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cvtherin's Reviews > The Sanatorium
The Sanatorium (Detective Elin Warner, #1)
by
by
Siiigh. Need to gather my thoughts first before giving my review.
---
Okay. So.
Where to even start?
Based on the synopsis, I was expecting a fun mystery/thriller with some creepy asylum references thrown in; based on the cover and blurb, it had a very Shining-esque vibe and I was intrigued with where it was going to go.
Instead, it was a bloated mess of one predictable plot twist after another. I don't mind plot twists being predictable so long as the writing can back it up and make it fun and ... it didn't do it for me. Add on to the fact that there were so many, it got tiring real fast. It had more twists than a soap opera on a Friday - it really felt like the book was trying to one up the reader in a way. Like, ha! Did you see that coming?! Did you? Well, what about this!?
I didn't like any of the characters, especially the main. Elin is supposed to be our damaged detective on leave who through a series of events ends up working the case. But where most detectives would have a chip on their shoulder and most likely a drinking problem, Elin is an emotional mess and lets the men in her life treat her like shit, while also not being like the other girls.
She suspects her oldest brother killed their younger brother during a camping trip and is determined to find out once and for all (!) if he really did the thing, then turns around and is surprised (and hurt!) that he doesn't confide his relationship problems with her. Because estranged siblings tell each other everything, natch.
Add on, to her emotionally dumping on him when he's grieving for his murdered fiance. Like, wtf? Read the room? Then at the end of the book, they're supposed to be super tight and it just felt weird. Sibling dynamics are always fascinating to me but this relationship made me glad to be an only child.
Her mans is an unsupportive asshat who just wants her to move on but at the same time doesn't think Elin will return back to work and is lowkey pressuring her to marry. When shit goes down and the sanatorium/inn closes, he immediately wants to dip and the *one* time he does actively support Elin and goes with her so her dumbass doesn't get hurt, he's badly injured and I just .... kind of found it hilarious. Like, I don't think he's gonna make that mistake again. Lol.
Elin also occasionally had "pick me" moments where she would notice not being like the other girls and woe to her for not understanding the "whole feminine thing" which included this gem: "She knew they were out there, a tribe of women with glossy hair and dextrous fingers that knew how to twist and tease their hair into complex styles" - it felt very dated. And Elin makes a point of commenting on other women's appearances. I think it was meant to be a set up for how Elin noticed clues to who the killer was (via nail polish chips) that a male detective may have missed. But it felt cringey most of the times because it came across as shallow and "I'm so ugly uwu".
The Big Reveal was both predictable and meh. I can appreciate a revenge plot even a weak one because you can argue that the character seeking revenge becomes unhinged and their plans warped. But the tack on of wanting to bring to light the abuse against women ... by killing women was uh, not good.
Then, it took *ages* to wrap up and I just did. not. care.
And then, lo and behold. Another fucking twist at the end.
I don't know if this is supposed to be a hook for another book (a sequel? a series?) or if it was just supposed to end on a creepy note but it left me feeling rather irritated.
---
Okay. So.
Where to even start?
Based on the synopsis, I was expecting a fun mystery/thriller with some creepy asylum references thrown in; based on the cover and blurb, it had a very Shining-esque vibe and I was intrigued with where it was going to go.
Instead, it was a bloated mess of one predictable plot twist after another. I don't mind plot twists being predictable so long as the writing can back it up and make it fun and ... it didn't do it for me. Add on to the fact that there were so many, it got tiring real fast. It had more twists than a soap opera on a Friday - it really felt like the book was trying to one up the reader in a way. Like, ha! Did you see that coming?! Did you? Well, what about this!?
I didn't like any of the characters, especially the main. Elin is supposed to be our damaged detective on leave who through a series of events ends up working the case. But where most detectives would have a chip on their shoulder and most likely a drinking problem, Elin is an emotional mess and lets the men in her life treat her like shit, while also not being like the other girls.
She suspects her oldest brother killed their younger brother during a camping trip and is determined to find out once and for all (!) if he really did the thing, then turns around and is surprised (and hurt!) that he doesn't confide his relationship problems with her. Because estranged siblings tell each other everything, natch.
Add on, to her emotionally dumping on him when he's grieving for his murdered fiance. Like, wtf? Read the room? Then at the end of the book, they're supposed to be super tight and it just felt weird. Sibling dynamics are always fascinating to me but this relationship made me glad to be an only child.
Her mans is an unsupportive asshat who just wants her to move on but at the same time doesn't think Elin will return back to work and is lowkey pressuring her to marry. When shit goes down and the sanatorium/inn closes, he immediately wants to dip and the *one* time he does actively support Elin and goes with her so her dumbass doesn't get hurt, he's badly injured and I just .... kind of found it hilarious. Like, I don't think he's gonna make that mistake again. Lol.
Elin also occasionally had "pick me" moments where she would notice not being like the other girls and woe to her for not understanding the "whole feminine thing" which included this gem: "She knew they were out there, a tribe of women with glossy hair and dextrous fingers that knew how to twist and tease their hair into complex styles" - it felt very dated. And Elin makes a point of commenting on other women's appearances. I think it was meant to be a set up for how Elin noticed clues to who the killer was (via nail polish chips) that a male detective may have missed. But it felt cringey most of the times because it came across as shallow and "I'm so ugly uwu".
The Big Reveal was both predictable and meh. I can appreciate a revenge plot even a weak one because you can argue that the character seeking revenge becomes unhinged and their plans warped. But the tack on of wanting to bring to light the abuse against women ... by killing women was uh, not good.
Then, it took *ages* to wrap up and I just did. not. care.
And then, lo and behold. Another fucking twist at the end.
I don't know if this is supposed to be a hook for another book (a sequel? a series?) or if it was just supposed to end on a creepy note but it left me feeling rather irritated.
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The weird ass coffee klatch with Isacc and Will, where they dish on each other and everyone else? What the hell? I know, I know, they're supposed to be guys, but...No? It just didn't work, and the fact that she kept like bringing the investigation back to them rather than BEING A DETECTIVE was just insane to me.
Stuff happens, and she brings it back to the klach to ACCUSE ISSAC?! Ug.
And honestly, I don't think Will exists. Seriously. The boyfriend is not real. Let's break it down.
She runs either half a 10k or half a 20k and meets him, alone, making food on some promontory, and he's all like, "Ooooo, incredibly gross sweaty girl, come over here and share my repast!" I was distance runner for a long time, and I'm an introvert, but even an introverted distance runner can't imagine this meet/cute. No. This is not a thing that happens in the world.
Then they're together, but not together together (she maintains her distance, won't cohabitate, he won't push her)...
And then we're introduced to them, where she's having all these issues, and he steps in (Super-ego), to tell her what she's supposed to do? And then for the whole book where there is apparent agency, he's the opposite of whatever she does. If she's feeling good about herself, he's down on her. If she's feeling bad about herself, he bucks her up. If she's helpless, he's the one who saves her.
Classic projection. He's her subconscious, trying to save her from her incredibly toxic and dysfunctional consciousness.
It may not be real, but really, if it were, wouldn't it make the book better?