Becoming Marlow Fin

Becoming Marlow Fin

Author: Ellen Von Steil

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publish Date: July 23, 2024

I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*NO SPOILERS HERE.

    Wow. This book blew me away. Ellen Von Steil has crafted a tale with so many twists and turns, that you'll never see the end coming. Patrick and Stella Baek are spending the week at their lake cabin, along with their daughter, Isla, and Patrick's mother, known as Moni. A blended Korean-American family, things are pretty much perfect. Except...

    Except Patrick and Stella have begun fighting. Moni tries to shield Isla from their fights as best she can. Isla knows that something is very wrong between them, but she doesn't know why they fight so often.

    Just as their week at the lake is ending, Isla finds a young black girl alone in the woods near the cabin during a violent storm. Covered in dirt and leaves, the child has no memory of how she got there. She only knows that her name is Marlow. The Baeks take in the young girl, eventually adopting her as their own. But it soon becomes evident that Marlow has a dark side.

    At age 17, Marlow is discovered by a modeling agent. She is soon known worldwide as Marlow Fin. Normally very secretive, Marlow decides to grant an interview with one, carefully selected, journalist. The entire world leans in to finally discover....who is Marlow Fin? How did she get to the lake that mysterious night?  What evil acts is she actually capable of?

Told in turns by Isla, Marlow's interview, and a stranger who seems fascinated with the Baeks, this book is well-crafted. Steil is an amazing writer. leading the reader on a wild ride with hairpin turns and an ending the reader will never expect. I highly recommend this book!