Scan barcode
linaleigh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
spersephone's review against another edition
3.0
Really interesting start, but it devolves into a thriller with elements that make absolutely no sense. Sarah is blindsided by a person she should be able to rely on. The ending is unsatisfying and the whole book could be better if it focused on the science that I was hoping for.
sjm_80's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bibi_reads_writes's review against another edition
3.0
“The heart beats in a different way when you know what you’re doing is wrong. It’s a punch, not a flutter.”
Have you ever thought about giving a different rating on different platforms? I gave it 4 stars on Audible without hesitation, but I just couldn’t do the same here. Because where the audiobook was riveting thanks to the voice actors’ undeniable talent, the actual novel was… okay. I don’t feel like I would have been quite as captivated if I had read the text version.
So, there you go, 4 on Audible and 3 on here. #sueme
Plot:
Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sarah Collier has taken a step back from public life after she started exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, just like her father. She reluctantly follows her husband to Geneva after being invited to be the guest of honour at a prestigious biotech conference where a dangerous revolutionary technology will be unveiled. At the conference, Sarah is increasingly confused and suspicious. Is there something wrong at play, or is it all in her head?
There’s industrial espionage, medical ethics conflicts, controversy, murder, effective hooks, a tragic spiral. Armitage’s thriller is fast paced, with a great balance between suspense, betrayal, and medical ethics. Sarah’s emotions are finely nuanced, with eerily realistic depictions of dementia.
However—and this is why I don’t usually read thrillers—the plot twists were rather predictable. Very early on, I was able to guess who the villains were and what would happen. It was still entertaining to read, but I would have liked to be surprised.
Characters:
I liked Sarah’s character and felt used and betrayed for her. Perhaps it’s because I’ve known people with Alzheimer’s, but I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. However, I thought there was a bit too much of her feelings and episodes—it was soon redundant. I also enjoyed Pavel Osinov’s character and his interactions with Sarah. But I couldn’t stand *all* of the other characters. Daniel was annoying, Helen was annoying, and—most of all—Terri was so cringey and stereotypical.
Writing:
I was pleasantly surprised by Armitage’s prose, especially his captivating setting descriptions and depictions of dementia and Alzheimer’s. The dark, wintry atmospheric backdrop was easy to imagine, and the institute felt claustrophobic, which added to the overall thrill and sense of dread.
But some questions remain:
· