Amazon.com.au:Customer reviews: In an Instant

Reviewed in Australia on 27 June 2021

This book captured me instantly and I couldn’t put it down, I loved the way it was written and from the view point of Finn. It gave a perspective of the other characters you wouldn’t normally see which I found really interesting.
My only slight issue with the book is that I don’t feel Oz character was represented well and at points didn’t feel comfortable with what was written about him .

Overall a great book

Helpful

deerose

Beautiful and thought provoking

Reviewed in Australia on 23 March 2021

Verified Purchase

This was a sad and beautiful story. I loved the perspective of Finn who hovered between life and death and gave her perspective on events and people. I also liked the author’s personal story at the end. It will really make me think twice with leaving my kids in others hands.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

A MOVING NARRATIVE 4.5 STARS

Reviewed in Australia on 20 June 2020

'In an Instant' is a story about one person's unique observations of the various actions and reactions of family (and others) following a life changing, dreadful accident. The observer is sixteen year old Finn, as she oversees and processes the various human emotions that follow the tragedy, including: survival, guilt, bereavement and reconciliation.

The author's approach to telling the narrative (and I won't give too much away) is very moving, as we readers also experience what Finn sees and feels, along with her own sense of helplessness. Through Finn, we witness the unpacking of this deeply character-based plot and the unfolding of the stages of grief, as well as secrets and revelations.

Given the insightful writing, I wasn't surprised to find that author, Suzanne Redfearn, had experienced a similar circumstance as a younger person. In turn, that experience inspired her to write 'In an Instant'.

I'm not sure if the book will be appreciated by everyone, as it is frankly, very sad, but it's also touching, heartfelt and well-written.

Helpful

Jacykay

In an Instant

Reviewed in Australia on 29 September 2020

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this book immensely, the story line was very different from other stories.I found looking through Finn’s eyes at the other characters was very moving.The story made me wonder how I would react under such gruelling circumstances and I hope I would do the right thing but I just don’t know!!!

Helpful

Barb

Heartbreaking but I wouldn’t have missed this book for the world

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 February 2020

Verified Purchase

Brilliantly written, such a sad and awful tragedy for everyone involved but beautifully told with some humour, mainly from Finn, (it isn’t unremittingly bleak) and with such a depth of feeling. Ultimately, the tragedy and it’s aftermath can’t be undone, everyone is altered in some way but light does begin to shine and some good things do eventually start happen.
I read this book over the weekend, it is now Monday and I can’t stop thinking about it - that’s never happened before!
I haven’t mentioned the plot as you can read that in the book description and in other reviews, but I I highly recommend that you read this book.

35 people found this helpful

bookworm24

Moving story of loss, love, relationships and difficult choices during and after a traumatic event.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 February 2020

Verified Purchase

Sensitively written story about loss, love and difficult choices. I didn’t think that I was going to like a book that used a dead narrator ( I hated The Lovely Bones) but the author uses Finn in a way that is sympathetic rather than sentimental and the characters and their stories remained in my mind long after I’d finished the book. Highly recommended.

23 people found this helpful

Sooooooooooperb !!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 February 2020

Verified Purchase

Soooooooperb is what I noted down at the end of reading this book !! And indeed it is. Granted, there isn't a lot of cheeriness involved, though neither expected if you've read the synopsis, but it is so well done and so well presented that I for one just loved it. Despite the fact I found myself snivelling and sobbing in probably half a dozen places at least !!
I picked this in all honesty as my Kindle First choice this month where not one of the offerings really stood out to me so that made it an even better experience, since I wasn't expecting to get quite that invested in it. It was all over too soon, really. If I had paid fullprice for it I'd be feeling robbed that it only took me a day to read. Hehehe.......I really just couldn't put it down.
There are some terrific characters, real people here. I found your mood with each of them pretty much alters as things progress. Aside from Finn there probably isn't one of them you rolled your eyes about or cheered for at differing sections......quite a clever feat. Usually I like or intensely despise a character from the word go and stick with first impressions but this bunch keep you on your toes. My favourite character is probably Mo. Though many had heroic and not-so-heroic characteristics, she shone through for me. I really liked Finn's philosophy on alcohol, too, an highly interesting observation.
But the tears.....for the carrot, for Charlie, for kittens and of course for our narrator Finn.
The only things I spotted I think are wrong was writing coal and not kohl and not capitalising Greek and French so altogether this is definitely going to be one of my top reads for 2020, without a doubt.
Off now to look up the author's other books to add to my wishlist.

