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Missing Sophie
Lügen, Liebe und Freundschaft 4 ever, aber trotzdem musst du sterben: „Das letzte Mal als ich Sophie A gesehen habe, küsste sie James Bacon. Sie konnte jeden Jungen dieser Welt haben, aber sie küsste einen Englischlehrer, der acht Jahre älter war als sie.“ Seit der Grundschule ist Sophie MacKenzie mit Sophie Abercrombie und Sophie Twiggs befreundet. Und auch wenn die drei mittlerweile unterschiedliche Interessen haben, halten sie trotzdem zusammen. Doch plötzlich fehlt von Sophie Abercrombie jede Spur. Das perfekte Trio existiert nicht mehr
283 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2020
10 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
Eileen Merriman
25 books109 followersEileen Merriman works full-time as a consultant haematologist at North Shore Hospital. Her writing has appeared in a number of national and international journals and anthologies, including Smokelong Quarterly, The Island Review, Literary Orphans, the Bath Short Story Award Anthology 2015, the Sunday Star-Times, F(r)iction, takahe, Headland and Flash Frontier. Her first novel was Pieces of You, with reviewers calling it 'compulsively readable' and 'compelling, challenging, and heartbreaking'. It was a 2018 Storylines Notable Book and, along with her second novel, it was shortlisted for the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Her other awards include runner-up in the 2018 Sunday Star-Times Short Story Award, third for three consecutive years in the 2014-2016 Sunday Star-Times Short Story Awards, second in the 2015 Bath Flash Fiction Award, commended in the 2015 Bath Short Story Competition, and first place in the 2015 Graeme Lay Short Story Competition.
Her other awards include runner-up in the 2018 Sunday Star-Times Short Story Award, third for three consecutive years in the 2014-2016 Sunday Star-Times Short Story Awards, second in the 2015 Bath Flash Fiction Award, commended in the 2015 Bath Short Story Competition, and first place in the 2015 Graeme Lay Short Story Competition.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 19, 2020
I think Eileen Merriman is one of the cream of the crop of writers for young people right now. She writes stories that are immediately engaging, that are the perfect pitch for the audience of young adult readers. Her books have depth and breadth and tackle issues which are current and curly. I think this book is one of her best.
There have always been three Sophies, each different but all good friends. They are in the same class, they have known each other since they were little and their lives are intricately linked. Now in their final year at school, one of the Sophies has gone missing. Despite the efforts of the police, she cannot be found anywhere. This leaves two Sophies and the novel is told by one of them. The swot, the quiet one, the one determined to rise out of her humble life. The story is told in journal form beginning on the 64th day that Sophie has been missing and counting backwards to the day of her disappearance. It is an interesting structure and it works really well. You feel the tension rise, leading up to the day it all went horribly wrong.
Tied up to the disappearance of Sophie A is the story of Sophie M and the English Teacher. A guy who should have known better, a man who shouldn't be in a room alone with teenage girls. I really liked the way that this aspect of the story was written, the way James Bacon, the English Teacher, draws Sophie in and entangles her in a web of deceit.
This is great writing for teenagers, gritty and real, using language which feels right. A brilliant book for all schools to have in their library collection.
Thanks so much to Penguin NZ for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Please can we have heaps more NZ books like this.
There have always been three Sophies, each different but all good friends. They are in the same class, they have known each other since they were little and their lives are intricately linked. Now in their final year at school, one of the Sophies has gone missing. Despite the efforts of the police, she cannot be found anywhere. This leaves two Sophies and the novel is told by one of them. The swot, the quiet one, the one determined to rise out of her humble life. The story is told in journal form beginning on the 64th day that Sophie has been missing and counting backwards to the day of her disappearance. It is an interesting structure and it works really well. You feel the tension rise, leading up to the day it all went horribly wrong.
Tied up to the disappearance of Sophie A is the story of Sophie M and the English Teacher. A guy who should have known better, a man who shouldn't be in a room alone with teenage girls. I really liked the way that this aspect of the story was written, the way James Bacon, the English Teacher, draws Sophie in and entangles her in a web of deceit.
This is great writing for teenagers, gritty and real, using language which feels right. A brilliant book for all schools to have in their library collection.
Thanks so much to Penguin NZ for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Please can we have heaps more NZ books like this.
June 26, 2020
Oh my gosh the ending was such a cliffhanger. I’m kind of wondering if there’s going to be a sequel but I’m not really sure how good it would be.
February 2, 2020
4.5/5 stars
Wow. This past year has sure been the year for YA thrillers, hasn't it? I DEVOURED this in about 2 hours and didn't stop to put it down once. The pages almost kept turning themselves.
Sophie A is one of 3 Sophies and she has gone missing. Sophie M (or Mac to her friends) has been writing in her diary in the days since her disappearance. As we journey through Mac's diary, will we find the secrets to unlock the mystery of Sophie A?
The way this story is told reminds me of the movie Memento. It goes backwards bit by bit, revealing things like pulling off layers of an onion. There's something artistic about it and it works so well in this book. It's easy to work out the direction the book is going to take after a short while but that didn't make it any less gripping. The HOW and the WHY Sophie A disappeared had me turning the pages quickly to get to the answers.
I don't want to say too much about the characters in this book because I don't want to give things away, however, I will say that I had intense hatred towards a certain someone. (Read it and find out!) I love that it is all told from Mac's perspective rather than third person because in a thriller that adds a biased point of view!
If you loved One of Us is Lying, or perhaps A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, then I'm sure you will love A Trio of Sophie's!
I received this from Turning Pages (Penguin Random House NZ) in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Wow. This past year has sure been the year for YA thrillers, hasn't it? I DEVOURED this in about 2 hours and didn't stop to put it down once. The pages almost kept turning themselves.
Sophie A is one of 3 Sophies and she has gone missing. Sophie M (or Mac to her friends) has been writing in her diary in the days since her disappearance. As we journey through Mac's diary, will we find the secrets to unlock the mystery of Sophie A?
The way this story is told reminds me of the movie Memento. It goes backwards bit by bit, revealing things like pulling off layers of an onion. There's something artistic about it and it works so well in this book. It's easy to work out the direction the book is going to take after a short while but that didn't make it any less gripping. The HOW and the WHY Sophie A disappeared had me turning the pages quickly to get to the answers.
I don't want to say too much about the characters in this book because I don't want to give things away, however, I will say that I had intense hatred towards a certain someone. (Read it and find out!) I love that it is all told from Mac's perspective rather than third person because in a thriller that adds a biased point of view!
If you loved One of Us is Lying, or perhaps A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, then I'm sure you will love A Trio of Sophie's!
I received this from Turning Pages (Penguin Random House NZ) in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
February 16, 2020
Initial thoughts: wow. I don't think I truly grasped the depth of deception in this novel until the end. A Trio of Sophies is a highly addictive, fast paced read. I did ruin this one a little by accidentally glimpsing the title of the last chapter while checking the page count, but overall a great read.
————————————————————
~I received a physical proof copy from Penguin NZ and willingly reviewed it~
Once there was a trio of Sophies, a close-knit group of three girls, all named Sophie. But it’s been 64 days since Sophie A was last seen, since she vanished wordlessly. A Trio of Sophies follows Sophie MacKenzie, Mac, as she moves on from the disappearance of her friend, the beautiful and charismatic Sophie A. What happened to the prettiest Sophie?
It’s always great to read books set in New Zealand and writing by NZ authors! The references were fun to spot (except NCEA, having that in a book was slightly horrifying). My favourite thing about this book is the cast of characters, they were multifaceted and well placed for all the twists and interactions, especially Will. I mean, poor guy, but the ending also left things wide open for him?
Mac made for a great narrator, though certainly an unreliable one; Eileen Merriman puts a spin on the traditional “from inside the diary” stories for sure. While usually diaries are seen as a medium of complete honesty and the things we won’t ever admit to others, Mac’s diary is not that at all. We start at day sixty-four (64 days after Sophie A disappears), and go backwards towards day zero, the day when she is last seen. The Sophies are established well and easily differentiable; there’s Sophie Abercrombie, or Sophie A; Sophie MacKenzie, or Mac, our narrator; and Sophie Twiggs, or Twiggy.
A Trio of Sophies captured my attention and held it throughout. A story of broken friendships, lies, and secrets, it’s full of teen drama and intrigue with a darker note hidden underneath. Eileen Merriman isn’t afraid to take risks with her writing and plots, and they really pay off. The characters are complex and fit perfectly into the story where needed for plot purposes. If you liked A Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis, this is the book for you.
————————————————————
~I received a physical proof copy from Penguin NZ and willingly reviewed it~
Once there was a trio of Sophies, a close-knit group of three girls, all named Sophie. But it’s been 64 days since Sophie A was last seen, since she vanished wordlessly. A Trio of Sophies follows Sophie MacKenzie, Mac, as she moves on from the disappearance of her friend, the beautiful and charismatic Sophie A. What happened to the prettiest Sophie?
It’s always great to read books set in New Zealand and writing by NZ authors! The references were fun to spot (except NCEA, having that in a book was slightly horrifying). My favourite thing about this book is the cast of characters, they were multifaceted and well placed for all the twists and interactions, especially Will. I mean, poor guy, but the ending also left things wide open for him?
Mac made for a great narrator, though certainly an unreliable one; Eileen Merriman puts a spin on the traditional “from inside the diary” stories for sure. While usually diaries are seen as a medium of complete honesty and the things we won’t ever admit to others, Mac’s diary is not that at all. We start at day sixty-four (64 days after Sophie A disappears), and go backwards towards day zero, the day when she is last seen. The Sophies are established well and easily differentiable; there’s Sophie Abercrombie, or Sophie A; Sophie MacKenzie, or Mac, our narrator; and Sophie Twiggs, or Twiggy.
A Trio of Sophies captured my attention and held it throughout. A story of broken friendships, lies, and secrets, it’s full of teen drama and intrigue with a darker note hidden underneath. Eileen Merriman isn’t afraid to take risks with her writing and plots, and they really pay off. The characters are complex and fit perfectly into the story where needed for plot purposes. If you liked A Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis, this is the book for you.
August 31, 2024
It was an okay book. Very heavy at some points and a lot of foreshadowing that makes no sense at first. Also the entire plot is a bit messed up. And the last page is just...UGH. Like it should be illegal to end a book like that, especially since this is not a series. It wasn't like I can't put this book down good but semidecent. FINALLY JAMES BACON YOU ARE A COMPLETE CREEPO.
PS I read 'Catch me when you fall' also by Eileen Merriman and why are the males either called Jamie or James or Jimmy. And why are the last names food.
Jamie Orange
James Bacon
See what I mean? 👆
Now that I have sufficiently waste your time with my rant I can say thank you for your time, sorry for wasting it and have a lovely day!
PS I read 'Catch me when you fall' also by Eileen Merriman and why are the males either called Jamie or James or Jimmy. And why are the last names food.
Jamie Orange
James Bacon
See what I mean? 👆
Now that I have sufficiently waste your time with my rant I can say thank you for your time, sorry for wasting it and have a lovely day!
October 8, 2020
Ein Jugendthriller in Tagebuchform – zum größten Teil rückwärts erzählt. Drei beste Freundinnen, von denen nur noch zwei übrig sind. Ein Lehrer, der irgendwie in diese Sache verstrickt ist und ich als Leser, der von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite gefesselt war.
Das ist meine Kurzbeschreibung zu Missing Sophie von Eileen Merriman und warum mir das Buch so gut gefallen hat, erzähle ich euch jetzt!
Seit der Grundschule sind Sophie Abercrombie, Sophie Twiggs, kurz Twiggy und Sophie McKenzie, auch Mac genannt, beste Freundinnen. Sie teilen alles und verbringen auch ihre gesamte Freizeit miteinander.
Bis Sophie A. plötzlich verschwindet und augenscheinlich keiner Auskunft darüber geben kann, was mit ihr passiert ist.
Ist sie weggelaufen, lebt sie noch oder ist sie bereits tot?
Die Polizei leitet eine intensive Suche ein und befragt natürlich auch die beiden verbliebenen Sophies. Doch ist alles so passiert, wie Mac es in Erinnerung hat? Denn die Bilder, die ihr nachts den Schlaf rauben erzählen eine ganz andere Geschichte.
Ich habe mein Geheimnis gleich doppelt bewahrt, Sophie A. Aber mit Geheimnissen ist das so eine Sache. Sie fressen einen von innen auf.
(Seite 92)
Fangen wir doch gleich einmal mit den Besonderheiten an, die ich bereits zu Beginn meiner Rezension kurz angeschnitten habe. Zum einen ist Missing Sophie nämlich in Tagebucheinträgen verfasst, datiert nach Tagen, seitdem Sophie A verschwunden ist. Zum anderen erzählt Mac die Geschichte zu großen Teilen rückwärts, von Tag 64 bis hin zu Tag 0, an dem ihre Freundin verschwunden ist. Dabei gibt sie auch Einblicke, wie die Drei sich kennengelernt haben und wie sie als Gruppe agierten, aber auch, wie sie James, der sich als ihr Lehrer entpuppte, kennengelernt hat.
Ich persönlich empfand diese Erzählperspektive als wahnsinnig spannend und auch die Einblicke in die laufenden Ermittlungen bekommen dadurch nochmal eine andere Tiefe.
Der Schreibstil ist weder zu jugendlich noch voller Umgangswörter, sodass selbst ich mit meinen 36 Jahren bestens damit zurechtgekommen bin. Ich würde sogar behaupten, dass dem Lesealter nach oben keine Grenzen gesetzt sind, doch aufgrund der späteren Thematik und der gewalttätigen und manipulativen Art eines gewissen Protagonisten, finde ich die vorgegebene untere Grenze von 14 Jahren durchaus angebracht. Auch ist es keinesfalls nur ein Mädchenbuch, denn der wichtige Inhalt und die Kernaussage geht uns alle an.
