I was a huge fan of Kimi Cunningham Grant’s 2021 release These Silent Woods. I loved the mixture of beautiful writing and a complex father/daughter relationship. I was so excited to see what The Nature of Disappearing gave us.
Once again, the debate about what should be considered a ‘Thriller’ has arisen. I love Thrillers, but I think slapping it on every mystery or book with some suspense does these books a disservice. Similar to These Silent Woods this is an atmospheric story in nature with a slow burn mystery plot. There, now you’re ready to read this book with correct expectations. I digress.
There were multiple things I really loved about this book. I was quickly invested into the story, and I think Grant is such a fabulous writer, especially when it comes to depicting nature. It’s not a very long book so it can be read quickly; but at 304 pages it was a slow burn plot wise.
Plotwise, I struggled. It wasn’t as put together as I would have liked, and there were quite a few things that felt forced. While Emlyn is described as a highly skilled/trained wilderness guide and highly intelligent, she makes a ton of dumb decisions, and I just couldn’t seem to connect at all with her. Her ex and current ‘love interest’ both felt like subplots trying to bully their way into relevance and it just didn’t work for me.
The Nature of Disappearing really failed to provide any suspense for me and didn’t feel fully flushed out. There were too many avenues trying to take center stage and closed with an ending that felt rushed and out there. If you’re looking for a well written story and are more interested in the atmosphere then this one is for you; but thriller lovers will be disappointed.
The Nature of Disappearing comes out June 18, 2024. Thank you to Minotaur Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
