read that'll make even the soulless feel something. It could spark some juicy book club debates. Dean can definitely handle sensitive topics with grace and I look forward to what she tackles next.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: beautiful and unique prose, thoughtful deep-dive into a fictionalized version of the Sandy Hook shooting, well-drawn characters, controversial in a good way that challenges you
Cons: definitely slow, some stilted dialogue, timeline was a tad confusing at first because I thought 'Year Eight' was referring to a grade, not the fact we were jumping 8 years forward from the Day One event
____
Check out my YouTube and my TikTok
Trigger warning: school shooting involving children | 4.5 rounded UP. NICHE BANGER ALERT.
Writing: that's my type! | Plot: slow, character-driven, depressy | Ending: right in the feels
SYNOPSIS
Marty and Trent navigate the aftermath of a tragic school shooting.
MY OPINION
OOHHWEEE!!!!! J'ADORE!!!! This is a NICHE banger. If you liked Girl A, The Favor by Nicci French NOT Nora Murphy (dnfed that one) and S.E. Lynes (prose alone, not her plots), then you may enjoy this. If you expect thrills, chills, twists, and turns, as well as linear timelines and more straight-forward writing (Alice Feeney, CoHo, Freida, Megan Goldin, Riley Sager, etc) then SKIP. This is most certainly NOT a thriller. It is very bleak, very character driven, and rather 'slow'. Not one twist in sight my friends.
I see that Abigail Dean likes to fictionalize bleak af tragedies. Girl A is the Turpin case, and Day One is Sandy Hook. Tbh I didn't really read the synopsis, so when the school shooting occurred, I was a lil shook. There are a lot of similarities between this book and Sandy Hook, mostly around the conspiracy theory shitstorm egged on by the nefarious Alex Jones. I always enjoy books that really get into the mind of a conspiracy theorist and demonstrate how a 'normal' person has devolved into such a whackadoodle state. Dean does a fantastic job SHOWING not telling how Trent descended into madness.
The writing is *chefs kiss* FOR MEEEEE. The streets might call this writing style 'awkward', 'disjointed', 'choppy'. I'm always tickled pink when I see an author stretching the confines of syntax to carve out their own style and tone. Do I sound like a pretentious wanker? Yes. Anyways. Here's an example of what I mean:
...And however tired she was, it was the first thing she asked. However tired—even when the tiredness was right there on her face. When it had crept into her bones, and became a tiredness he should have recognized—
And what did he say? Fine. OK.
She would have listened though. She would have listened.
Unlike The Quiet Tenant ot All the Dangerous Things which leans heavily on melodramatic similes and flowery language to force emotion into mundane scenes, Dean stays fairly simile-free and chooses the right moments to hit you where it hurts. My fave quote of this book (for context: Marty is being interviewed right after the school shooting)
'What happened,' the woman said, 'in the hall?'
My memories trembled. I reassembled the room, just as it should have been. Gathered the children back to the stage. Put the chairs back in place. Dried the floor. Tucked phones back into pockets, handbags, palms. There I was, in the heart of the audience, with my mother's hand in mine.
Broseffff?????? What a beautiful way to SHOW that Marty wishes she could go back in time before the tragedy struck and that she regrets not being there with her mother. Basic writing would be like: I wish I could go back in time and make sure I had been in the audience with my mom like I promised I would be.
Anyways, if you're a pretentious wanker like me, you may enjoy this one. It's definitely more 'litfic' without being too dramatic. It's an uncomfortable read. It's a sad read. It's a read that'll make even the soulless feel something. It could spark some juicy book club debates. Dean can definitely handle sensitive topics with grace and I look forward to what she tackles next.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: beautiful and unique prose, thoughtful deep-dive into a fictionalized version of the Sandy Hook shooting, well-drawn characters, controversial in a good way that challenges you
Cons: definitely slow, some stilted dialogue, timeline was a tad confusing at first because I thought 'Year Eight' was referring to a grade, not the fact we were jumping 8 years forward from the Day One event
____
Check out my YouTube and my TikTok
October 6, 2023
Stonesmere primary school in the Lake District is where teacher Ava Ward has worked for many years. Stonesmere is a small town where life just plods along, nothing remarkable happens. Then one dreadful day, during a play which is being performed for the four year olds who will be starting school next term, a shooter walks in and the lives of many will be devastatingly changed forever.
The story follows the aftermath and looks at how it affects the victims families. The reader slowly discovers what really happened that day, as the author explores the unreliability of memories. Making matters even worse is a group of’ truthers’ who believe the whole thing is a hoax, and that the victims never existed. There are parallels with Dunblane in Scotland, and other places around the world, which some readers will find distressing.
A thoughtful and beautifully written book covering a disturbing subject, but it draws the reader ever onwards to find the truth of it all.
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
The story follows the aftermath and looks at how it affects the victims families. The reader slowly discovers what really happened that day, as the author explores the unreliability of memories. Making matters even worse is a group of’ truthers’ who believe the whole thing is a hoax, and that the victims never existed. There are parallels with Dunblane in Scotland, and other places around the world, which some readers will find distressing.
A thoughtful and beautifully written book covering a disturbing subject, but it draws the reader ever onwards to find the truth of it all.
*Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for my ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
July 26, 2023
The focus of Abigail Deans latest novel is on Stonesmere primary school where Ava Ward has taught for over twenty years. This idyllic, beautiful Lake District town will never be the same again and nor will many peoples lives. It’s July and Day One where the eldest children of the school perform a play for the four-year-olds who will join in September and this will hopefully remove the fear of the September day one.
This year Ava’s class are breaking tradition and each will perform a brief monologue based on their individual research. The performance starts, and it’s just as its Kit Larkin’s turn and what initially Ava thinks is a photographer at the back of the room with a tripod, proves to be a helmeted man, visor down, with a rifle in his hand. He begins firing at the audience then at the stage as Ava desperately tries to protect her charges. At the epicentre of the tragedy is Marty (Martha), Ava’s daughter. What exactly did Marty see for? What might she know? In the months that follow, conspiracy theorists led by Ray Cleave, cast doubt on the reported events. Ray encourages “truther“ journalist Trent Casey to endeavour to expose the “sham“ of the killings. Sit back, get comfortable and witness how things spin completely out of control and establish exactly what the truth is of that fateful, tragic day.
First of all, I think I’ve just got my breath back and put my jaw back into place. I thought Girl A was good (five stars from me) but if it’s at all possible, I think this is even better. This is such a powerful novel that it evokes the whole spectrum of emotions. The tension is as taut as piano wire, which, after such a terrifying start doesn’t seem possible but it sure builds and how. The author keeping you guessing right to the very end which seems to add further to the tension. At the beginning there is panic. confusion and horror and then after the event, is living with lives shattered into a thousand pieces. The reader views much of this via Marty and Trent and what a contrast we have with these two. Who is the most unreliable?? There is some input from Kits father and he is one of the standout characters, at times, he moves you to tears. However. all the characters are well portrayed and some are not as you might think. The friendship between Marty and Leah Perry becomes of huge importance, and I don’t think friends can get much better than Leah who sacrifices so much for Marty. The “Truthers“ make you angry, they are an insult to good people, but it sure adds another dimension to the gripping storytelling, and the community they target will never, ever be the same again.
The plot is so intriguing, it’s totally immersive, trust me, you won’t want to put this down once you’ve started it. It’s an enigmatic puzzle, the pieces of which don’t seem to fit no matter how hard you try to make them do so. From the very start, there is a sense of foreboding which overhangs Stonemere until the truth is out. The ending is really good, taking the plot full circle, which makes it feel worse somehow as it seems to hit you harder.
Finally, the setting in the Lake District is an excellent choice as this stunning area is so peaceful and so popular with visitors and of course is such a stark contrast to the violence inflicted. This puts me in mind of the horror of Dunblane in Scotland, which we will never forget, nor should we. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this book either as it’s an outstanding piece of fiction.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
This year Ava’s class are breaking tradition and each will perform a brief monologue based on their individual research. The performance starts, and it’s just as its Kit Larkin’s turn and what initially Ava thinks is a photographer at the back of the room with a tripod, proves to be a helmeted man, visor down, with a rifle in his hand. He begins firing at the audience then at the stage as Ava desperately tries to protect her charges. At the epicentre of the tragedy is Marty (Martha), Ava’s daughter. What exactly did Marty see for? What might she know? In the months that follow, conspiracy theorists led by Ray Cleave, cast doubt on the reported events. Ray encourages “truther“ journalist Trent Casey to endeavour to expose the “sham“ of the killings. Sit back, get comfortable and witness how things spin completely out of control and establish exactly what the truth is of that fateful, tragic day.
First of all, I think I’ve just got my breath back and put my jaw back into place. I thought Girl A was good (five stars from me) but if it’s at all possible, I think this is even better. This is such a powerful novel that it evokes the whole spectrum of emotions. The tension is as taut as piano wire, which, after such a terrifying start doesn’t seem possible but it sure builds and how. The author keeping you guessing right to the very end which seems to add further to the tension. At the beginning there is panic. confusion and horror and then after the event, is living with lives shattered into a thousand pieces. The reader views much of this via Marty and Trent and what a contrast we have with these two. Who is the most unreliable?? There is some input from Kits father and he is one of the standout characters, at times, he moves you to tears. However. all the characters are well portrayed and some are not as you might think. The friendship between Marty and Leah Perry becomes of huge importance, and I don’t think friends can get much better than Leah who sacrifices so much for Marty. The “Truthers“ make you angry, they are an insult to good people, but it sure adds another dimension to the gripping storytelling, and the community they target will never, ever be the same again.
The plot is so intriguing, it’s totally immersive, trust me, you won’t want to put this down once you’ve started it. It’s an enigmatic puzzle, the pieces of which don’t seem to fit no matter how hard you try to make them do so. From the very start, there is a sense of foreboding which overhangs Stonemere until the truth is out. The ending is really good, taking the plot full circle, which makes it feel worse somehow as it seems to hit you harder.
Finally, the setting in the Lake District is an excellent choice as this stunning area is so peaceful and so popular with visitors and of course is such a stark contrast to the violence inflicted. This puts me in mind of the horror of Dunblane in Scotland, which we will never forget, nor should we. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this book either as it’s an outstanding piece of fiction.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
March 27, 2024
I read an interview with Abigail Dean a few days ago where she talked about how Day One, the follow up to her debut novel and runaway success Girl A, was a difficult book to write. She mentions that her editor asked her to rewrite the book completely twice and how it filled her with dismay. I’m afraid it reads like a book that was written and re-written. I found it to be a bit of a mess.
This isn’t a thriller and I don’t think Dean’s UK covers do her any favours. Day One is slow-burn drama/literary fiction about a school shooting in a small village in the Lake District in England, and its aftermath. It’s a story of conspiracy theories (calling to mind Sandy Hook), lies and redemption.
The premise is good but I found the execution to be weak. The writing is overly stylised throughout and borderline incoherent at times with sentences and paragraphs I had to read multiple times that still didn’t make much sense; less literary and more contrived for me I’m afraid. The back and forth timeline and multiple POVs were jarring, possibly because the story just never really grabbed me.
The characters are all very surface-level, especially protagonist Marty/Martha who never really came into sharp focus.
I loved Girl A and I have high hopes for Dean’s next book which she says in the interview mentioned above she wrote in a few months. I’m hoping for a return to form. Sadly this didn’t work for me at all. 2/5 ⭐️
*Many thanks to the publisher Harper Collins for the arc via @netgalley. Day One will be published tomorrow 28 March 2024. As always, this is an honest review.
This isn’t a thriller and I don’t think Dean’s UK covers do her any favours. Day One is slow-burn drama/literary fiction about a school shooting in a small village in the Lake District in England, and its aftermath. It’s a story of conspiracy theories (calling to mind Sandy Hook), lies and redemption.
The premise is good but I found the execution to be weak. The writing is overly stylised throughout and borderline incoherent at times with sentences and paragraphs I had to read multiple times that still didn’t make much sense; less literary and more contrived for me I’m afraid. The back and forth timeline and multiple POVs were jarring, possibly because the story just never really grabbed me.
The characters are all very surface-level, especially protagonist Marty/Martha who never really came into sharp focus.
I loved Girl A and I have high hopes for Dean’s next book which she says in the interview mentioned above she wrote in a few months. I’m hoping for a return to form. Sadly this didn’t work for me at all. 2/5 ⭐️
*Many thanks to the publisher Harper Collins for the arc via @netgalley. Day One will be published tomorrow 28 March 2024. As always, this is an honest review.
April 14, 2024
✰ 3 stars ✰
“Whenever I think about Day One, this is the worst part. I’d remember it at first because I couldn’t remember anything else; and later I’d remember to try to dull it, as if in practicing the remembering, I could deprive it of its importance and stop thinking about it altogether.”
It was supposed to have been a Day One like another at Stonesmere - 'each July, at the end of term, the eldest children in the primary school delivered a play to the four-year-olds who would join in September'. But, nothing would be the same for the members of this close-knit community after this fateful play - for those who attended and those who didn't, when an unforeseen tragedy shakes the foundation of all those affected by it. 😢
“—I wanted to say something, for the record. To those people, out there, who think that my son didn’t exist.”
“I wish that they were right,” Larkin said. “That’s all. I wish he were a fiction. I mean, Christ. How easy would that be? If I’d never known him at all.”
Whether in fiction or reality, it always hurts to see the senseless loss of innocent lives. The inevitable pain that follows is unfathomable and too heartbreaking to express or relate to. The author shows two very different takes on how they were both affected by the tragedy - Marty, the daughter of the teacher who died trying to protect her students, and Trent, a young man who knew the shooter and one of the ringleaders behind the allegations accusing Martha of hiding the truth about what happened that tragic day and who will stop at nothing until the eventual truth finally comes out. 😥 And as time passes on and the need for the truth becomes even more volatile and desperate, it becomes painstakingly clear that one of them will have to either step back or step forward in order for a semblance of healing can come to those who are united in their grief. 🫂
It is also very rare for me to ever see some wild speculations of conspiracy theories that have parents or students involved in the tragedy. And what surprisingly alarmed me was how easily people get caught up in believing that those who have lost a loved one could actually have a hand in it. 🥺 That despite the overwhelming grief that they were struggling to endure, one could still expect them to have rational and coherent memories of what really happened that tragic day. '...these people—people who are grieving, people who are trying to work out how to live without their loved ones—don’t you think they may have better things to be doing?' It was unnerving, but somehow, the conspirators believed that they were justified in their way of thinking; that they deserved the truth, demanded it - at no cost to those who were grieving. It seems so tasteless and baseless that I couldn't help but hate how convincingly they believed it to be true.
“There are always heroes,” Trent’s mother said. “That’s what you see on days like this, isn’t it? The good of the world.”
“I don’t know about that,” Trent said.”
As a mystery lover, it was definitely one of the driving forces for me to continue onwards. I wanted to know what was Marty's involvement, how would the public react, who else knew anything about it, why was Trent so determined to seek justice for him. 'My lies were at an end. It would be bad for a while, and then it would be better.' And interspersed throughout the narrative, the author gives us insight into their backgrounds - their personalities, their interactions - who they are that makes them - that gives us a reason to try and understand why they are behaving the way that they are. 😟 And by providing just enough detail for each slight reveal, helped build up enough suspense to keep the pay-off worth waiting for.
I did feel at times that some reactions felt a bit too far-fetched and a bit too theatrical to really help them in their case; certain characters also failed to hit a nerve, as I felt their involvement a little unnecessary. However, one of the major complaints that prevented the read from being a more satisfying and compelling one was the multiple povs with and an overlapping inconsistent timeline. 🙁 It significantly prevented it from being a more cohesive and well-balanced read, like, badly, so. To the point, that I honestly, considered not continuing for how confusing and a bit too distracting it became, at times; which is a shame, because there is so much heart to the story, itself. 😔
“They had both been children, and when you were a child it was easy to mistake almost anything for love.”
The first chapter was painstakingly heartbreaking - the final one - beautifully tragic - it left me with an ache in your chest, because you know what is about to happen and how it will end, but the characters - don't. And that will never not hurt. 💔💔 Even as the suspense and the uncertainty built up, the author did not hold back on showing how everyone was so deeply affected by it - the love for their loved ones - the sadness that follows and the inability to direct their anger of not being able to accept what has happened - either uniting in their shared grief or finding someone to take the blame that maybe, if I had not gone in, or maybe if I had waited... It is an inevitable and inescapable feeling of shame and guilt that is impossible to simply wash away. 😞
No matter how you look at it, no matter who you hold more accountable for - there is no denying that despite everything that happened, despite the many vindictive fingers and desire to hurt - we are all flawed, for we are human. Marty and Trent were linked by fate, and they both paid the price for it - dearly so - both victims of a crime of simply wanting to be loved. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 The ending snuck up on me like a quiet relief - that the time has come and we have both lost, so what can we do now, but share in our sadness. And getting to see the human side of both of them - getting to see their innocence shattered and the realization of what they had both lost - struck a chord with me I was not prepared for, but appreciated all the same. 👏🏻
“Whenever I think about Day One, this is the worst part. I’d remember it at first because I couldn’t remember anything else; and later I’d remember to try to dull it, as if in practicing the remembering, I could deprive it of its importance and stop thinking about it altogether.”
It was supposed to have been a Day One like another at Stonesmere - 'each July, at the end of term, the eldest children in the primary school delivered a play to the four-year-olds who would join in September'. But, nothing would be the same for the members of this close-knit community after this fateful play - for those who attended and those who didn't, when an unforeseen tragedy shakes the foundation of all those affected by it. 😢
“—I wanted to say something, for the record. To those people, out there, who think that my son didn’t exist.”
“I wish that they were right,” Larkin said. “That’s all. I wish he were a fiction. I mean, Christ. How easy would that be? If I’d never known him at all.”
Whether in fiction or reality, it always hurts to see the senseless loss of innocent lives. The inevitable pain that follows is unfathomable and too heartbreaking to express or relate to. The author shows two very different takes on how they were both affected by the tragedy - Marty, the daughter of the teacher who died trying to protect her students, and Trent, a young man who knew the shooter and one of the ringleaders behind the allegations accusing Martha of hiding the truth about what happened that tragic day and who will stop at nothing until the eventual truth finally comes out. 😥 And as time passes on and the need for the truth becomes even more volatile and desperate, it becomes painstakingly clear that one of them will have to either step back or step forward in order for a semblance of healing can come to those who are united in their grief. 🫂
It is also very rare for me to ever see some wild speculations of conspiracy theories that have parents or students involved in the tragedy. And what surprisingly alarmed me was how easily people get caught up in believing that those who have lost a loved one could actually have a hand in it. 🥺 That despite the overwhelming grief that they were struggling to endure, one could still expect them to have rational and coherent memories of what really happened that tragic day. '...these people—people who are grieving, people who are trying to work out how to live without their loved ones—don’t you think they may have better things to be doing?' It was unnerving, but somehow, the conspirators believed that they were justified in their way of thinking; that they deserved the truth, demanded it - at no cost to those who were grieving. It seems so tasteless and baseless that I couldn't help but hate how convincingly they believed it to be true.
“There are always heroes,” Trent’s mother said. “That’s what you see on days like this, isn’t it? The good of the world.”
