I think this was a very interesting and good thriller. One of the best I read this year. Super gripping, really well done. Totally recommend,

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

If you like your psychological thrillers to be a fast-paced, edge of your seat, nail-biting ride, then you are in for a treat with Ms Bolton's latest stand-alone. I devoured this in one day and then had to swear off the coffee for another day until my pulse rate had returned to normal.

Felicity is studying glaciers on a small island near Antarctica, it very quickly becomes apparent that she is running from someone as she nervously checks the passenger manifestos of each ship that arrives. Her unease (is it paranoia, or are her fears genuine?) and the claustrophobic confines on the island create a palpable tension that is almost unbearable. Just as I thought I couldn't take any more, the book transported me to Cambridge, nine months earlier where Felicity is meeting with a counsellor called Joe. More is revealed about Felicity's past, but nothing is quite as it seems; Joe has secrets of his own and it seems that Felicity isn't being entirely honest with either herself or Joe. It didn't take long before my nerves were off and jangling again.
The final part of the book returns to the dangerous frozen landscape of Antarctica, where Felicity is running for her life. By this point, it has become clear that not all that pursues Felicity is tangible, but there are still a few twists and turns that had me picking my jaw up off the floor.

In short, it's a corker and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who likes a thrill.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.
I think, for me, the best thing about this book was the remote setting of South Georgia. I found that all things wonderful with its perils and pitfalls and the descriptions of the remote area and, of course, the glaciers. The rest of the book I found to be a bit predictable. I had it mostly worked out ahead of time so there were not many big reveals for me and so the book felt a bit flat throughout. I also thought that given the choice between running into the great wide open alone and staying with people who make you feel safe, I was not convinced that Felicity would do the former. Not really a spoiler as it happens right at the start of the book. But I managed to get over all of that and carry on reading to the end hoping that there would be something I hadn't accounted for that would maybe shock me into awe and wonder. There wasn't but I guess the journey wasn't all wasted as I did mostly enjoy what I had read and it did manage to drag me out of lockdown and transport me somewhere wonderful along the way.
I also had issues with Joe and his professionalism but, as he also had issues with himself, I guess I can let that go a bit. Talk about a sucker for punishment. But then again, with a mother like his, it's probably only to be expected!
Maybe I'd have loved it had I not guessed it early. I mean, I did enjoy it as the writing was good and the characters well drawn. Maybe my prevalence for this genre book has ruined me for the face slaps I should have been subjected to when certain things were revealed. That's why I rounded up my half star cos it's hardly the author's fault. But, and this is important, I have to be honest to maintain my integrity.
All in all, a solid enough read that I know I would have loved more had I not guessed it. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Felicity Lloyd is a glaciologist, working on the island of South Georgia at the beginning of this book. She fears the arrival of her husband from whom she is fleeing and when it becomes apparent that he has arrived on the last cruise ship of the summer she runs away with him not far behind. At this point the narrative goes back nine months to Cambridge where Felicity is undergoing psychological assessment by Joe after an incident of which she has no memory. Alongside this there is an ongoing investigation into the death of a young homeless woman and the disappearance of another homeless women, one who seriously injured Joe. With many incidents of memory loss, Felicity comes under suspicion for another death at which point she departs to South Georgia and the novel picks up from where it began.

