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'The Great Escape' Review

Apple_Brooklyn's The Great Escape was a thrilling read that touched upon the difficulties of identity, family legacy, and trauma. While I only read the first twenty-four chapters, I enjoyed what I read and I hope the author continues writing, whether this particular story and/or an entirely different one!

What I enjoyed:

-As I have mentioned in previous reviews, I am not naturally drawn to the supernatural genre, but The Great Escape's ability to dive into the intricacies of identity within the novel's supernatural world definitely drew me in. I appreciated how much care was given to Ada's storyline as she grapples with the discrimination her family has faced as witches as well as being a witch forced to hide her identity in order to survive. These are struggles that many can relate to in real life.

-Another aspect of the story that I enjoyed was how the narrative tackled kindness and selfishness. I loved how we see the kindness and love between Ada and her friends who all share the burden of being servants at the mansion as well as the complexity of Lady Kiara's and Lea's attempts to live up to their values. The characters are all trapped within systems of class and discrimination and we see through their choices how they manage to survive and support one another. On the other hand, we also get a glimpse at extreme violence and selfishness. I would be interested in seeing as the story goes on how these tensions are resolved thematically.

-In general, the story does a fantastic job of emphasizing the tension within the scarier parts of the tale and allowing the readers to really get inside the characters' minds. There definitely were moments where I had to pause and take a breath because I was feeling just as frightened as one of the characters. The mystery elements of the story are certainly intriguing and kept me turning the page.

What I thought could be better:

-Since the story isn't finished yet, I can't really be too critical, but I would love the story to explore the complexity of Lady Kiara even more. She is already introduced as a complicated character who claims to want to protect witches and cares about her servants but also isn't afraid to spy and keep secrets. I hope as the story goes on, we get to see her really engage with the difficulties of enacting her ideals and whether or not she will have the motivation to push forward or will fall into cynicism. All the characters within the novel are set up very nicely and I would love to see how they continue to evolve over the course of the story.

I really enjoyed reading The Great Escape and I recommend the story to anyone looking for an exciting supernatural tale with a wide range of characters that explores the nuances of identity, legacy, and trauma.

Reviewer: Darcy Hongyue