“I don’t know about that,” Trent said.”
As a mystery lover, it was definitely one of the driving forces for me to continue onwards. I wanted to know what was Marty's involvement, how would the public react, who else knew anything about it, why was Trent so determined to seek justice for him. 'My lies were at an end. It would be bad for a while, and then it would be better.' And interspersed throughout the narrative, the author gives us insight into their backgrounds - their personalities, their interactions - who they are that makes them - that gives us a reason to try and understand why they are behaving the way that they are. 😟 And by providing just enough detail for each slight reveal, helped build up enough suspense to keep the pay-off worth waiting for.
I did feel at times that some reactions felt a bit too far-fetched and a bit too theatrical to really help them in their case; certain characters also failed to hit a nerve, as I felt their involvement a little unnecessary. However, one of the major complaints that prevented the read from being a more satisfying and compelling one was the multiple povs with and an overlapping inconsistent timeline. 🙁 It significantly prevented it from being a more cohesive and well-balanced read, like, badly, so. To the point, that I honestly, considered not continuing for how confusing and a bit too distracting it became, at times; which is a shame, because there is so much heart to the story, itself. 😔
“They had both been children, and when you were a child it was easy to mistake almost anything for love.”
The first chapter was painstakingly heartbreaking - the final one - beautifully tragic - it left me with an ache in your chest, because you know what is about to happen and how it will end, but the characters - don't. And that will never not hurt. 💔💔 Even as the suspense and the uncertainty built up, the author did not hold back on showing how everyone was so deeply affected by it - the love for their loved ones - the sadness that follows and the inability to direct their anger of not being able to accept what has happened - either uniting in their shared grief or finding someone to take the blame that maybe, if I had not gone in, or maybe if I had waited... It is an inevitable and inescapable feeling of shame and guilt that is impossible to simply wash away. 😞
No matter how you look at it, no matter who you hold more accountable for - there is no denying that despite everything that happened, despite the many vindictive fingers and desire to hurt - we are all flawed, for we are human. Marty and Trent were linked by fate, and they both paid the price for it - dearly so - both victims of a crime of simply wanting to be loved. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 The ending snuck up on me like a quiet relief - that the time has come and we have both lost, so what can we do now, but share in our sadness. And getting to see the human side of both of them - getting to see their innocence shattered and the realization of what they had both lost - struck a chord with me I was not prepared for, but appreciated all the same. 👏🏻
May 4, 2024
What really happened on Day One in Stonesmere, an English seaside suburb? Opening with a gripping moment of terror and then jumping foward in time to show how secrets, trauma, miscommunications, and unrequited feelings reverberate through a lifetime, the author delivers a riveting page-turner full of hope in the face of despair. I took this from the book blurb because I don't want to give too much away for those who haven't read the book. I suggest giving the rest of the blurb a pass and just dive in.
As soon as I started reading this book, I got that feeling that tells me I'm going to be totally immersed. I loved how the characters were written and was mesmerized by the story itself, ripped from the headlines so to speak. If I hadn't had so many obligations, I could've just sat and read the whole book at once. The chapters are nice and short, told from the pov of different characters, but you have to read the captions as the timeline jumps back and forth from before, during and after Day One. The ending was slightly ambiguous which normally I have a problem with but in this case it seemed appropriate. Highly recommended.
TW: School shooting, Conspiracy theories
My thanks again to the London Public Library for the loan of this novel.
As soon as I started reading this book, I got that feeling that tells me I'm going to be totally immersed. I loved how the characters were written and was mesmerized by the story itself, ripped from the headlines so to speak. If I hadn't had so many obligations, I could've just sat and read the whole book at once. The chapters are nice and short, told from the pov of different characters, but you have to read the captions as the timeline jumps back and forth from before, during and after Day One. The ending was slightly ambiguous which normally I have a problem with but in this case it seemed appropriate. Highly recommended.
TW: School shooting, Conspiracy theories
My thanks again to the London Public Library for the loan of this novel.
September 16, 2024
*Gripping*
This was difficult to put into words mainly due to the different points of view. It kept me engaged as each chapter was told by a different characters who discussed what they did or did not know, some were lying…
The story revolves around a primary school where the pupils were putting on a play in a village hall. The story is set in the Lake District and the community is close knit.
Then a terrifying tragedy unfolds involving a gunman who went on the rampage. The main character is Marty, her mother was a school teacher who gave her life trying to protect her pupils. Marty says she was there but, what is the truth? As secrets in a small community are bubbling under the surface and are waiting to be revealed.
As the story unfolds there comes the big question of who knows what? Who is lying and there are also conspiracy theories flying around in the media.
Over the course of the book we find out exactly what happens and the truth is heartbreaking and emotional, will there be a fallout?..
There was tension throughout the book especially as the shooter, a dark and twisted individual was known by the community. One member in particular is trying to hide their connection to him, what was the shooter’s motive?…
This was difficult to put into words mainly due to the different points of view. It kept me engaged as each chapter was told by a different characters who discussed what they did or did not know, some were lying…
The story revolves around a primary school where the pupils were putting on a play in a village hall. The story is set in the Lake District and the community is close knit.
Then a terrifying tragedy unfolds involving a gunman who went on the rampage. The main character is Marty, her mother was a school teacher who gave her life trying to protect her pupils. Marty says she was there but, what is the truth? As secrets in a small community are bubbling under the surface and are waiting to be revealed.
As the story unfolds there comes the big question of who knows what? Who is lying and there are also conspiracy theories flying around in the media.
Over the course of the book we find out exactly what happens and the truth is heartbreaking and emotional, will there be a fallout?..
There was tension throughout the book especially as the shooter, a dark and twisted individual was known by the community. One member in particular is trying to hide their connection to him, what was the shooter’s motive?…
September 29, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Day One.
I enjoyed the author's first book, Girl A, so I was excited my request was approved.
First, the premise could be very triggering for many readers as it concerns a school shooting.
There were many things that didn't work for me:
1. First, the characters are unremarkable, especially Marty.
She's bland, boring, and it's ironic she's one of the primary POVs because she's so dull.
Once a popular girl and the darling of the town, now she's slumming it at the school her teacher mother worked.
When her involvement with the shooter is revealed, it's not surprising. Just sad.
2. I'm not a fan of multiple POVs, and there are quite a few here recounting some of the perspectives on the day of shooting.Most of the POVs weren't necessary, adding filler to a book that already felt unnecessarily long.