I'm a fan of Sharon Bolton and have read many of her books. This one was very good and just the thing to take your mind off lockdown. Yes, you have to suspend disbelief but really, what a story! It's not perfect though. As I say, there's a lot in it that is unbelievable and to be honest I didn't really enjoy the first part of the story where Felicity was being pursued by Freddy but I soon got over that when we ended up in Cambridge. For me the best part was the use of psychology in the plot. I won't say much more for risk of spoiling the story for others but the particular psychiatric condition is a very good one to use as a plot device even if it is arguably one which many psychiatrists believe does not exist in the way described in the novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Felicity Lloyd works at a research base at the ends of the Earth. Far away from anywhere, South Georgia is the ideal place for her research into glaciation. And it’s also the ideal place for someone to hide.
Because someone is following Felicity – hunting for her, in fact. Felicity ran away to South Georgia from Cambridge to hide from a life consumed by terror. And to hide from Freddie.
But now Freddie knows where she is. And Freddie is on his way…
I’ve been a big fan of Sharon Bolton ever since accidentally reading Now You See Me (long story), especially her Falklands-set Black Little Lies, a masterclass in juggling a small class. Her books are excellent thrillers that deliver clever twists along with compelling characters and are all well worth a read.
The setting here does leave you wondering where the plot can possibly go – South Georgia is all but inhabited and a tale of someone chasing someone else around a frozen wasteland might seem a little stretched over four hundred and a bit pages, but about a quarter of the way in, we get a change – sorry, it’s too far in for me to mention without considering it a spoiler – and we gain an increased cast and many, many more questions.
This is a hard one to review without spoiling bits and pieces of it, which I obviously don’t want to do. It’s a gripping read that had me guessing which direction it was going in, with misdirections all over the place.
There is always a question of realism to balance against the psychological thrills of such a book, and I think the author does tend towards the former. I’ll be honest, I was expecting an additional twist towards the end, a final revelation which would have been a bit silly to be honest. The actual rationale given makes more sense and is much less sensational, and is probably a wiser choice.
I’ll be honest, it’s not my favourite of Sharon’s books, but do bear in mind that’s a very high bar. This is a tense, enjoyable read with characters that leap off the page and is definitely worth your time.
The Split is released on ebook tomorrow – April 30th – and in hardback on May 28th. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Orion, for the review copy.

I am a big fan of Sharon Bolton so was very excited to read her new book. This is a dark psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns, unfortunately I did see some of them coming but I still enjoyed the book nonetheless. Very well written and I loved the South Georgia setting. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Very enjoyable thriller. I loved the descriptions of South Georgia and was sorry to leave that area though the Cambridge part of the story was of course necessary background. I occasionally found it frustrating as very few answers were given along the way. At times it seems that it was more mystery piled on top of mystery. But that's probably a good thing in a mystery/thriller - though I did find myself wanting answers. Then again, it seemed that when the revelations came, they were things we already knew. But this does not in any way make the book less worth reading. It certainly kept my attention throughout.

Characterisation was good - especially Delilah - I could take more of her.

Started off really intriguingly on a remote Antarctic outpost with a thrilling chase in the making. However after this section, the narrative went back in time and after that I started to lose the various threads - it just seemed confusing to deal with so many antagonists; I'm always sceptical when one person has more than one 'nemesis' and the characters in this novel seems to have two or three apiece! I did finish it, so didn't NOT enjoy it but it didn't grip me as much as I'd hoped. Would probably make a decent movie, mind you.

Sharon Bolton must have been born with the word ‘nail-biting’ tattooed on her torso, because she is a supremely talented master of the art of creating suspense. In The Split she outdoes herself, having written a dual location thriller that had my head spinning all through the book ‘til I suspected everyone and trusted no-one.

In the first part of the book, Bolton transports us to South Georgia where Felicity Lloyd, a glaciologist, on South Georgia as part of the British Antarctic Survey team, is anxiously scanning the passenger list of the last boat to arrive in South Georgia before the summer ends and the weather shuts off access.

She’s determined that the man who is looking for her; the man who has travelled thousands of miles to find her, will not do so. And she is prepared to go to extreme lengths to make certain of that. Bolton does a fantastic job of creating the South Atlantic atmosphere. There can be fewer spooky places than an isolated set of small islands in freezing weather where danger lurks at every turn even before you bring in the human kind. From the outset you can feel the tension and Felicity’s fear drives the action forward.

Then, suddenly, we are in Cambridge some 9 months earlier where Felicity is seeing Dr. Joe Grant, a therapist. Joe is a quiet chap, who has, it turns out, quite a traumatised past of his own. His mother, Delilah is a pink haired cop just a little bit too overprotective of her grown son.

Delilah is investigating the death of a homeless woman and is looking for another rough sleeper who has now gone missing,

Felicity has gone to Joe because she has decided that the answer to her problems is to flee the country. She’s been offered the job in South Georgia and intends to take it, but she needs the sign of from a psychologist before she will be accepted to work in the remote and isolated South Georgia conditions. Joe discovers though that Felicity is having real problems. She has huge blanks in her life when she can remember nothing of what she did. She believes she has a stalker; someone who is coming into her house. She has discovered a diary but has no memory at all of ever making the entries that she reads.

As Felicity visits Joe for her sessions, it becomes clear that she has very real problems that make Joe question whether she is fit to take the offered post. But Felicity finds a way to convince Joe to sign her off and before he knows it, she has upped and left.

Now Delilah is beginning to question Felicity’s presence in locations where she is investigating and suspects her involvement in the crimes; something Joe has trouble accepting, even when the evidence seems to be staring him in the face.

Bolton’s talent is to create a series of different, seemingly unconnected strands, and to pull them together in a way that leaves the reader scratching their head and wondering how on earth they are all going to be resolved. Even when you think you have worked out parts of the answer, there are more questions to be asked, and you still don’t quite know who to believe.

The resolution, when it comes takes place in South Georgia where all the principal characters converge for an intense, chilling and dramatic finale.

Katie Scarfe’s clear and convincing narration is very well pitched and her well-modulated and understated tones ensure that the words carry the drama without being over excitable.

Verdict: Intense, dramatic and hugely atmospheric, this was a hugely enjoyable and twisty listen that kept me engrossed in the story and had a logical but unpredictable conclusion.

Sharon Bolton began her career as a novelist writing one-off thrillers before moving onto an excellent series featuring DC Lacey Flint. More recently, however, she has returned to the thriller format, with, I would say, rather mixed success. The latest of these, The Split, begins deep in the southern oceans on the British Protectorate  island of South Georgia. This is not the first time that Bolton has set a novel in these distant regions, Little Black Lies, for me her most successful thriller to date, takes place on the Falkland Islands. I have no idea what draws her to such icy climes, but it seems to inspire her writing, as this new novel is, for me, one of her very best.

Felicity Lloyd is a glaciologist working for the British Antarctic Survey and based at King Edward Point.  Out on the Konig Glacier she and her co-worker, Jack, dive down into what is known as a blue lake.

The blue lake, which forms every spring from meltwater, has been steadily accumulating for five months now. Sometime in the next few weeks, possibly even today, the ice of the lake’s bed will fracture. The lake will drain sending a hundred thousand cubic metres of meltwater through an intricate, hidden drainage system until it reaches bedrock. From there, it will flow out into the southern Atlantic Ocean. The release of so much water might be the trigger that forces the ice to break apart, to send another massive iceberg tumbling into the sea. Blue lakes, it is believed, play a crucial part in the movement of glaciers and the creation of bergs ... The plughole is a theory, completely unproven, that, at the deepest part of the lake’s bed, a weak spot of ice lies directly above a central drain.
As will become apparent, the lake, its bed’s fracture and the proposed plughole will become a metaphor for the action described in the novel.

For Felicity, getting away to the blue lake with Jack is a diversion from something that is clearly terrifying her. The last tourist boat of the season is due and Felicity is more than scared of the possibility that one of the people arriving on that boat is coming after her. The nebulous Freddie haunts both her and the novel. He has written to her telling her that he knows where she is and that nothing will stop him from coming to see her. Who Freddie is and what his relationship to Felicity may or may not be is something Bolton does not, at this stage, reveal, but the very threat of his presence is enough to send her out into the wilder reaches of the island, to an abandoned survey station haunted by the mysterious Bamber. When the boat docks, Freddie is indeed on board along with three other passengers who are clearly not there as part of the tourist trade, Joe, Delilah and Skye. Who they are and what their purpose on South Georgia might be is something we don’t find out immediately because the novel then switches trajectory and we return to England, to Cambridge, nine months earlier.

The central and largest section of the book is concerned with the run-up to Felicity leaving for Antarctica and her time spent in some form of psychiatric counselling with Joe. Following an incident which has left her quite badly injured, but of which she claims to have no memory, Felicity has been referred to him by her GP who isn’t happy to certify her fit to return to work until she has had some sort of psychiatric assessment. Gradually, over a series of meetings, it becomes apparent that she is suffering from a series of fugue episodes where several hours can pass without her being aware of what is happening and of which she has no recall thereafter.  However, what might be acting as a trigger to these incidents is not easy to assess. Joe himself is not in a much better state, this being his first day back at work after being attacked by one of the homeless people he has been trying to help. His mother, DI Delilah Jones is seriously overprotective, but she has good cause as the young woman concerned, although presumed dead, has never been found. Neither Joe nor Felicity is in a particularly healthy place and the death of another homeless woman and the disappearance of a third do nothing to help the situation.

