📖 Book Review #9: Day One by Abigail Dean

Nine reviews! I’m genuinely surprised at how much I’m enjoying keeping track of my reading like this. It’s making me think more carefully about what I’ve read rather than just moving straight on to the next book.

Day One is quite a powerful and unsettling read. It opens in the aftermath of a tragic school shooting in a small village. The story doesn’t focus on the event itself in a sensational way, but rather on the ripple effects — the shock, grief and suspicion that spread through the community in the days and months afterwards.

This is not an easy read, and I think it’s important to say that. The subject matter is heavy, and at times it felt uncomfortable — but deliberately so. The author explores how people react to trauma, how blame is assigned (rightly or wrongly), and how fragile a sense of safety can be.

What I found most interesting was the shifting perspectives. The novel moves between different characters, and you start to see how one event can look completely different depending on who is telling the story. It made me think about how quick we can be to judge when we don’t have all the facts.

It isn’t a fast-paced thriller in the traditional sense. It’s more psychological and reflective. There is tension, but it comes from uncertainty and emotion rather than dramatic action.

At times I did feel emotionally drained reading it — I had to put it down once or twice and come back to it. But that’s not necessarily a criticism. It simply means it had an impact.

Overall, I’d give Day One ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5. It’s thoughtful, disturbing, and very well written — just not a light read.

If you enjoy:

• Psychological drama

• Multiple perspectives

• Stories about communities under strain

• Books that tackle difficult themes

…then this may be worth considering (with the right frame of mind).

Nine books reviewed — nearly into double figures!

Victoria 📚