3. Conspiracy theorists abound in the book, another trigger point for some readers so beware.
Trent and Susan and people like them do exist in real life, but it didn't make reading about their nonsense easier.
4. I didn't like or connect with anyone. The only person I empathize with was Larkin, but I didn't know him.
Character development wasn't great. I think the author should have focused on a few POVs, and delved deeper into each person to explain why they acted the way they do.
5. As I was reading, I kept thinking, what is the point of this narrative? Why am I reading this?
What is the point of this story?
That people have different perspectives on a horrific crime and tragedy?
That the shooter is human, too?
That our world is nuts?
That Marty is just a silly girl with lousy taste in men? Get in line!
The writing is good, but the story lacked meat, and none of the characters were interesting.
The story had potential if it was trying to say something about how survivors endure or how we can come together as a community.
But I couldn't help but get a vibe the author had a not so subtle political agenda she was trying to hide (not well) in the narrative and that didn't sit well with me.
I enjoyed the author's first book, Girl A, so I was excited my request was approved.
First, the premise could be very triggering for many readers as it concerns a school shooting.
There were many things that didn't work for me:
1. First, the characters are unremarkable, especially Marty.
She's bland, boring, and it's ironic she's one of the primary POVs because she's so dull.
Once a popular girl and the darling of the town, now she's slumming it at the school her teacher mother worked.
When her involvement with the shooter is revealed, it's not surprising. Just sad.
2. I'm not a fan of multiple POVs, and there are quite a few here recounting some of the perspectives on the day of shooting.Most of the POVs weren't necessary, adding filler to a book that already felt unnecessarily long.
3. Conspiracy theorists abound in the book, another trigger point for some readers so beware.
Trent and Susan and people like them do exist in real life, but it didn't make reading about their nonsense easier.
4. I didn't like or connect with anyone. The only person I empathize with was Larkin, but I didn't know him.
Character development wasn't great. I think the author should have focused on a few POVs, and delved deeper into each person to explain why they acted the way they do.
5. As I was reading, I kept thinking, what is the point of this narrative? Why am I reading this?
What is the point of this story?
That people have different perspectives on a horrific crime and tragedy?
That the shooter is human, too?
That our world is nuts?
That Marty is just a silly girl with lousy taste in men? Get in line!
The writing is good, but the story lacked meat, and none of the characters were interesting.
The story had potential if it was trying to say something about how survivors endure or how we can come together as a community.
But I couldn't help but get a vibe the author had a not so subtle political agenda she was trying to hide (not well) in the narrative and that didn't sit well with me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2023
My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ loved the format of this book, really captivating!!!
What really happened in the small English seaside town of Stonesmere on Day One? A lone gunman entered the primary school and began shooting. When ensued was a storm of devastation, depression, conspiracy and blame…
I am not going to do a big synopsis for this one, because in my honest opinion you are better off going in blind. The only reason I knew there was a shooting or a conspiracy theory was by reading Pink’s review and really that was all I needed before going in. But please feel free to read the GoodReads synopsis if you need more than this…
First off, I was to say if you hate changing POV, changing timelines and you dislike not knowing what direction the book is taking straight off the bat this WILL NOT BE FOR YOU… this book has POV’s a plenty and timeline jumps all over the place… for me this was heaven. I love a book like this. These are more often than not the books that keep me saying to myself into the late hours of the night.. just one more chapter… and maybe after 10 I might go to bed.
The timelines of course start at Day One, then move to Year 8 and back to Month 2 and so on… but almost always from a different person’s POV. There are mostly the same character POVs but we do get a few extras thrown in… and if I am honest with you… because I always am… I just loved that style. It was clear what was happening but the way the author writes it is not to hold your hand… you must read and wait and let the mystery unfold. If you are the kind of person who reads a piece of information that doesn’t make sense immediately and cannot wait for another 50% to find out why she said xyz then like I said this won’t be for you.
This book isn’t a fast paced thriller… it isn’t even a thriller in my opinion…. It’s as sad… and it was edge of your seat but not in an action way. I HAD to know what was happening and I really loved how the author drip fed information to me… I had to wait and get to know the characters and try to understand the reasons until all the information was unfolded…
I can’t say I have bothered to read bad reviews of this book… but I would suspect the lower ratings would not like the way the book ended… I personally did. I think it was enough. I think it was a lovely way to end such a sad book. Your MC, Marty… she was pretty unlikeable but you don’t quite know why most of the time… but then when you find out how Marty’s story unfolds… well I just felt sad again.
The author uses short sentences and nuance to express the points in this book… it is not long and drawn out and wordy… the writing is really good at showing not telling (as GirlWithThePinkSkiMask would say)… no super long epilogue at the end with letter to the editor style and no whiny inner monologue.
Where this fell down for me was a personal preference, I think it was a little heavy on the conspiracy theory and IMO not enough on the school shooting… I would have liked a bit more on the psyche of the shooter, a bit more on Marty’s state of mind and even her dad Justin… conspiracy theorists are weird to me… and I get that this was a huge part of this… but for me it was more about that than the shooting and I would have liked it to swing slightly back the other way… but by no means to do regret reading it I still really liked it and I will definitely be checking out Girl A by the same author.
Overall, I would recommend this to people who like multi-POV and multi-timeline books, those that like conspiracy theory tropes and so long as you aren’t expecting a action film thriller novel then you should like this one. Everyone else, definitely skip this. CarolG, if you haven’t read this then I think this one is definitely for you. Thank you to my girl, GirlWithThePinkSkiMask for putting me onto this author and encouraging me to give it a go.
Thank you to Harper Collins UK, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
What really happened in the small English seaside town of Stonesmere on Day One? A lone gunman entered the primary school and began shooting. When ensued was a storm of devastation, depression, conspiracy and blame…
I am not going to do a big synopsis for this one, because in my honest opinion you are better off going in blind. The only reason I knew there was a shooting or a conspiracy theory was by reading Pink’s review and really that was all I needed before going in. But please feel free to read the GoodReads synopsis if you need more than this…
First off, I was to say if you hate changing POV, changing timelines and you dislike not knowing what direction the book is taking straight off the bat this WILL NOT BE FOR YOU… this book has POV’s a plenty and timeline jumps all over the place… for me this was heaven. I love a book like this. These are more often than not the books that keep me saying to myself into the late hours of the night.. just one more chapter… and maybe after 10 I might go to bed.