As becomes increasingly apparent, the novel is tightly structured, both in form and layout, in a manner that reflects the developing storyline and themes and, as I have already indicated the use of imagery supports this too, especially during the climax and dénouement, for which Bolton returns to South Georgia. I very much appreciated the tightness of this book as a whole. Initially, I was slightly apprehensive because I thought it might be going to turn into a cat and mouse story with Felicity fleeing across the island pursued by the mysterious Freddie. However, the shift back in time to Cambridge provided the, for me, necessary contrast and from that point on I was completely gripped. I have been rather disappointed by Bolton’s last two books, but this is undoubtedly a return to her very best form and I recommend it strongly.

With thanks to the Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the review copy.

The Split is one of the most exciting psychological thrillers I've ever read, partly because it is set in a completely unfamiliar place: South Georgia where the bitter cold and ice was remarkably evoked by Sharon Bolton's writing.

Felicity is working on South Georgia as a glaciologist but is convinced that her abusive ex Freddie has followed her from Cambridge and means her harm. But she has memory issues and before leaving the UK has been treated by a psychiatrist, Joe, whose mother, a policewoman, also wants to find Felicity to interview her in connection with a murder.

A most complex and riveting read as Felicity's story is unravelled. I defy any reader from guessing the reason for her behaviour. I loved The Split and highly recommend it. Definitely one of my top ten books of the year. Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the opportunity to read and review the book.

One of my most anticipated books of the year and it certainly didn’t disappoint! I’ve been loving my audiobooks during this lockdown as I’m up and out early every morning with my dog and listening to an audiobook is keeping me going when sometimes all I really want to do is turn around and run home, shutting myself away from the surreal village I now live in. And The Split certainly took my mind away from the quiet streets as I fell into this compelling psychological thriller.

Part one of The Split starts on the island of South Georgia as we meet Felicity who has chosen to escape to the island to work as a researcher, as she hides away from a stalker who is always searching for her. To be honest in part one I did take a while to get used to the narrator but by part two, I couldn’t imagine anyone else reading this gripping book as she captures the personalities and voices of the characters perfectly. It was in part two that everything came together for me with some shocking revelations and development of a plot that wasn’t going in quite the direction I thought it would!

Felicity was a complex character, her relationships with her work colleagues seemed strained with her not really opening up to them or being herself and there is someone else on the island who also seems to have a few secrets to hide from the small population that resides there. Once the plot steps back to Cambridge, things became clearer but also more muddled if that makes sense as more characters are introduced. I liked Joe but dear oh dear oh dear…”Joe…you are so NOT IN THE RIGHT JOB!” I wanted to climb inside the book and shout this at him many, MANY times! I mean, I took to him as he seems to be a good, honest person but he did annoy me as he seemed unable to see the signals that were flashing right before his eyes! The Cambridge settings really bought this part of the book alive for me though and I thoroughly enjoyed this part of The Split.

I was gripped, shocked and horrified by the twists and turns this book took. There are plenty of characters to love and to hate and a narrative that takes the reader through a wide range of emotions. I think listening to this rather than reading it really brought the shocks home to me as there were times I wanted to stick my fingers in my ears and sing loudly to block out what I knew was coming! This is definitely one of my favourite audiobooks of the year. Just loved it!

A thriller that takes you from the vast ice covered landscape of the Antarctic island of South Georgia, to the narrow streets and cloisters of Cambridge.

The Split is part psychological thriller and murder mystery with a nod to the dark Nordic thrillers. The main character Felicity is a complex character who's story and true nature unfold throughout the story. We are first introduced to her as she works at the research facility in South Georgia and soon discover that she is fearfully of someone finding her there. The Author then takes us back to discover how and why Felicity is there in the first place and what she is fearful of.

