Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
ISBN, PUB Date: 9780316125727, September 5, 2011
Reviewed by: Jennifer Shaw for Author Exposure
“If you want to find out who murdered your brother, follow me.” (from jacket)
The summary of Karen Healey’s The Shattering offers a mysterious tale of murder/suicide, with a possible serial killer. I love a good mystery and I was immediately sold on the idea of The Shattering.
Keri, Janna and Sione have one thing in common; they have all lost someone close to them in an apparent suicide. They come together to prove that their loved ones didn’t end their lives but that their lives were taken. As they research the multiple deaths in the small New Zealand town, they find a dark pattern amongst the beauty of the seaside tourist spot. Will they solve the mystery before another life is lost? Or will they become victims themselves?
The Shattering brings together many touchy topics such as suicide, bullying, and gays with a magical twist. The magical twist was interesting and was completely unexpected, given the summary. It lightened the plot in some ways but added to the intensity of the storyline in others.
The pacing of the story was a bit slow, lacking momentum. The characters as individuals were intriguing but didn’t seem to fit together very well. Keri’s OCD made her almost unlikeable. Janna was a little too tacky for me. Sione was very weak but understandably so. I felt sorry for each of them and their individual life stories, but as a team, they were disjointed.
Overall, I enjoyed the mystery quality of the story. It was intriguing enough to keep me reading, regardless of the slow pacing. The multiple point-of-views were a tad distracting but allowed for insight into each of the characters. The ending was a complete shock, making the entire novel a worthy read. Readers that enjoy the paranormal, magic, and intense topics will enjoy The Shattering.
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