Review: Do Not Become Alarmed by Maile Meloy

Do Not Become Alarmed by Maile Meloy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The primary focus of this novel is fairly simple – families go on a cruise, go ashore for an adventure and a series of events change everyone’s lives forever. This book really explores some interesting themes – parental power, privilege, the illusionary aspects of safety, and the way events can change relationships in unexpected ways. I think this book really excelled as an exploration of privilege. It is a thriller in many ways and the action keeps the story moving along at a nice pace. There were a few spots where the story got stuck and didn’t move for a bit.

It’s the story behind the story that really interested me. The exploration of privilege was quite well done. The adult characters were frustrating given their narcissistic, obsessive tendencies. They were very difficult to like or relate to. I had a difficult time respecting them. I did enjoy the younger characters. Watching them deal with the various aspects of the events surrounding them was interesting.

I think one of the things that made the book feel a bit off for me is it almost felt like it couldn’t decide what it wanted to be – a thriller, a family drama or a satiric look at privilege. As a result, it felt a little uneven as a whole book. But, it kept my attention and was actually quite a good read so I do recommend it if the synopsis of the book sounds interesting to you!