You Will Know Me
By: Megan Abbott
Publication Date: July 26, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Katie and Eric Knox have dedicated their lives to their fifteen-year-old daughter Devon, a gymnastics prodigy and Olympic hopeful. But when a violent death rocks their close-knit gymnastics community just weeks before an all-important competition, everything the Knoxes have worked so hard for feels suddenly at risk. As rumors swirl among the other parents, revealing hidden plots and allegiances, Katie tries frantically to hold her family together while also finding herself drawn, irresistibly, to the crime itself, and the dark corners it threatens to illuminate. From a writer with “exceptional gifts for making nerves jangle and skin crawl,” You Will Know Me is a breathless rollercoaster of a novel about the desperate limits of desire, jealousy, and ambition.
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I received a pre-release ARC from BookSparks’ Summer Reading Challenge 2016 in exchange for an honest review.
I was really excited when I saw this in my #SRC2016 July box because I was a gymnast for a decent part of my childhood and have religiously followed the US gymnastics team in the Olympics for as long as I can remember. You Will Know Me follows from the third-person perspective of Katie, mother of Devon and wife of Eric. The thing I love most about this novel is that it hasn’t been done, as far as I’ve read anyway.
The characters in this story are very well-developed, with growth from beginning to end. I found myself intrigued by the arcs of even the minor characters intertwined throughout. I also enjoyed Katie’s internally dialogue, especially as a mom. I’ve only been a parent for a little under a year, but I can already understand her actions and reactions to the events in this story. The other moms are very jealous of Devon’s talents. Abbott does a good job with the description of reactions, gymnastics movements, and other sensory details throughout the story.
Overall, the story was well-constructed and kept my interested. Released in perfect timing for the Rio Summer Olympics, I was that much more drawn into the story. Definitely worth a look, especially for past gymnasts like myself.
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The Final Countdown
Characterization – 3/5 Stars
Dialogue– 3/5 Stars
Plot – 4/5 Stars
Visual Imagery – 3.5/5 Stars
Structure/Pacing/Editing – 4/5 Stars
Ending – 3.5/5 Stars
Total: 3.5 Stars
Links
Amazon – Kindle Buy Link
Amazon – Hardcover Buy Link
Amazon – Paperback Buy Link
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