The timelines of course start at Day One, then move to Year 8 and back to Month 2 and so on… but almost always from a different person’s POV. There are mostly the same character POVs but we do get a few extras thrown in… and if I am honest with you… because I always am… I just loved that style. It was clear what was happening but the way the author writes it is not to hold your hand… you must read and wait and let the mystery unfold. If you are the kind of person who reads a piece of information that doesn’t make sense immediately and cannot wait for another 50% to find out why she said xyz then like I said this won’t be for you.
This book isn’t a fast paced thriller… it isn’t even a thriller in my opinion…. It’s as sad… and it was edge of your seat but not in an action way. I HAD to know what was happening and I really loved how the author drip fed information to me… I had to wait and get to know the characters and try to understand the reasons until all the information was unfolded…
I can’t say I have bothered to read bad reviews of this book… but I would suspect the lower ratings would not like the way the book ended… I personally did. I think it was enough. I think it was a lovely way to end such a sad book. Your MC, Marty… she was pretty unlikeable but you don’t quite know why most of the time… but then when you find out how Marty’s story unfolds… well I just felt sad again.
The author uses short sentences and nuance to express the points in this book… it is not long and drawn out and wordy… the writing is really good at showing not telling (as GirlWithThePinkSkiMask would say)… no super long epilogue at the end with letter to the editor style and no whiny inner monologue.
Where this fell down for me was a personal preference, I think it was a little heavy on the conspiracy theory and IMO not enough on the school shooting… I would have liked a bit more on the psyche of the shooter, a bit more on Marty’s state of mind and even her dad Justin… conspiracy theorists are weird to me… and I get that this was a huge part of this… but for me it was more about that than the shooting and I would have liked it to swing slightly back the other way… but by no means to do regret reading it I still really liked it and I will definitely be checking out Girl A by the same author.
Overall, I would recommend this to people who like multi-POV and multi-timeline books, those that like conspiracy theory tropes and so long as you aren’t expecting a action film thriller novel then you should like this one. Everyone else, definitely skip this. CarolG, if you haven’t read this then I think this one is definitely for you. Thank you to my girl, GirlWithThePinkSkiMask for putting me onto this author and encouraging me to give it a go.
Thank you to Harper Collins UK, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2024
Day One, a day that a school shooting happened at Stonesmere at a primary school. Opening with the horrific events that aren’t easy to read or listen to. We hear the story of the people of the town, the survivors and the people that believe the whole 5ing is a conspiracy.
The narrators were fantastic, making the characters easy to recognise and there are many. I listened to this over a few days and each time I pressed play I was completely lost in the story.
This is an emotional story, so many senseless deaths. I was also shaking my head at some of the characters opinions on other characters and events. How easily people can be manipulated.
Thanks so much to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. Published on March 28th.
The narrators were fantastic, making the characters easy to recognise and there are many. I listened to this over a few days and each time I pressed play I was completely lost in the story.
This is an emotional story, so many senseless deaths. I was also shaking my head at some of the characters opinions on other characters and events. How easily people can be manipulated.
Thanks so much to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. Published on March 28th.
April 28, 2024
Found this novel could of been shorter and took awhile to get used the different character chapters
May 9, 2024
Just no, it was so so bloody long and drawn out. Just wasn’t for me unfortunately. Hope other readers will enjoy it more
January 14, 2025
It's difficult to write a review of this book as it would appear to be one thing but turns quickly into another. It's about a school shooting that happens in the initial pages of the book by an adult shooting children and adults alike. This is Day One, an event at the school that the community goes to. It has multiple points of view and multiple timelines, which is a tad confusing at times, so you need to read the chapter headings so you know who and when in the story you are reading about. Marty (Martha) is the main character who is swept Away with the lie that she was in the hall when the shooting occurred, and it is this lie that beings the conspirators and their theories into the story. It is intriguing and kept me reading, but whilst moving in parts, I didn't seem to fully engage with it. I will read more of hers as the writing is accessible but this book somehow fell short for me.
May 7, 2024
Oooh, I really wanted to love this one! I absolutely loved Girl A and went in with high expectations.
The premise is emotional and harrowing. I wouldn't categorise this as a thriller, but more of a detailed character study on grief and conspiracy theories.
The main vein of this story is the tragic and timely focus on shootings in the US, particularly following the aftermath of a mass shooting at an elementary school - an unfortunately all too real occurrence.
While I felt great empathy, I also felt that there was a lack of depth. The duel timelines often seemed disjointed, and was at times difficult to connect with it and some of the (unreliable) characters. It’s a tragic and powerful story that often pulled me in with palpable, emotional tension and other times pushed me away with uncertainty … all the while stirring up feelings of tremendous anger.
Ultimately, this is a difficult one to review, and it would be remiss of me to not say that Dean’s thoughtful and unique prose certainly conjured up some deep feelings … which in itself is a sign of a good book - But …
I’ve seen some outstanding 5 stars for it, so I may be an outlier. It’s compelling and definitely worthy of reading, if for nothing else other than to form your own opinion.
* Please heed TWs!
Many kind thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-arc.
The premise is emotional and harrowing. I wouldn't categorise this as a thriller, but more of a detailed character study on grief and conspiracy theories.
The main vein of this story is the tragic and timely focus on shootings in the US, particularly following the aftermath of a mass shooting at an elementary school - an unfortunately all too real occurrence.
While I felt great empathy, I also felt that there was a lack of depth. The duel timelines often seemed disjointed, and was at times difficult to connect with it and some of the (unreliable) characters. It’s a tragic and powerful story that often pulled me in with palpable, emotional tension and other times pushed me away with uncertainty … all the while stirring up feelings of tremendous anger.
Ultimately, this is a difficult one to review, and it would be remiss of me to not say that Dean’s thoughtful and unique prose certainly conjured up some deep feelings … which in itself is a sign of a good book - But …
I’ve seen some outstanding 5 stars for it, so I may be an outlier. It’s compelling and definitely worthy of reading, if for nothing else other than to form your own opinion.
* Please heed TWs!
Many kind thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-arc.
April 13, 2024
3.5 stars. I'm happy to say that Abigail Dean has now been added to my automatic read authors list, as her sophomore novel was another enjoyable read. I really like how she takes a story we're very familiar with - child abuse, a school shooting - and tells it in a different way. Both her books are more of an exploration of the thoughts and feelings of the cast of characters involved and less on the actual event. It's always nice to find a mystery author with his/her own unique way of telling a story.
The Story: A gripping examination of a community devastated by a school shooting and the “truthers” who deny it ever happened.
The Story: A gripping examination of a community devastated by a school shooting and the “truthers” who deny it ever happened.