I really enjoyed this book and unlike a lot of thrillers was not able to work out the conclusion half way through. I changed my mind on what I thought the outcome was going to be a number of times, which is credit to the writing and imagination of the author Sharon Bolton. I look forward to discovering more of her books both past and future publications,

Thanks go to the publishers and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review..

This stand alone novel by Sharon Bolton that is an excellent read although it did take awhile for me personally to get into it.
Felicity Lloyd travels with her work to the remote Antarctic island of South Georgia to escape her abusive ex, Freddie. Freddie was serving time for murder and now released is on Felicity's trail. There is only one more cruise ship of the season and Felicity plans to hide until it leaves again to remain safe.
The book goes back a few moths to tell of Felicity's time in Cambridge when she was seeing psychiatrist Dr. Joe Grant.
There are many interesting characters in this book and certainly some shocking twists and turns that lead up to a thrilling climax. I found this book a little complicated at first which is probably why it took me a while to get into but once I was up to speed wow.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Orion Publishing Group for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Sharon Bolton’s new novel The Split, is partially set amongst the magnificent glaciers in South Georgia where Felicity has signed up to work to hide away from her husband Freddie but Felicity keeps loosing time and has no memory of their wedding, all she knows is she is scared, but she doesn’t know of what. Normally I like Sharon Bolton’s novels but I thought this one was a bit disjointed, it’s not a bad book but it did jump around a bit which for myself I found distracting.

Below review will go live on 28 April for the audiobook tour:

Hi and welcome to my review of The Split by Sharon Bolton! Huge thanks to Alex Layt @ the Orion Publishing Group for the tour invite and the audiobook!

Back in 2016, I listened to Daisy in Chains and I fell head over heels for Ms Bolton’s writing, so much so that I ended up buying the paperback as well, and then I went back and read every single book she’d ever written. And I loved them all, they’re all solid four or five star reads for me, so when I heard about The Split I was on tenterhooks and that’s putting it mildly. I was over the moon when I got the tour invite and the second I received the audiobook I literally dropped everything to listen to it.

When I’m so familiar with an author’s oeuvre I can’t help but compare their latest novel to their previous ones. I’d say The Split is in line with Ms Bolton earlier standalone thrillers in terms of atmosphere and that certain je-ne-sais-quoi, cleverness perhaps, or a play on perception, so if you loved those, you’ll love this one, and if you’re new to Ms Bolton, this is as good a place to start as any. The vibe was especially reminiscent of Little Black Lies, what with the remote location and the overall darkness of the story.

The Split is set in South Georgia, and let me be painfully honest: I had never heard of the place before this book (what can I say, I know a little about a lot, but geography will never be my strong suit). This, by the way, is typical of Sharon Bolton novels: I always learn so much from her books, without ever feeling like I’m being lectured. So, in case you’re as hopeless as I am: South Georgia is an island in the Atlantic Ocean and a British Overseas territory. In other words: remote, desolate, scarcely populated. Or: the perfect setting for an atmospheric psychological thriller!

In the opening part of The Split we find ourselves in South Georgia in the company of glaciologist Felicity. She’s on edge because she’s expecting company in this unlikeliest of places, Freddie is coming for her and that terrifies her. Chapters alternate between Felicity and Freddy, what is their connection, and what happened between them to make them both so desperate, her to get away, him to get to her?

Leaving the reader with many questions and zero answers, the story subsequently takes us to Cambridge in the months leading up to Felicity’s departure for South Georgia. She has been attacked but can’t remember a thing, and she is forced to seek counselling. Her psychiatrist Joe soon discovers she’s a tough nut to crack, what is she hiding from him and even from herself? Chapters alternate between the two, and it’s clear as day that they are both fighting demons, and quite possibly themselves and their memories.

Whatever you think this book is about, it’s probably not that. I cottoned on to the main underlying theme rather soon, but I had not expected it there and although the big reveal didn’t come as a surprise because I had seen it coming, I thoroughly enjoyed getting there. My lips are sealed, I won’t risk spoiling any surprises, but I do want to reveal one little something that might be triggering so I want to address that real quick: there is a tiny (child) abuse storyline, really only a fraction of the story, but it broke my heart, so I’m just putting this little warning out there.