Freundschaft, Gewalt, verbotene Liebe, Lügen und Betrug. Einmal angefangen, konnte ich mich dem Sog von Missing Sophie einfach nicht mehr entziehen. Innerhalb von ein paar Stunden war ich durch, ich habe das Buch also förmlich gefressen und zurückgelassen hat es mich mit einem mulmigen Gefühl im Bauch. Dass solche Geschichten nicht völlig an den Haaren herbeigezogen sind, ist die eine Sache, dass man immer häufiger darüber liest, die andere. Auch ich habe eine 11-jährige Tochter zuhause und wenn man beginnt seinem Kopfkino in diese Richtung freie Fahrt zu lassen, wird man glaube ich vollkommen verrückt.
Klar sind manche Ereignisse vorhersehbar, aber die hat dieser Pageturner einfach geschluckt und der Wiederspruch, der mir am Ende noch lange im Kopf herumgespukt ist, hat die Geschichte gänzlich abgerundet.
Also schnappt euch das Buch und lasst euch selbst von diesem ungewöhnlichen Jugendthriller überzeugen!
Das ist meine Kurzbeschreibung zu Missing Sophie von Eileen Merriman und warum mir das Buch so gut gefallen hat, erzähle ich euch jetzt!
Seit der Grundschule sind Sophie Abercrombie, Sophie Twiggs, kurz Twiggy und Sophie McKenzie, auch Mac genannt, beste Freundinnen. Sie teilen alles und verbringen auch ihre gesamte Freizeit miteinander.
Bis Sophie A. plötzlich verschwindet und augenscheinlich keiner Auskunft darüber geben kann, was mit ihr passiert ist.
Ist sie weggelaufen, lebt sie noch oder ist sie bereits tot?
Die Polizei leitet eine intensive Suche ein und befragt natürlich auch die beiden verbliebenen Sophies. Doch ist alles so passiert, wie Mac es in Erinnerung hat? Denn die Bilder, die ihr nachts den Schlaf rauben erzählen eine ganz andere Geschichte.
Ich habe mein Geheimnis gleich doppelt bewahrt, Sophie A. Aber mit Geheimnissen ist das so eine Sache. Sie fressen einen von innen auf.
(Seite 92)
Fangen wir doch gleich einmal mit den Besonderheiten an, die ich bereits zu Beginn meiner Rezension kurz angeschnitten habe. Zum einen ist Missing Sophie nämlich in Tagebucheinträgen verfasst, datiert nach Tagen, seitdem Sophie A verschwunden ist. Zum anderen erzählt Mac die Geschichte zu großen Teilen rückwärts, von Tag 64 bis hin zu Tag 0, an dem ihre Freundin verschwunden ist. Dabei gibt sie auch Einblicke, wie die Drei sich kennengelernt haben und wie sie als Gruppe agierten, aber auch, wie sie James, der sich als ihr Lehrer entpuppte, kennengelernt hat.
Ich persönlich empfand diese Erzählperspektive als wahnsinnig spannend und auch die Einblicke in die laufenden Ermittlungen bekommen dadurch nochmal eine andere Tiefe.
Der Schreibstil ist weder zu jugendlich noch voller Umgangswörter, sodass selbst ich mit meinen 36 Jahren bestens damit zurechtgekommen bin. Ich würde sogar behaupten, dass dem Lesealter nach oben keine Grenzen gesetzt sind, doch aufgrund der späteren Thematik und der gewalttätigen und manipulativen Art eines gewissen Protagonisten, finde ich die vorgegebene untere Grenze von 14 Jahren durchaus angebracht. Auch ist es keinesfalls nur ein Mädchenbuch, denn der wichtige Inhalt und die Kernaussage geht uns alle an.
Freundschaft, Gewalt, verbotene Liebe, Lügen und Betrug. Einmal angefangen, konnte ich mich dem Sog von Missing Sophie einfach nicht mehr entziehen. Innerhalb von ein paar Stunden war ich durch, ich habe das Buch also förmlich gefressen und zurückgelassen hat es mich mit einem mulmigen Gefühl im Bauch. Dass solche Geschichten nicht völlig an den Haaren herbeigezogen sind, ist die eine Sache, dass man immer häufiger darüber liest, die andere. Auch ich habe eine 11-jährige Tochter zuhause und wenn man beginnt seinem Kopfkino in diese Richtung freie Fahrt zu lassen, wird man glaube ich vollkommen verrückt.
Klar sind manche Ereignisse vorhersehbar, aber die hat dieser Pageturner einfach geschluckt und der Wiederspruch, der mir am Ende noch lange im Kopf herumgespukt ist, hat die Geschichte gänzlich abgerundet.
Also schnappt euch das Buch und lasst euch selbst von diesem ungewöhnlichen Jugendthriller überzeugen!
February 9, 2020
A Trio of Sophies, 4⭐️
Big thank you to @turningpagesnz for the ARC!
What a roller coaster! A Trio of Sophies was written in a series of wild diary entries belonging to Mac. Counting backwards until the day of her best friends disappearance we came to understand the relationships Mac had with her pals, her crushes, her teachers and her mother. The apparent secrets and lies and twisted memories in Mac’s life were slowly given answers, which (especially in the last half of the novel) had me h o o k e d!!!!
Due to the structure of the book, we readers were limited to only Mac’s (vastly unreliable) perspective. This, in combination with the backwards layout, meant that the character development that I’m used to seeing in YA, was sacrificed for the sake of intrigue. That’s why it took a while to get into the ‘flow’. But eventually the purpose of Merriman’s tastefully confusing layout became clear -one of the reasons i found it a super refreshing read!
Admittedly I rarely read Kiwi books - mostly due to other YA authors getting a lot more hype in the bookish community. Because of this, EVERY TIME the Domain, Piha beach, the Coromandel etc. was mentioned I would get this delightful jolt of recognition. Being familiar with these context clues made imagining the scenes so much more believable and exciting. Now I properly wouldn’t be shocked if I bumped into Mac jogging past me at Muriwai.
Ultimately I loved the plot and was undeniably curious as to why the trio of sophies was no more. My first @eileen.merriman was brilliant and I cannot wait to read more. Read it March 3rd 👊🏻
Big thank you to @turningpagesnz for the ARC!
What a roller coaster! A Trio of Sophies was written in a series of wild diary entries belonging to Mac. Counting backwards until the day of her best friends disappearance we came to understand the relationships Mac had with her pals, her crushes, her teachers and her mother. The apparent secrets and lies and twisted memories in Mac’s life were slowly given answers, which (especially in the last half of the novel) had me h o o k e d!!!!
Due to the structure of the book, we readers were limited to only Mac’s (vastly unreliable) perspective. This, in combination with the backwards layout, meant that the character development that I’m used to seeing in YA, was sacrificed for the sake of intrigue. That’s why it took a while to get into the ‘flow’. But eventually the purpose of Merriman’s tastefully confusing layout became clear -one of the reasons i found it a super refreshing read!