March 28, 2024
I really enjoyed Girl A, but this second novel of Dean's didn't work for me. It was an interesting premise exploring themes we can recognise from real life school attacks such as Dunblane and Sandy Hook. But the switching of narrative voices often felt jarring, slightly confusing and didn't always seem to go anywhere. I felt the characters were fairly unlikeable and the plot did not build tension, there was nothing unsurprising and I just wasn't invested. This was a disappointing read for me, I read it to the end hoping that it would bring something clever to the plot arc, but sadly that never came.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
October 12, 2024
I don't know if I've ever given a one-star rating. But this book deserves it.
I didn't mind the multiple POVs (except for the one-time ones), or the time jumps (though I did have to remember to read each chapter heading and re-orient myself to the time frame). I did mind that the characters were boring and unremarkable, and that their stories were also boring. "I went for a walk wearing a sweatshirt and trainers". "I texted Susan and she answered with an emoji". I did mind that there were odd tangents; what did Trent's father's death have to to with anything? Half the time I had no idea what anything I was reading had to do with moving the story along (and much of it did not) and it was (if I didn't say it before) boring.
We meet all these people, who ultimately have nothing to do with the story but be uninteresting friends or relatives to the two main characters, and we finally meet the shooter. But we never ever find out what happened to him....was he killed at the school? Did he go on trial? Is he dead or in prison? Maybe I missed that part because I skimmed at times. And the final ending? I minded that it was incomprehensible.
Save yourself; don't read this book.
I didn't mind the multiple POVs (except for the one-time ones), or the time jumps (though I did have to remember to read each chapter heading and re-orient myself to the time frame). I did mind that the characters were boring and unremarkable, and that their stories were also boring. "I went for a walk wearing a sweatshirt and trainers". "I texted Susan and she answered with an emoji". I did mind that there were odd tangents; what did Trent's father's death have to to with anything? Half the time I had no idea what anything I was reading had to do with moving the story along (and much of it did not) and it was (if I didn't say it before) boring.
We meet all these people, who ultimately have nothing to do with the story but be uninteresting friends or relatives to the two main characters, and we finally meet the shooter. But we never ever find out what happened to him....was he killed at the school? Did he go on trial? Is he dead or in prison? Maybe I missed that part because I skimmed at times. And the final ending? I minded that it was incomprehensible.
Save yourself; don't read this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2023
One day a gunman entered a school hall and opened fire on the children and the audience who were watching their children’s play.
This story is about the aftermath of this horrifying incident and how it affected the families of the victims.
I found this book very slow and disjointed with multiple characters and timelines and I found it confusing in parts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
This story is about the aftermath of this horrifying incident and how it affected the families of the victims.
I found this book very slow and disjointed with multiple characters and timelines and I found it confusing in parts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2023
I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to read Day One - the opening, where a gunman opens fire on young children in a school, had echoes of the Dunblane shootings. But although this subject can't not be distressing, the story is less about that and more about what happens after, and like Abigail Dean's previous novel, Girl A, it's a fascinating read.
Teacher Ava Ward is killed trying to protect her pupils; her teenage daughter Martha, interviewed by a reporter in the immediate aftermath, is distraught, but perhaps knows more than she's letting on. The Lake District village of Stonesmere and the country as a whole reels from the horror of what's occurred.
Aspiring journalist Trent, an intelligent and vulnerable young man who once knew and liked the alleged shooter, is only too ready to believe, along with others, that there's more to the story than the official version - that there's a conspiracy, a coverup at the highest level.
The depth of Trent's deludedness is starkly illustrated when he thinks at one point that "they were not cruel, had never been cruel". Because they are nothing but cruel - it's hard to imagine anything much crueller than attacking and mocking the families of murdered children, calling them liars and telling them their children never existed.
But Trent, caught up in a toxic ideology peddled by an amoral demagogue, egged on by others he meets online and in person, truly believes he is speaking truth to power, and it leads him down some dark paths.
There's never really a convincing reason why this false flag would have been perpetrated (to distract from other issues unfavourable to the government is hardly compelling) but that doesn't bother the "truthers". And that's sadly highly believable in a world where crackpot Q-Anon theories gained huge traction among lots of people, many only too willing to commit violence for their "cause", believing they're the only ones perceptive enough to see through the lies. It's a twisted way of looking at the world, rejecting anything you're officially told but ready to believe the most implausible alternatives.
We follow the perspectives of Martha, Trent, with short sections from the day of the shooting and the people caught up in it. A brilliant if at times heartbreaking read, raising various questions - what is the meaning of heroism? Where does the truth lie?
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
Teacher Ava Ward is killed trying to protect her pupils; her teenage daughter Martha, interviewed by a reporter in the immediate aftermath, is distraught, but perhaps knows more than she's letting on. The Lake District village of Stonesmere and the country as a whole reels from the horror of what's occurred.
Aspiring journalist Trent, an intelligent and vulnerable young man who once knew and liked the alleged shooter, is only too ready to believe, along with others, that there's more to the story than the official version - that there's a conspiracy, a coverup at the highest level.
The depth of Trent's deludedness is starkly illustrated when he thinks at one point that "they were not cruel, had never been cruel". Because they are nothing but cruel - it's hard to imagine anything much crueller than attacking and mocking the families of murdered children, calling them liars and telling them their children never existed.
But Trent, caught up in a toxic ideology peddled by an amoral demagogue, egged on by others he meets online and in person, truly believes he is speaking truth to power, and it leads him down some dark paths.
There's never really a convincing reason why this false flag would have been perpetrated (to distract from other issues unfavourable to the government is hardly compelling) but that doesn't bother the "truthers". And that's sadly highly believable in a world where crackpot Q-Anon theories gained huge traction among lots of people, many only too willing to commit violence for their "cause", believing they're the only ones perceptive enough to see through the lies. It's a twisted way of looking at the world, rejecting anything you're officially told but ready to believe the most implausible alternatives.
We follow the perspectives of Martha, Trent, with short sections from the day of the shooting and the people caught up in it. A brilliant if at times heartbreaking read, raising various questions - what is the meaning of heroism? Where does the truth lie?
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
January 22, 2024
I have such mixed feelings about this one, much as I did her first novel. I can’t decide if I really enjoyed it or if I was bored. So I’m going middle ground and I’ll explain why.
The plot was based around a primary school shooting - very tough topic. It was dealt with sensitively and I do think the aspects surrounding its impact were well done. But I think the opposite side to the story, the conspiracy theorists, just didn’t work for me. I don’t think I even understood why they felt so strongly that it hadn’t happened.
Some parts I was so into, the speed picked up and so did the intrigue. But then would come another lull and I was just a bit like why? I’m not sure if it was because of how disjointed it all was.
