I didn’t love this book even though I loved the premise of it. I’m obsessed with reading/learning about the prison system, particularly the prison industrial complex in America but fell this book fell short. To me, there were too many point of views, and the constant shift often left me confused as I tried to remember who’s story I was reading, or frustrated as I longed to read more about another character.
This should’ve been a story solely about Romy, with a few of the other characters thrown in to provide colour. Romy’s story felt diluted as we constantly shifted to learn about the characters around her, including other inmates, guards and the victim of her crime. I would’ve liked to have followed Romy’s journey throughout the entire story, and seen through her eyes the injustices she faced when she was given a double-life sentence for murdering a man who obsessively stalked her (Romy was a stripper at San Franciso’s Mars Room and her victim was a customer).
This review seems to fall a bit short but I’m having trouble pin-pointing exactly what was missing for me. I’m putting it down to point-of-view and not being able to connect with any of the characters, but others may find this style enjoyable and so for them, this book would be worth reading.
Marisa Jones Author 