Admittedly I rarely read Kiwi books - mostly due to other YA authors getting a lot more hype in the bookish community. Because of this, EVERY TIME the Domain, Piha beach, the Coromandel etc. was mentioned I would get this delightful jolt of recognition. Being familiar with these context clues made imagining the scenes so much more believable and exciting. Now I properly wouldn’t be shocked if I bumped into Mac jogging past me at Muriwai.
Ultimately I loved the plot and was undeniably curious as to why the trio of sophies was no more. My first @eileen.merriman was brilliant and I cannot wait to read more. Read it March 3rd 👊🏻
February 24, 2020
This book was so much darker than I was expecting, and I was very pleasantly surprised by it!
A Trio of Sophie's is told in diary format, however we start at day 64 and then work our way backwards to day 1. It did take me a minute to get accustomed to, but once I got it I was hooked! It's a super fast read- mainly because you just have to know exactly what has happened, and how! I had a lot of fun guessing, and it was a really enjoyable, engrossing ride that did manage some really good twists and turns.
I will say that at the start of the book I found myself struggling with the main character- the way her diary entries were written made her sound so much younger than she was suppose to be (as in, she would write "Next we went....Next we did... and that is how my 8 year writes stories) however this stopped well within the first quarter of the book, so it didn't end up being too big of an issue for me.
My only other issue is that there were some really odd moments of fat shaming, that seemed to come out of nowhere and made me quite uncomfortable.
Overall, a really solid YA mystery/thriller that I would totally recommend checking out- although for those of you outside of New Zealand, you may need to have a kiwi on hand to explain some of the slang lol!
One more thing...and this maybe a *very tiny* spoiler (although its mentioned pretty early on, so I don't think it is) so you know, look away if you want to know ABSOLUTELY nothing about this before reading...but this is yet more proof to support my theory that you should NEVER trust a man who says his favourite book is Catcher in the Rye!
Huge thanks to Penguin NZ and Turning Pages NZ for the review copy!
A Trio of Sophie's is told in diary format, however we start at day 64 and then work our way backwards to day 1. It did take me a minute to get accustomed to, but once I got it I was hooked! It's a super fast read- mainly because you just have to know exactly what has happened, and how! I had a lot of fun guessing, and it was a really enjoyable, engrossing ride that did manage some really good twists and turns.
I will say that at the start of the book I found myself struggling with the main character- the way her diary entries were written made her sound so much younger than she was suppose to be (as in, she would write "Next we went....Next we did... and that is how my 8 year writes stories) however this stopped well within the first quarter of the book, so it didn't end up being too big of an issue for me.
My only other issue is that there were some really odd moments of fat shaming, that seemed to come out of nowhere and made me quite uncomfortable.
Overall, a really solid YA mystery/thriller that I would totally recommend checking out- although for those of you outside of New Zealand, you may need to have a kiwi on hand to explain some of the slang lol!
One more thing...and this maybe a *very tiny* spoiler (although its mentioned pretty early on, so I don't think it is) so you know, look away if you want to know ABSOLUTELY nothing about this before reading...but this is yet more proof to support my theory that you should NEVER trust a man who says his favourite book is Catcher in the Rye!
Huge thanks to Penguin NZ and Turning Pages NZ for the review copy!
January 30, 2020
Holy. Freaking. Hell.
(I got an early copy of this book in return for a review)
This book was intriguing from the start, and I started flying through it. It only took me two sessions to finish because I just could not put it down.
I absolutely loved the way this book was written out, going backwards through the story was a very unique and interesting way to do it. I was so drawn in to the plot and the characters, and the ending absolutely shook me. I was sort of expecting a light-ish YA novel and it ended up being a very in depth and mildly dark YA book instead. I absolutely loved it, Eileen really knocked it out of the park with this one, it was incredibly addictive and fast paced - a real page turner.
(I got an early copy of this book in return for a review)
This book was intriguing from the start, and I started flying through it. It only took me two sessions to finish because I just could not put it down.
I absolutely loved the way this book was written out, going backwards through the story was a very unique and interesting way to do it. I was so drawn in to the plot and the characters, and the ending absolutely shook me. I was sort of expecting a light-ish YA novel and it ended up being a very in depth and mildly dark YA book instead. I absolutely loved it, Eileen really knocked it out of the park with this one, it was incredibly addictive and fast paced - a real page turner.
February 21, 2020
3.75/5 Stars
A Trio of Sophies by Eileen Merriman is a YA thriller set in New Zealand. The story follows seventeen year old Sophie M aka "Mac" and counts down the days to the disappearance of one of her best friends, Sophie A aka the prettiest Sophie.
The story is full of twist and turns and as soon as you think you know something, another aspect comes into play making you question everything you thought you knew.
A feature I really like about this book was the fact that it counted down to day 0 not from before her disappearance but after she disappeared. I liked seeing the aftermath in its entirety. It's something I have never read in a novel before. I have come across books that have a snippet of what has happened and then jumped back a few days leading up to it. But nothing the other way around. I LOVED it! It was a unique feature I really enjoyed. It was somewhat hard to follow at first but you get use to it as you continue reading.
Eileen Merriman does cover certain topics that you wouldn't expect to be brought up but are actually really relevant topics, especially in New Zealand. This could perhaps be triggering for some. However, its more of a dip your toes in the topic rather than a full on dive in. Which is nice, it doesn't distract from the story itself but is more of a nice addition and I'm glad it gets acknowledged.
The reason I didn't give a higher rating was the fact that I didn't really connect with the characters that much. For me to really REALLY enjoy a book I need to connect with the character on a whole other field. All in all though I still really enjoyed reading this book and can see myself rereading it in the future.
A Trio of Sophies by Eileen Merriman is a YA thriller set in New Zealand. The story follows seventeen year old Sophie M aka "Mac" and counts down the days to the disappearance of one of her best friends, Sophie A aka the prettiest Sophie.
The story is full of twist and turns and as soon as you think you know something, another aspect comes into play making you question everything you thought you knew.
A feature I really like about this book was the fact that it counted down to day 0 not from before her disappearance but after she disappeared. I liked seeing the aftermath in its entirety. It's something I have never read in a novel before. I have come across books that have a snippet of what has happened and then jumped back a few days leading up to it. But nothing the other way around. I LOVED it! It was a unique feature I really enjoyed. It was somewhat hard to follow at first but you get use to it as you continue reading.
Eileen Merriman does cover certain topics that you wouldn't expect to be brought up but are actually really relevant topics, especially in New Zealand. This could perhaps be triggering for some. However, its more of a dip your toes in the topic rather than a full on dive in. Which is nice, it doesn't distract from the story itself but is more of a nice addition and I'm glad it gets acknowledged.
The reason I didn't give a higher rating was the fact that I didn't really connect with the characters that much. For me to really REALLY enjoy a book I need to connect with the character on a whole other field. All in all though I still really enjoyed reading this book and can see myself rereading it in the future.
