At least from my point of view, which is not one of an adoptee. I’m the parent of an adoptee so it provides me some insight but, obviously, that doesn’t compare.
Still, from what I do know, I appreciated what Denise Mina was trying to do here. Her Margo, being an adoptee, does not venerate her adoptive parents, nor is she secretly twisted by her circumstances, nor is she some “Rise Above It” super heroine. She’s human with human desires, human gifts, human imperfections. A human who just wants to know more about her First Mom…and gets more than she bargained for.
This is my kind of book, not because its a whodunnit, but because it’s an exploration of why violence happens, especially violence towards women. Mina has such a strong handle on class distinction, sex work, and what the big cultural chasms are for each.
Mina’s style has never been mine and this is kind of the case here. Aside from her potboiler Conviction, I’ve never connected with her prose or transitions. But I liked how she told this story and how she resolved it. I loved the humanity of it. And I should probably try harder to acquaint myself with her style as her substance is impressive.
