Thursday, August 4, 2022

Book Review: The Craigslist Incident

I am trying to really catch up on reviews, but I also have some fun family things to post about soon, so I've got lots to do. The rest of our summer looks pretty lame, but I'm trying to squeeze one or two more fun things into this last month. Stay tuned!

The Craigslist Incident - Jason Fisk

In The Craigslist Incident, Edna Barrett takes an advertisement out on Craigslist: I’m an 18-year-old female and I want to take a hit out on myself. Joe Dolsen, a 20-year-old who has suffered from periodic blackouts his whole life, answers the ad. What would bring two people to such ominous points at such young ages, and will they actually go through with it?
OK, wow. This book was actually an emotional gut punch that I wasn't at all expecting. I knew going in these two characters have heavy backstories, but I thought it would get lighter and almost a happily ever after, you know? Turns out that isn't it at all. Edna and Joe each have their own awful backstories so you find yourself rooting for them because surely it can't get worse, right? 

Well, turns out it actually can. The book features mental health struggles, and completely dysfunctional families, and you know it has to be bad if an 18 year old young woman takes an ad out to have a hitman end her life. I mean... think about that. Enter a 20 year old guy, definitely not in a great place himself, decides that yup- he can totally do this job. The story sounds completely bananas at this point but it gets even more bizarre and I found myself just so sad, and upset for each of them, and I just kept hoping somehow this would all turn around for everyone. 

As a mom, this story broke my heart. As someone who struggles with mental health myself, and I've battled thoughts of suicide at different points in my life, I could relate and understand the feels Edna had. I will say for a book that doesn't even come in at 250 pages, there was so much packed in, but done very well. 

There are some triggers which readers need to know about, and those include abuse and rape, and obviously suicide. Interestingly though, there are two endings for this book. I actually have only read one other book like that before, but this one is almost like a choose-your-own-ending book from our childhood. I felt like that really enhanced the book for me, even though I already really liked this one. I definitely want to read more from Jason Fisk, I'm already anxiously awaiting the next book. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for having me on this tour! If you're looking for something a little offbeat, a little different, I definitely think this is one you should be looking at. 

This post contains affiliate links. 

1 comment:

Jason Fisk said...

Thank you for the kind review!!