February 6, 2020
A huge thank you to Penguin NZ who sent me out a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I gave A Trio of Sophies by Eileen Merriman a 3.5 star rating
Wow this was such an interesting book to read! It was set out as diary entries starting from 'Day 64' making its way back to 'Day 0'. I loved this concept but it did take me a while to realise that the days were going backwards instead of forwards! It felt really strange at first but how entry was written it really added to the build up towards Day 1. There was a lot going on and going backwards it really pulled me in as we got closer to revealing everything that had happened.
I read this book really quickly and enjoyed the plot a lot. It was refreshing to read a book based in New Zealand (woohoo!!) and it made it really easy to read. Plot twists and a LOT of revelations kept me on my toes and made me want to keep going.
This would be such a great summer read - perfect for the beach! Not a top favourite of mine but would definitely pick it up again in the future for an easy read.
I gave A Trio of Sophies by Eileen Merriman a 3.5 star rating
Wow this was such an interesting book to read! It was set out as diary entries starting from 'Day 64' making its way back to 'Day 0'. I loved this concept but it did take me a while to realise that the days were going backwards instead of forwards! It felt really strange at first but how entry was written it really added to the build up towards Day 1. There was a lot going on and going backwards it really pulled me in as we got closer to revealing everything that had happened.
I read this book really quickly and enjoyed the plot a lot. It was refreshing to read a book based in New Zealand (woohoo!!) and it made it really easy to read. Plot twists and a LOT of revelations kept me on my toes and made me want to keep going.
This would be such a great summer read - perfect for the beach! Not a top favourite of mine but would definitely pick it up again in the future for an easy read.
April 6, 2020
My heart is bruised. This was such an intense read. I felt like I wanted to keep my fingers over my eyes and scream, no Sophie Mac! Don't go there! It's such a fascinating exploration of power dynamics in friendship and in sex. Merriman has such a sure hand. Her characters are so believable and the stories are painfully real.
January 2, 2021
Trigger warnings: disappearance of a friend, sexual relationship between a teacher and a student, .
I had really high hopes for this one, but the prevalence of a teacher/student relationship honestly made this a struggle to get through. In part, that's a Me Thing. I work in a school, I spend hours and hours and HOURS every year doing child safety and mandatory reporting training, and the increasing prevalence of YA books and teen TV shows that feature romanticised relationships between 16-17 year old girls and men in their mid-20s who are their teachers (almost always their English teachers, which is...odd) is horrifying to me. This relationship isn't romanticised, but it's still very VERY prevalent on the page and it made me incredibly uncomfortable throughout.
That being said, the reverse storytelling here was very effective and I really enjoyed that style of storytelling. The ending was somewhat shocking and I definitely didn't see that last little chapter coming. The New Zealand setting was great, and while I didn't entirely enjoy the story, it was definitely gripping.
I had really high hopes for this one, but the prevalence of a teacher/student relationship honestly made this a struggle to get through. In part, that's a Me Thing. I work in a school, I spend hours and hours and HOURS every year doing child safety and mandatory reporting training, and the increasing prevalence of YA books and teen TV shows that feature romanticised relationships between 16-17 year old girls and men in their mid-20s who are their teachers (almost always their English teachers, which is...odd) is horrifying to me. This relationship isn't romanticised, but it's still very VERY prevalent on the page and it made me incredibly uncomfortable throughout.
That being said, the reverse storytelling here was very effective and I really enjoyed that style of storytelling. The ending was somewhat shocking and I definitely didn't see that last little chapter coming. The New Zealand setting was great, and while I didn't entirely enjoy the story, it was definitely gripping.
February 11, 2022
I'm just..... Not quite sure about all of that.
I've been wanting to read an Eileen Merriman book for a while, so I guess this was my chance.
I suppose I was confused because of course, surely, James Bacon didn't love Mac - from the amount that he was just wanting to, um, screw her. But then again, did he? He risked a lot for their relationship, but was that because of his love for her or to satisfy his perverted desires?
It was obvious that she drowned Sophie A quite early on. From the amount of times she was like, "I can't breathe!!," and then searching up stuff about drowning....
And also because she made such a big deal about that essay about "unreliable protagonists/perspectives."
But I will say, thanks for the NCEA pointers, Eileen! I'm guessing she's had kids go through kiwi high school, so she knew exactly how it worked, which was cool. It added to the idea that she wasn't trying too hard, only a little bit, to make her character seem like a young teen and not an adult trying to seem like a teen.
Overall, she wasn't a likeable character, Sophie Mackenzie. Which is okay, because we weren't supposed to like her, because she was deceiving, lying, and used people.
I've been wanting to read an Eileen Merriman book for a while, so I guess this was my chance.
I suppose I was confused because of course, surely, James Bacon didn't love Mac - from the amount that he was just wanting to, um, screw her. But then again, did he? He risked a lot for their relationship, but was that because of his love for her or to satisfy his perverted desires?
It was obvious that she drowned Sophie A quite early on. From the amount of times she was like, "I can't breathe!!," and then searching up stuff about drowning....
And also because she made such a big deal about that essay about "unreliable protagonists/perspectives."
But I will say, thanks for the NCEA pointers, Eileen! I'm guessing she's had kids go through kiwi high school, so she knew exactly how it worked, which was cool. It added to the idea that she wasn't trying too hard, only a little bit, to make her character seem like a young teen and not an adult trying to seem like a teen.
Overall, she wasn't a likeable character, Sophie Mackenzie. Which is okay, because we weren't supposed to like her, because she was deceiving, lying, and used people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2020
Gripping, great pace, devious plotting. Recommended for older teens. Nice one Eileen!
February 12, 2021
WHAT?!? Um, so they’re both psychopaths, basically.
October 14, 2023
Das Buch war ein auf und ab und ich konnte mich bis zum Ende nicht entscheiden, ob ich es gut oder schlecht finde, das Ende hat es für mich aber ganz klar schlecht gemacht. Die Idee, den ersten Teil als Tagebuch in rückwärts zu gestalten war sehr originell und hatte interessante Seiten, war teilweise aber auch sehr nervig. Zudem war es als Tagebuch gar nicht passend. Natürlich lebt die Geschichte von Sophie Ms Ich Perspektive, für ein Tagebuch war es jedoch absolut unpassend geschrieben. Niemand erklärt Dinge in einem Tagebuch so ausführlich oder erzählt Stories aus der Vergangenheit an irgendeinem Tag in der Zukunft. Natürlich hat es diese Erklärungen gebraucht, aber dann hätte man das Buch nicht als Tagebuch aufbauen dürfen. Zudem hat es mich enorm gestört, dass man sich am Ende doch nicht sicher war, was Sophie M getan hat. Der ganze Sinn eines Tagebuchs ist es, die Perspektive der Schreiberin zu haben, dann schreibt sie aber an einer Stelle, dass die Geschichte ihres besten Wissens entsprechend auf eine gewisse Weise abgelaufen ist, obwohl am Tag des Ereignisses selbst noch etwas komplett anderes gesagt wurde. Am Ende bekommt man dann noch eine dritte Möglichkeit wie sie gehandelt haben könnte, die als wahrscheinlichste zurückgelassen wird. Ich verstehe den Gedanken, dass sie sich über das Buch hinweg selbst versucht zu gaslighten, weil sie selbst nicht damit klarkommt, dies ist aber für die Geschichte nicht klar genug ausgeführt.