The story is told from a lot of different POV’s, which can work but for the purpose of this one, I don’t think it did. But I think that lends to the amount of different timelines we were working on. Just felt like a lot of being thrown around from this person, in this time to that person in that time - over and over.
Although I was interested to finally work out what had really happened. Especially as I felt it ramped up towards the end. I have to say I was a little dissatisfied with the ending. I felt it was coming with a bang and it fizzled out before we get there.
The book is really well written, it was interesting and definitely made me want to keep reading. But something got lost along the way for me. Perhaps great idea just not executed as well as it could be.
The plot was based around a primary school shooting - very tough topic. It was dealt with sensitively and I do think the aspects surrounding its impact were well done. But I think the opposite side to the story, the conspiracy theorists, just didn’t work for me. I don’t think I even understood why they felt so strongly that it hadn’t happened.
Some parts I was so into, the speed picked up and so did the intrigue. But then would come another lull and I was just a bit like why? I’m not sure if it was because of how disjointed it all was.
The story is told from a lot of different POV’s, which can work but for the purpose of this one, I don’t think it did. But I think that lends to the amount of different timelines we were working on. Just felt like a lot of being thrown around from this person, in this time to that person in that time - over and over.
Although I was interested to finally work out what had really happened. Especially as I felt it ramped up towards the end. I have to say I was a little dissatisfied with the ending. I felt it was coming with a bang and it fizzled out before we get there.
The book is really well written, it was interesting and definitely made me want to keep reading. But something got lost along the way for me. Perhaps great idea just not executed as well as it could be.
May 27, 2024
I really wanted to like this one. The premise is something that I'd usually eat up. A school shooting. Emotive dialogue. But for me personally it failed to live up to my expectations. The start was great, I could feel my heart thumping in my chest as my brain realised what was going on. It conjured up images that made my heart ache, both for the adults and children. It made me think how I'd cope in a situation like that- the truth is, I wouldn't.
After that initial introduction, the story was very slow and I struggled to connect with the characters, something I hadn't anticipated especially after the emotive and heart wrenching start. I stuck with it but it was a real struggle. I didn't look forward to picking it up due to the pacing. I am going to check out the author's other works but for me this just didn't work.
After that initial introduction, the story was very slow and I struggled to connect with the characters, something I hadn't anticipated especially after the emotive and heart wrenching start. I stuck with it but it was a real struggle. I didn't look forward to picking it up due to the pacing. I am going to check out the author's other works but for me this just didn't work.
December 21, 2022
Absolutely stunning
dnf
May 28, 2024Gah. DNF at page 47. There is something off-putting and distracting about the writing style. Very choppy and flat. Moving on...
May 6, 2024
A harrowing story which reveals the horrors of the terminally online and their desperation for a sense of belonging and desire to be a hero. You hear about these people all the time but to be inside the mind of one of them is desperately sad and overwhelmingly frustrating. It makes you realise they behave this way because they are lonely and hopeless.
The style of the book itself was long and drawn, I was desperate to finish it. I read that Abigail Dean had to rewrite this book several times at the request of her editors and it reads that way. I had to go over several sentences more than once because it didn’t make sense.
The characters were also dull and ill defined. I did not like Marty, I felt sorry for Trent by the end but I think more could have been given to both of their individual characters and less to the overly descriptive scene setting. The book was about 200 pages of nothingness.
I look forward to Abigail Deans next book. I hope we get something more akin to her debut novel which I recommend.
The style of the book itself was long and drawn, I was desperate to finish it. I read that Abigail Dean had to rewrite this book several times at the request of her editors and it reads that way. I had to go over several sentences more than once because it didn’t make sense.
The characters were also dull and ill defined. I did not like Marty, I felt sorry for Trent by the end but I think more could have been given to both of their individual characters and less to the overly descriptive scene setting. The book was about 200 pages of nothingness.
I look forward to Abigail Deans next book. I hope we get something more akin to her debut novel which I recommend.
March 3, 2025
A terrible school shooting tears apart and divides a community. To make matters worse, deniers plague the community, saying that the whole tragedy was made up. This was interesting but very sad. The plot was non-linear so that it went back and forth between multiple days and multiple characters, which I found to be very confusing and difficult to keep track of. Al-in-all an ok read but a lot of work to get through.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Viking and Abigail Dean for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Viking and Abigail Dean for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
March 26, 2025
Thought it was good without enjoying it
June 6, 2024
3.5 stars.
It was gripping at the start but then it wasn’t.
It was gripping at the start but then it wasn’t.
September 27, 2023
Day One is a slow exploration of character, centring around a school shooting and its aftermath. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review it before publication.
While Girl A - in spite of its topic - was one of my favourite reads of 2020/2021, this didn’t have quite the same resonance with me. I think this came, in part, down to the structuring of the book and the way in which we came to understand what had happened to each of the key characters. The character of Marty was also someone who I found hard to understand, until we learn late on more of what happened to her before the events of the book.
Stonesmere is a rural village, filled with people who’ve lived there for years and seemingly content with their existence. They have their traditions, one of which is a performance put on by local primary students. Unfortunately, on the Day One in question a shooting occurs. Numerous residents are killed and we know that this becomes a case of interest because of what happens later.
Very much a slow burn, this was a thought-provoking read but not one that really stood out.
While Girl A - in spite of its topic - was one of my favourite reads of 2020/2021, this didn’t have quite the same resonance with me. I think this came, in part, down to the structuring of the book and the way in which we came to understand what had happened to each of the key characters. The character of Marty was also someone who I found hard to understand, until we learn late on more of what happened to her before the events of the book.
Stonesmere is a rural village, filled with people who’ve lived there for years and seemingly content with their existence. They have their traditions, one of which is a performance put on by local primary students. Unfortunately, on the Day One in question a shooting occurs. Numerous residents are killed and we know that this becomes a case of interest because of what happens later.
Very much a slow burn, this was a thought-provoking read but not one that really stood out.
March 31, 2024
3.5 stars.
I’m going to keep this short and sweet. I don’t think this was the book for me, though NOT because I don’t think it’s a good book. I simply had a difficult time with the shifting timelines as well as the subject matter of school shootings and truther conspiracy nuts. I’m an outlier here, and I know that there are
I’m going to keep this short and sweet. I don’t think this was the book for me, though NOT because I don’t think it’s a good book. I simply had a difficult time with the shifting timelines as well as the subject matter of school shootings and truther conspiracy nuts. I’m an outlier here, and I know that there are
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