16 people found this helpful

~~The gamut of human emotions...~~

Reviewed in the United States on 1 February 2020

Verified Purchase

This novel is a tough one to read in that it covers the gamut of nearly every human emotion. Such joy and happiness as the group of 10 are packing the Miller Mobile for a 3 day trip to their cabin. Bewilderment, sadness, sorrow, and more emotions will follow as this progresses. .

The author did an excellent job in portraying each of these people ...before, during and after the incident. Some of the characters felt no remorse or regret...not even a little ...whereas others felt the guilt that survivors feel. An amazing weaving of their thoughts previously into the 'now'... Each one of the survivors reacted differently to their lives afterwards.

Finn, age 16, keeps a watchful eye on the survivors throughout and the reader will become mesmerized at her 'speeches' and thoughts. The funeral for Finn was poignant and also filled with love for her life. Love and sorrow were in great evidence in the overflowing church.

Human nature and its complexity was present throughout in the characters. There is great sadness in survival and one thing is evident to me... we really don't know one another as well as we should in life.

As Ann Miller (Mom of the family) stated 'We do not control our reactions, only our actions'...excellent, just excellent.

I will admit to getting cold when reading the beginning of this novel. I turned the heat up in the cabin but still felt the chill and the brutal cold the ones in the Miller Mobile were feeling...(Talk about an author getting into one's head!).

So glad that I selected this as my First Read for February 2020. I was not disappointed for one page...not even one.

Most highly recommended.

515 people found this helpful

In an Instant by Suzanne Redfearn a five-star read that will transport you

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 February 2020

Verified Purchase

In an Instant by Suzanne Redfearn a five-star read that will transport you. This has been the hardest review I have written in a long time. I finished the novel well over a week ago, its just trying to put into words how powerful this little story is, one 16-year-old girl telling her story will just captivate you and leave you in knots. I have sat down to write this and then deleted what I had wrote so many times, as I don’t want to give any details away, but I wanted to portray how much this story needs to be read. The whole premise was a little off and I nearly didn’t bother to pick it up as it sounded a bit dreary and boring. All I will say is that it was so much more than I imagined, one incident changed so many lives so much, it makes you second guest everything. Allowing Finn to be the storyteller just made this an intense story, watching the aftermath unfold just broke me, but as you get through the story the pieces start getting put back together. Do not miss this powerful story, I suspect it is going to be a big favourite of mine this year.

8 people found this helpful

Yorkshire Lass

Fantastic story that takes you on an emotional journey

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 February 2020

Verified Purchase

I was lucky enough to receive this book free as part of Amazon First Reads.

The book's own blurb does a very good job of explaining the story, so I won't be able to add much there, without spoiling the plot.

In an Instant takes you on an extremely emotional journey, with the story told from Finn's perspective, the girl who dies in the horrendous accident (that's not a spoiler - it's in the blurb). All of the decisions made in the accident play out over time and the reader sees the consequences of every one of them. And boy, some of the those decisions have terrible consequences.
You are taken through the aftermath, seeing what each character does next. Again, some people make better decisions than others.

What I found so amazing was the author's note at the end of the story (DON'T READ IT, UNLESS YOU HAVE FINISHED THE BOOK - SPOILERS).
It details the story behind In an Instant and I implore you to read it when you have finished the book. Don't just skip it. You need to read it.

Anyway, it was a brilliant, entertaining, emotional read. I read it over two sessions, as I couldn't put it down.
I hope that you enjoy it too.

5 people found this helpful

5 star		57%
4 star		31%
3 star		9%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

In an Instant

›

Customer reviews

Customer reviews

In an Instant

Filtered by

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From Australia

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

From other countries

In an Instant › Customer reviews

Customer reviews

In an Instant

Filtered by

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From Australia

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.

From other countries

In an Instant

›

Customer reviews