The Sun Down Motel

public reading: safe for the public eye
cover notes: vintage, eerie but not matching description
keywords/phrases: family, mystery, murder, ghosts
mood reading: in the mood for mystery, ghosty vibes
bonus points: strong female characters
anti-bonus points: dichotomy on sexual status, unnecessary character

my review

The story is told through the past (1982) and present (2017) timelines of Viv and Carly respectively, who are aunt and niece. Although Viv disappeared before Carly was born, she’s always wanted answers about what happened. Her mother refused to talk about it, so it wasn’t until after she died that Carly felt she could find the answers she needed.

I loved the two women as main characters. Despite never having met or influenced each other, they are startingly similar to one another. Both are smart, independent women who live life on their own terms, taking risks in pursuit of their goals. Even their storylines parallel one another’s. But even with all of their similiarities, they are very different people, and that’s what makes the story so interesting.

cover notes

The cover is gorgeous, to be sure. But it was odd to me that it didn’t fit the description within the novel. The sign was mentioned often, almost a character of its own, always described as blue and yellow with a vacancy sign and another noting cable TV. So that, while minor, was odd.

anti-bonus points

There was also weird dichotomy about the sexual status of many of the female characters. Viv and Carly are referenced as virgins several times throughout their storylines. There was clear criticism of the coverage of the missing women’s sexual status by the author, yet their virginity was so significant that it had to be emphasized. Why? It was bizarre enough that it cost half a star on my rating.

Another thing I didn’t understand was the prescence of Callum. Did he have an interesting side story? Perhaps, but it really didn’t add much to the story. So he seemed somewhat unnecessary.

quotables

The person who could be truly alone, in the company of no one but oneself and one’s own thoughts—that person was stronger than anyone else. More ready. More prepared.

I’ve been gone a long time. You don’t know what it’s like to have unresolved shit in your past, shit that weighs you down and draws you back to a certain place.

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