The Split is narrated by Katie Scarfe, I listened to her before (and odds are you have too, she’s narrated lots of books) and it was a pleasure to listen to her again. She tweaks her voice to accommodate the various characters, and there was one particular voice that popped up unexpectedly while I was listening in the dark and it nearly scared me to death, marvellous job!

The Split is a broodingly atmospheric psychological thriller that messes with your head and remains suspenseful until the last chapter. Recommended!

It's only April but i know this is going to be one of my top ten books come the end of the year. The Split is an amazingly well written book. It starts in the cold remote wilderness of the Antarctic then takes you back to the streets of Cambridge. I immediately loved Felicity and felt such a strong connection with her. It has elements of my favorite Nordic noir as well an incredible psychological thriller. I never knew where the next twists would take me and as the dark menace of Felicity's husband Freddie crept closer and closer i was on the edge of my seat. I loved this so much and wish i could give it more than five stars.

A very complex book that reaches into mental health issues and illness as well as domestic violence.
The book is centred around Felicity, a member of the BAS research effort and her determined escape from the horrors of her life to Antarctica and dots between her now in her research posting and 9 months previous in Cambridge, where a series of murders is happening to the homeless community and Felicity feels threatened by strange goings on in her home.
This book is full of suspense in both timelines and it is only as the truth about Felicity is revealed that things drop into place and begin to make more sense.
Felicity is a well written character and her nervousness, anxiety and terror really affected me as I read the book and found myself pulled deeper into her psyche. I thoroughly enjoyed the reveal towards the end of the book that tied up several loose ends that had run in the background.
Overall a great read, well written and well concluded!

The Split is an outstanding psychological thriller that is throbbing with suspense and suspicion. A past that is slowly uncloaked, revealing dark and horrific crimes that are haunting and driving alarming consequences in the present.

“Felicity crawls into the cupboard and wraps the duvet around her as she settles herself into the corner. She balances the pillow against the wall and goes to sleep. And finally, like the last trace of a dream, she remembers what the voice in her ear said to her: He’s coming.”

The story starts on the island of South Georgia close to Antarctica and home to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in the region. Felicity Lloyd is a world expert glaciologist on a two-year project on South Georgia to study the formation and movement of glaciers. Towards the end of her first summer, she gets more and more agitated as she anticipates the last tourist ship to dock before the Island goes into winter shut down. Felicity’s unrest is almost palpable as she waits to see the passenger manifest and if Freddie has finally tracked her down to this remote part of the world. She has an escape plan prepared and when she finally sees Freddie she flees on a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) to another small island. Only, Freddie saw her too and he is in pursuit.

I loved the location choices which worked so well in the story and the landscape of such a desolate island adds to the foreboding and chilling atmosphere of the story. The ghosts of thousands of workers from a time when South Georgia hosted a massive whaling operation, now echo in deserted settlements and half-sunken ships. The wind whistles through the rusted frames of buildings long passed their usefulness. Remaining for when the whales would return, but they never did. An eerie place that threatens unsafe dangers and now the added menace of a man that has tracked Felicity to the far ends of the Earth.

The next part of the story reverts back to Cambridge, England, nine months before Felicity takes up the position in South Georgia and she needs a clean bill of health and mental assessment from her doctor and her physiatrist. Dr Joe Grant is Felicity’s physiatrist but has just returned to work following the death of a patient who was obsessed with him. Joe genuinely wants to help Felicity as he can see personality disorders but she just wants to get clearance as easy as possible so she can getaway. Does she have a personality disorder, is she being drugged or is someone playing games with her mind. Meanwhile more disappearances occur and strange alarming situations develop, all handled brilliantly by Sharon Bolton. The plotting is superb as the layers of complexity and supposition mount to provide an enthralling and captivating story. The momentum of the novel is perfectly pitched and builds to a climactic conclusion.

It is also worth recognising the wonderful writing from Sharon Bolton, as she crafts such vivid images and psychological turmoil. I would highly recommend this book and I would like to thank Orion Publishing, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy in return for an honest review.
Of interest, Grytviken on South Georgia is where you find the grave of Sir Ernest Shackleton.

I enjoyed this novel tremendously. The plot was well crafted and the characters were people I could relate to and empathize with. Definitely recommended.