[REVIEW] The Butterfly Garden

If you have a liking for the same weird and effed up stories as I do, then this book is right up your alley. It begins with an unnamed girl being interrogated by the police. She and 23 other girls had just been rescued from someone named ‘The Gardener.’ We are then introduced to the story of how the girls were kidnapped and brought to a place called “The Garden.” As the story unfolds, we get deeper and deeper, and things get darker and darker. But, how does the main character fall into all of this? You will have to read to find out.

For a recommendation, this book is very reminiscent of The Cellar by Natasha Preston. Fair trigger warning for both books. Sexual assault has an occurrence in both. This is a thriller/mystery/suspense novel that pokes at the edges of group mentality and human decency.

Oh No’s

I disliked the format of the story where it would switch points of view from the interrogation room to the past. It’s not really my cup of tea and I also felt that the investigators were really two-dimensional. They were just your standard bad cop/good cop.

The author liked to go into detail about the main character’s past before her kidnapping a little too much. I had no interest in learning all of these girls stories and names only to have to learn about two dozen more names later on. It was just too much of an overload of information. I understand how it ties in to the whole story but it felt a little thrown in to me.

I did not like the twist at the very end. It was too big of a coincidence to me and therefore not very realistic. Although it did explain the main characters actions and gave them reason.

Yay’s

This book is great and the story had so many dark and dangerous twists. “The Gardener” and “Maya” were great characters and their stories were so unique to tell. The Wow factors were great as well. I’m trying to keep this a spoiler free review since this book really has some Wow factors to accommodate “The Garden” and everything that goes on inside. You will just have to read and find out the details but it is really worth it.

The lengths at which this book went to include each aspect of the kidnappings was extraordinary. From the control “Maya” was able to accomplish through this to the passive neutrality of Desmond and his active role in this. The end comes full of fury and wrath the likes of which I have not seen. The end was a true end and showed that there are truly limits you can reach.

This book was such a quick read and had quite a few twists aside from just stating facts and moving through the story line from when the main character was captured to their inevitable “escape.” It was quite a ride and the ending was extremely satisfying. Fair warning, you will have a new understanding of butterflies and it will not be the best.

Click the link below to purchase this lovely book in all it’s glory.

The Butterfly Garden (The Collector Series)

Catch ya on the next page 😉

-PM