Das Ende aus Wills Perspektive, der dieses Tagebuch gelesen hat, war eine schöne Idee und hat die verkehrte Reihenfolge gut aufgeklärt. Jedoch hat es mich unfassbar gestört, dass das Buch dann mit "Vielleicht rede ich zuerst einmal mit Mac. Oder vielleicht auch nicht." geendet hat. Ich meine, natürlich ist Will schockiert, aber im ganzen Buch wird eine unfassbare Spannung aufgebaut und der Leser will erfahren, was denn nun die Wahrheit war, nur um es am Ende nicht zu erfahren und mit etwas so lächerlich Unklarem zurückgelassen wird.
Was ich außerdem furchtbar fand, war James Bacons Rolle. Den größten Teil des Buches über hatte ich nichts dagegen, seine Rolle als erst einfach durch einen Zufall in eine Schülerin verliebten Lehrer, dann später aber als Gewalttäter zu erleben, da dadurch die Beziehung zwischen Lehrer und Schülerin zumindest nicht romantisiert wurde. Dass er am Ende im Gefängnis gelandet ist, war auch mehr als richtig, ich fand es aber ganz schrecklich, dass das letzte von ihm ein Brief war, in dem er Sophie M sagt, dass sie niemals jemand so lieben wird wie er und dann damit als letzter Auftritt von ihm impliziert wurde, dass er sie ja doch die ganze Zeit einfach nur zu sehr geliebt hat. Solche Gewalttaten/Misshandlungen, wie sie durch ihn passiert sind, einfach als "zu sehr geliebt" zu bezeichnen, empfinde ich als sehr schwierig und toxisch.
Ich muss zugeben, dass das Buch trotzdem spannend zu lesen war und vor allem am Anfang war ich Fan von dem Schreibstil, nach einer Weile wurde es dann aber einfach nervig und die genannten Punkte haben das Buch dann einfach schlecht gemacht.
Das Ende aus Wills Perspektive, der dieses Tagebuch gelesen hat, war eine schöne Idee und hat die verkehrte Reihenfolge gut aufgeklärt. Jedoch hat es mich unfassbar gestört, dass das Buch dann mit "Vielleicht rede ich zuerst einmal mit Mac. Oder vielleicht auch nicht." geendet hat. Ich meine, natürlich ist Will schockiert, aber im ganzen Buch wird eine unfassbare Spannung aufgebaut und der Leser will erfahren, was denn nun die Wahrheit war, nur um es am Ende nicht zu erfahren und mit etwas so lächerlich Unklarem zurückgelassen wird.
Was ich außerdem furchtbar fand, war James Bacons Rolle. Den größten Teil des Buches über hatte ich nichts dagegen, seine Rolle als erst einfach durch einen Zufall in eine Schülerin verliebten Lehrer, dann später aber als Gewalttäter zu erleben, da dadurch die Beziehung zwischen Lehrer und Schülerin zumindest nicht romantisiert wurde. Dass er am Ende im Gefängnis gelandet ist, war auch mehr als richtig, ich fand es aber ganz schrecklich, dass das letzte von ihm ein Brief war, in dem er Sophie M sagt, dass sie niemals jemand so lieben wird wie er und dann damit als letzter Auftritt von ihm impliziert wurde, dass er sie ja doch die ganze Zeit einfach nur zu sehr geliebt hat. Solche Gewalttaten/Misshandlungen, wie sie durch ihn passiert sind, einfach als "zu sehr geliebt" zu bezeichnen, empfinde ich als sehr schwierig und toxisch.
Ich muss zugeben, dass das Buch trotzdem spannend zu lesen war und vor allem am Anfang war ich Fan von dem Schreibstil, nach einer Weile wurde es dann aber einfach nervig und die genannten Punkte haben das Buch dann einfach schlecht gemacht.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2021
Brilliantly constructed for the upper age range of YA readers, A TRIO OF SOPHIES reads like a perfect tale for teenagers - female and male. Engaging and cleverly plotted, there's a depth to the characterisations and the manner in which some very current day issues are explored.
Many of us have been in the situation where our name was obviously popular at the time we were christened, and you suddenly find yourself in a school class, or social situation with an urgent need for distinction system. In this case, it's a trio of Sophies (Sophie A, Mac and Twiggy) who all met up at primary school - remaining friends right through high school, until Sophie A goes missing. Told in the form of Sophie MacKenzie (Mac's) personal journal, the story starts 64 days after the disappearance, with Sophie A still missing, despite police investigations, working it's way back to the day that she vanished.
An interesting structure that works incredibly well, the voice of Mac is the main viewpoint of the entire book - she's the quiet one, the diligent student, the girl who wants to make something of herself. She's also the one that readers have to believe, but there's something in her telling that doesn't quite add up, and it's up to the reader to decide what to believe and why. The Sophies aren't the only characters here though - there are other teenagers, parents, and teacher James Bacon. The cast is all pretty well drawn out, remembering always, that everyone is seen via the view of Mac and what she wants you to know.
The clever construction of A TRIO OF SOPHIES comes with the way that this singular, insulated viewpoint, is interwoven, without the hint of a lecture or preach, with a heap of real current day problems for kids - jealousy, longing, awakening romantic and sexual urges, forming and holding onto friendships, and most devastating of all, adults who groom young people.
The pace remains high, the style of dialogue feels exactly right, and the relationship between the teenagers, and the adults in their lives was utterly convincing. Could not recommend A TRIO OF SOPHIES more highly - for adults and older teenager readers alike.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Many of us have been in the situation where our name was obviously popular at the time we were christened, and you suddenly find yourself in a school class, or social situation with an urgent need for distinction system. In this case, it's a trio of Sophies (Sophie A, Mac and Twiggy) who all met up at primary school - remaining friends right through high school, until Sophie A goes missing. Told in the form of Sophie MacKenzie (Mac's) personal journal, the story starts 64 days after the disappearance, with Sophie A still missing, despite police investigations, working it's way back to the day that she vanished.
An interesting structure that works incredibly well, the voice of Mac is the main viewpoint of the entire book - she's the quiet one, the diligent student, the girl who wants to make something of herself. She's also the one that readers have to believe, but there's something in her telling that doesn't quite add up, and it's up to the reader to decide what to believe and why. The Sophies aren't the only characters here though - there are other teenagers, parents, and teacher James Bacon. The cast is all pretty well drawn out, remembering always, that everyone is seen via the view of Mac and what she wants you to know.
The clever construction of A TRIO OF SOPHIES comes with the way that this singular, insulated viewpoint, is interwoven, without the hint of a lecture or preach, with a heap of real current day problems for kids - jealousy, longing, awakening romantic and sexual urges, forming and holding onto friendships, and most devastating of all, adults who groom young people.
