Happy New Year! Let’s get started with Rapid Falls by Amber Cowie
Happy 2019 Everyone First day of the year done and first two
books are done. I feel so accomplished. I
had heard Rapid Falls was a good psychological thriller most of my friends know
I love a good thriller so when Victor suggested I read this I was all set to
go. It is the debut novel of writer
Amber Cowie. The book follows Anna and Cara, two sisters born a year apart,
through dual timelines (the late 1990s and 2016). They are involved in a fatal
accident the night of Cara’s high school prom. Anna, who was supposed to serve
as the designated driver, is charged with a felony DUI and sentenced to three
years in prison. the story moves between the late nineties and 2016.
Cowie reveals the events leading to the accident slowly, so the reader begins
to parse together what really happened. Anna’s life goes down the drain after
her term in prison while Cara achieves her perfect life with a wonderful
husband, daughter, and job. However, not all is as it seems, and twists are
rampant. I found this well written and very well paced and loved the idea that
not all is as it seems in Rapid Falls.
Rapid Falls deals with unpleasant topics as revealed by two unpleasant sisters.
Sparked by a truly toxic family background, sibling rivalry, drug and alcohol
addiction, and jealousy permeate through the book, slowly simmering to a
full-blown boil. Anyone who has experienced challenging relationships with
their parents and/or siblings will immediately recognize the authenticity of
the family dynamics. I found myself feeling bad for the parents of these two
young women as the story goes on but once you read you will see why.
As Rapid Falls progresses, Cara, the protagonist, becomes the more unlikable
character. Many of the other characters, like her husband, are minimally developed,
seen only through the narrow slit of Cara’s point-of-view. , making it
difficult to spend an entire book with her. None of the other characters are
well developed. We only get to know them through the narrow spectrum of Cara’s
viewpoint.
I would not consider this so much a thriller, as an intense, tense family drama
about a sociopath. If you feel a villain should get a just punishment, you’ll
probably be disappointed by the ending. All and all a solid four star read and
a good way to start 2019.
