Bad Fruit- A Novel by Ella King

4.5 (2)
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Web ID: 16849994

A blistering psychological thriller. The New York Times Book Review "A compelling debut that fizzes with tension from start to finish, blending the subtle erudition of literary fiction with the drama and suspense of the very best thrillers. Masterful in its evocation of the complexity of mother-daughter relationships, this is a darkly fascinating, tightly plotted narrative from a writer to watch." Harper's Bazaar UK Just graduated from high school and waiting to start college at Oxford, Lily lives under the scrutiny of her volatile Singaporean mother, May, and is unable to find kinship with her elusive British father, Charlie. When May suspects that Charlie is having an affair, there's only one thing that calms May down- a glass of perfectly spoiled orange juice served by Lily, who must always taste it first to make sure it's just right. As her mother becomes increasingly unhinged, Lily starts to have flashbacks that she knows aren't her own. Over a sweltering London summer, all semblance of civility and propriety is lost, as Lily begins to unravel the harrowing history that has always cast a shadow on her mother. The horrifying secrets she uncovers will shake her family to its core, culminating in a shattering revelation that will finally set Lily free. Beautiful and shocking, Bad Fruit is as compulsive as it is thought-provoking, as nuanced as it is explosive.

  • Product Features

    • Suggested age range- Adult
    • Format- Hardcover
    • Dimension- 5.7" W x 8.4" H x 1.2" D
    • Genre- Mystery and Thriller
    • Publisher- Astra Publishing House, Publication date- 08-23-2022
    • Page count- 256
    • ISBN- 9781662601491
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Ratings & Reviews

4.5/5

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2 years ago

A disturbing/good read!

Lily lives with her parents - Singaporean mother May and British father Charlie - when she starts to have hallucinations. BAD FRUIT explores the most toxic and dysfunctional aspect about mother-daughter relationship while brilliantly capturing the unbearable weight of inherited trauma. King exposes how past traumas often define one's sick behavior, although the manipulative/abusive nature shouldn't all be justified by it. This is a disturbing read in which one feels bothered by the trauma and child abuse. I wasn't expecting this one to be as devastating as it was, furthermore, I found it very thought-provoking. Readers will be consumed by this book and the horrifying secrets uncovered. The story shows that "BAD” FRUIT is an understatement (more like "rotten fruit").

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com

2 years ago
from UK

Compelling, sinister & difficult to put down

Bad Fruit is one of those books which stands out and stays in your head for a very long time. I would not say I ‘enjoyed’ reading it, but I did find it compelling, sinister and difficult to put down. Our main character is Lily, a girl who is obedient and attentive to ‘Mama’ and ‘Daddy’ whom she lives with before she heads off to University at the end of the summer. Her mother is controlling and manipulative, getting her daughter to change her appearance (with hair dye, contact lenses and makeup) to appear a certain way and even going as far to make Lily taste her preferred spoilt orange juice for her each morning. We see the whole story through Lily’s eyes although when she starts to get flashbacks of her mother’s past we grow doubts about how reliable Lily is as a narrator and also how truthful Mama is being with her past. Bad Fruit is quite a slow burn, but it keeps you hooked throughout and the sense of unease is compelling. I could not put it down in places hoping for a good outcome for Lily. The characters, although cruel felt well-rounded and fleshed out and the book felt realistic in its portrayal of cruelty. Overall Bad Fruit is not an enjoyable read but it is an engaging one - a toxic tale that will keep you hooked. Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins UK – Harper Fiction for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com