Book Review: The Cousins

By Karen M. McManus 

3 Stars 

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus is about three distant cousins, Lucy, Milo, and Em, who come together during a summer visit to work at their grandmother's island resort. However, as they spend the summer on the island, they quickly discover that their family's history is filled with dark and mysterious secrets, and the journey to uncover the truth about their fractured family begins. I liked that the author chose to center the story on family relationships; it was a nice change from her usual kinds of books because it focused on family bonds and the impact of hidden family secrets, which I found interesting. However, there were a few things I didn't like. The story lacked a lot of excitement and tension, which made it a bit dull at times.

I didn't have that overwhelming curiosity I do when I read other thriller/mystery books. Additionally, when there were unexpected twists, it just seemed out of the blue and far-fetched, so it didn't make sense. Moreover, the pacing of the plot was slow. I wished the story moved along a bit faster because I felt like it dragged on in some parts. Lastly, there wasn't much character development in the book, which I would have preferred. But I still came to love the characters regardless. Overall, The Cousins is an average read. It's not the most thrilling book, but it does have some good points about family and secrets, so I would rate it 3/5.  

Reviewed by Sofea 

View in Library Catalogue: Print