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louisa's review against another edition
2.0
*1.75 stars*
I feel terrible giving such a terrible review to a book from a lesser known author with not that many reviews, as I really admire the author's creativity in the idea and effort in the writing. However, everything about this book was unfulfilling. The initial set ups of the world building and the mystery were intriguing, but the mysteries were resolved in a way that just made me feel shortchanged as the reader. I strongly recommend avoiding this one.
I feel terrible giving such a terrible review to a book from a lesser known author with not that many reviews, as I really admire the author's creativity in the idea and effort in the writing. However, everything about this book was unfulfilling. The initial set ups of the world building and the mystery were intriguing, but the mysteries were resolved in a way that just made me feel shortchanged as the reader. I strongly recommend avoiding this one.
wafeeliz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Internalized misogyny and disdain for mental health issues go crazy in this one! I typically support women's rights AND wrongs, but Sophia Ayling could have been a little too in the wrong... with full respect to what she went through <3 Craziest twist for me wasn't even Sophia still being alive and posing as her stepmother (RIP), it was Claire and Mark saving their marriage after 20 years of misery.
An entertaining enough read. Four different points of view had the potential for chaos, but every voice was distinct. Wild to think most of it took place within one day. I will say the pace slowed down towards the middle of the novel as you waited for the characters to piece together what you as a reader already knew. There got to be a moment when it felt that there were no other surprises in store from the story.
I would have enjoyed even more world-building from the novel as the sci-fi element was what initially hooked me in and kept me reading. The concept of memory has always been fascinating to me. While not explored in depth, the novel did prompt me to consider the nature of different types of memory. Even with the ability to select which memories they wanted to mentally keep, these characters could not escape their emotional memory. Their bodies held onto their turmoils and fears, even when they couldn't remember what those were. It was also interesting to consider in the context of repressed trauma and how through a survival mechanism your brain can sometimes make it harder to process and move on from difficult situations. But neither here nor there.
An entertaining enough read. Four different points of view had the potential for chaos, but every voice was distinct. Wild to think most of it took place within one day. I will say the pace slowed down towards the middle of the novel as you waited for the characters to piece together what you as a reader already knew. There got to be a moment when it felt that there were no other surprises in store from the story.
I would have enjoyed even more world-building from the novel as the sci-fi element was what initially hooked me in and kept me reading. The concept of memory has always been fascinating to me. While not explored in depth, the novel did prompt me to consider the nature of different types of memory. Even with the ability to select which memories they wanted to mentally keep, these characters could not escape their emotional memory. Their bodies held onto their turmoils and fears, even when they couldn't remember what those were. It was also interesting to consider in the context of repressed trauma and how through a survival mechanism your brain can sometimes make it harder to process and move on from difficult situations. But neither here nor there.
thepandamish's review against another edition
dark
reflective
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
fevvers's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
forestatthesea's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
tavsbookshelf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25