The pace remains high, the style of dialogue feels exactly right, and the relationship between the teenagers, and the adults in their lives was utterly convincing. Could not recommend A TRIO OF SOPHIES more highly - for adults and older teenager readers alike.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
October 26, 2020
Раздражающе предсказуемая и шаблонная книга. Да… Отношения с учителем, пропажа девушки – Боже, как оригинально! Меня прямо бесят «детективы» об этом. Вот просто миллион YA-триллеров на эту тему. Сколько можно? И да, вообще не очевидно с первых строк, какой будет развязка. Примитив!
Напомнило кучу всего. Особенно «Gap Mountain» by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez и «Frozen Beauty» by Lexa Hillyer.
Собственно, даже если и есть в этой книге что-то хорошее (лучшее в ней – ее небольшой размер), то все перекрывает ее предсказуемость.
Читалось-то, в общем-то, легко. Но все время при этом я думала: «Да, совсем не очевидно, кто убийца».
Непонятно, почему книга вообще называется «Трио Софи», если третьей Софи в ней толком не было, автор только в конце немного о ней вспомнила, и все. Ну, дуэт Софи был бы слишком скучным названием, точнее слишком мало было бы Софи…
Книга, мне кажется, больше странные отношения ученицы и учителя, которые только и делали, что сексом занимались, показывает, чем детективную линию… Ну, мне так и так не нравится это все.
Да и вообще книга за полгода набрала на Goodreads всего 130 голосов. Популярной ее точно не назовешь. Так себе…
Итоговая оценка: 4/10
Напомнило кучу всего. Особенно «Gap Mountain» by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez и «Frozen Beauty» by Lexa Hillyer.
Собственно, даже если и есть в этой книге что-то хорошее (лучшее в ней – ее небольшой размер), то все перекрывает ее предсказуемость.
Читалось-то, в общем-то, легко. Но все время при этом я думала: «Да, совсем не очевидно, кто убийца».
Непонятно, почему книга вообще называется «Трио Софи», если третьей Софи в ней толком не было, автор только в конце немного о ней вспомнила, и все. Ну, дуэт Софи был бы слишком скучным названием, точнее слишком мало было бы Софи…
Книга, мне кажется, больше странные отношения ученицы и учителя, которые только и делали, что сексом занимались, показывает, чем детективную линию… Ну, мне так и так не нравится это все.
Да и вообще книга за полгода набрала на Goodreads всего 130 голосов. Популярной ее точно не назовешь. Так себе…
Итоговая оценка: 4/10
March 3, 2020
So... The book released today and I'm writing this review today, so it's safe to say I was hooked the minute I sat down in bed at 7:30pm and finished it at 11:30pm.
I initially bought this after a conversation online about the type of books that are in Young Adults sections, or in school libraries, especially the portrayal of "romanticised" Teacher/Student relationships.
The story centres around Sophie A's disappearance. What actually happened, and why.
Initially, the idea of Sophie M's diary working backwards seemed like it might not work cohesively, but watching the narrative change as derails became omitted, flippant comments became clearer in meaning as Day 0 approached, and carefully worded clues as to what really happened had me going "just one more day" for three straight hours.
We are all aware that one of the main stories wrapped into this is Sophie M's relationship with "Jimmy." Initially touted as a nice relationship, watching it slowly turn abusive, first "on accident" and therein becoming a pattern hit me like a freight train. Knowing the ending now, I will absolutely reread it again with care to the attention to detail.
As I mentioned earlier, a theme is Teacher/Student relationships and this story was anything but romanticised. I absolutely endorse this in a Young Adult Section, or High School Library. It could just save a life - and no I'm not being dramatic. It was a book that fifteen-year-old me needed to read, and that twenty-seven-year-old me is glad to have.
Also, the authors' prose is akin to a Seventeen Year Old girl. I found her voice in her diary easy to read and relate to and I felt teenage-me nodding along to the portrayal of all the students in the book. I also enjoyed reading a Kiwi author. I'm living abroad and it's slapped me right in the face with a Marmite and Cheese sandwich of nostalgia.
Absolutely worth the five stars. And the late bedtime.
I initially bought this after a conversation online about the type of books that are in Young Adults sections, or in school libraries, especially the portrayal of "romanticised" Teacher/Student relationships.
The story centres around Sophie A's disappearance. What actually happened, and why.
Initially, the idea of Sophie M's diary working backwards seemed like it might not work cohesively, but watching the narrative change as derails became omitted, flippant comments became clearer in meaning as Day 0 approached, and carefully worded clues as to what really happened had me going "just one more day" for three straight hours.
We are all aware that one of the main stories wrapped into this is Sophie M's relationship with "Jimmy." Initially touted as a nice relationship, watching it slowly turn abusive, first "on accident" and therein becoming a pattern hit me like a freight train. Knowing the ending now, I will absolutely reread it again with care to the attention to detail.
As I mentioned earlier, a theme is Teacher/Student relationships and this story was anything but romanticised. I absolutely endorse this in a Young Adult Section, or High School Library. It could just save a life - and no I'm not being dramatic. It was a book that fifteen-year-old me needed to read, and that twenty-seven-year-old me is glad to have.
Also, the authors' prose is akin to a Seventeen Year Old girl. I found her voice in her diary easy to read and relate to and I felt teenage-me nodding along to the portrayal of all the students in the book. I also enjoyed reading a Kiwi author. I'm living abroad and it's slapped me right in the face with a Marmite and Cheese sandwich of nostalgia.
Absolutely worth the five stars. And the late bedtime.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2021
An engaging and believable look into the mind of Sophie (Mac) who shares her diary as she struggles with relationships, friendships and life in general. The catalyst to the story is the disappearance of her best friend Sophie A. I am still unsure if the format of revealing the story in reverse chronological order helped or hindered the story as more details are uncovered but definitely an enjoyable read.
April 30, 2021
Although in the beginning, I wasn't sure if I liked the 'backwards' style of writing, I ended up really enjoying it. I think this book got better as it went on, and I couldn't put the second half of the book down.
February 6, 2022
Plays with a diary format going backwards through time. It's cleverly done and the twists are well revealed 3.5 stars.
June 14, 2020
Wow. Thrilling, suspenseful, clever story by New Zealander Eileen Merriman - whew, it was hard to put down.
We have an abundance of students who adore her books, can't wait to share this one with them.
We have an abundance of students who adore her books, can't wait to share this one with them.
Read
July 3, 2024*IMPORTANT!!!*
This book romanticized the idea of a student + teacher relationship as well as romanticizing the idea of abusive relationships. The main character Sophie M is sexually involved with her English teacher James Bacon. This alone was slightly disturbing as this barley ever happens in real life but then there came the abuse. James Bacon repeatedly harms Sophie M (and Sophie T later on in the book) but he always 'makes it better' when Sophie gets hurt with big romantic gestures. Then after all the abuse and when they have broken up, she obviously still wants him back. Then comes the incident with Sophie T. She finds out that Sophie M was once involved with James (who Sophie T was currently with) so decided to talk to him about her. When she does they get in an argument which ends up in him punching her to the ground then kicking her hard in the side, breaking one of her ribs. Sophie T then tells Sophie M about this and tells her that they had that fight because James Bacon still loved her. She then decides that she still wants to be with him. Here in New Zealand domestic violence isn't an unusual occurrence in some homes and many women and children have died because of it. No abusive relationship should be made to seem desirable especially to teen girls who often take their relationship advice from books like this.
This book romanticized the idea of a student + teacher relationship as well as romanticizing the idea of abusive relationships. The main character Sophie M is sexually involved with her English teacher James Bacon. This alone was slightly disturbing as this barley ever happens in real life but then there came the abuse. James Bacon repeatedly harms Sophie M (and Sophie T later on in the book) but he always 'makes it better' when Sophie gets hurt with big romantic gestures. Then after all the abuse and when they have broken up, she obviously still wants him back. Then comes the incident with Sophie T. She finds out that Sophie M was once involved with James (who Sophie T was currently with) so decided to talk to him about her. When she does they get in an argument which ends up in him punching her to the ground then kicking her hard in the side, breaking one of her ribs. Sophie T then tells Sophie M about this and tells her that they had that fight because James Bacon still loved her. She then decides that she still wants to be with him. Here in New Zealand domestic violence isn't an unusual occurrence in some homes and many women and children have died because of it. No abusive relationship should be made to seem desirable especially to teen girls who often take their relationship advice from books like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2020
A thrilling page-turner from Eileen Merriman, with a mystery that cleverly unfolds via the pages of Sophie Mac's diary; a diary that's read backwards, inching the reader through the past and towards day zero—the day when Sophie A disappeared. Can we trust what Sophie Mac is telling us? What is she hiding? Dark and clever, with a fascinating structure. You'll pick it up and won't want to put it down.
February 29, 2020
ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS BOOK.
Merriman has written another winner. The author doesn't spell out exactly what happens through most of the novel, but so much is implied. Wonderful work.
Merriman's unique approach and how the narrative is handled means 'Trio' doesn't fall into the pattern seen in novels such as Sebastian Faulkes' 'Engleby', though it shares an equal excellence. This is fresh and original storytelling.
And I can't tell you how much I liked the ending without giving too much away.
The stuff of night terrors. Fabulous.
Merriman has written another winner. The author doesn't spell out exactly what happens through most of the novel, but so much is implied. Wonderful work.
Merriman's unique approach and how the narrative is handled means 'Trio' doesn't fall into the pattern seen in novels such as Sebastian Faulkes' 'Engleby', though it shares an equal excellence. This is fresh and original storytelling.
And I can't tell you how much I liked the ending without giving too much away.
The stuff of night terrors. Fabulous.
February 5, 2020
ARC kindly provided to me by Penguin Random House NZ in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. The world has been sleeping on Eileen Merriman! This is the first of Eileen's books I've read, although thanks to her stunningly beautiful book covers I had noticed her books on the shelves of my local bookstore. I wish I had picked one up earlier because now I have to find time for her entire backlog!
'A Trio of Sophies' is a YA mystery which follows the diary of Sophie M (Mac), one of three friends named Sophie. The diary starts on Day 64, 64 days since anyone saw Sophie A. What follows is an unreliable account of the events surrounding Sophie A's mysterious disappearance.
Things I really enjoyed about this book:
- All the New Zealand references. One of my personal bookish goals is to try and read from more NZ authors, and I was so pleasantly surprised to find so many NZ references. Many of the locations mentioned I am familiar with, which gave the book a new layer of depth and atmosphere as I could watch these scenes play out in my head. These NZ locations were based in Auckland where I was born and raised, and went to school, making the story creepily eerie and semi-relatable.
-The contemporary song references. Aiding the familiar locations, the songs mentioned throughout the novel are ones I listen to myself, again adding an element of realism as if this story could be taking place in present-day NZ.
-The connections between the unreliable narrator and her essay on unreliable narrators. I thought this was a fun bit of wordplay.
-The ending! I think the way the book was structured was really well crafted, making the reader slightly confused, desperate for more information which the author can slowly release through this format. The countdown built up the anticipation, and I love we also got to see the aftermath of day 64 and also that last chapter - wow!!!
The only criticism I have for this book is that I would have loved to have seen more of the relationships between the three Sophies throughout the flashbacks. Whilst Twiggy and Mac's relationship appears strained and distant, I wanted to see more of the friendships before Sophie A disappeared. I think this would have added more emotional impact to the disappearance of Sophie A and also told us a bit more about who Sophie A was and what she was like.
Ultimately I thoroughly enjoyed this book, devouring it within two sittings as I just had to know what happened. I really enjoyed Eileen's writing style and loved how atmospheric this book was. Unfortunately, some of the topics in this book are all too real in New Zealand which made this book a successful YA mystery. I would also recommend it to fans of hard-hitting YA contemporary. I will definitely be picking up more of Eileen's books in the future.
Wow. The world has been sleeping on Eileen Merriman! This is the first of Eileen's books I've read, although thanks to her stunningly beautiful book covers I had noticed her books on the shelves of my local bookstore. I wish I had picked one up earlier because now I have to find time for her entire backlog!
'A Trio of Sophies' is a YA mystery which follows the diary of Sophie M (Mac), one of three friends named Sophie. The diary starts on Day 64, 64 days since anyone saw Sophie A. What follows is an unreliable account of the events surrounding Sophie A's mysterious disappearance.
Things I really enjoyed about this book:
- All the New Zealand references. One of my personal bookish goals is to try and read from more NZ authors, and I was so pleasantly surprised to find so many NZ references. Many of the locations mentioned I am familiar with, which gave the book a new layer of depth and atmosphere as I could watch these scenes play out in my head. These NZ locations were based in Auckland where I was born and raised, and went to school, making the story creepily eerie and semi-relatable.
-The contemporary song references. Aiding the familiar locations, the songs mentioned throughout the novel are ones I listen to myself, again adding an element of realism as if this story could be taking place in present-day NZ.
-The connections between the unreliable narrator and her essay on unreliable narrators. I thought this was a fun bit of wordplay.
-The ending! I think the way the book was structured was really well crafted, making the reader slightly confused, desperate for more information which the author can slowly release through this format. The countdown built up the anticipation, and I love we also got to see the aftermath of day 64 and also that last chapter - wow!!!
The only criticism I have for this book is that I would have loved to have seen more of the relationships between the three Sophies throughout the flashbacks. Whilst Twiggy and Mac's relationship appears strained and distant, I wanted to see more of the friendships before Sophie A disappeared. I think this would have added more emotional impact to the disappearance of Sophie A and also told us a bit more about who Sophie A was and what she was like.
Ultimately I thoroughly enjoyed this book, devouring it within two sittings as I just had to know what happened. I really enjoyed Eileen's writing style and loved how atmospheric this book was. Unfortunately, some of the topics in this book are all too real in New Zealand which made this book a successful YA mystery. I would also recommend it to fans of hard-hitting YA contemporary. I will definitely be picking up more of Eileen's books in the future.
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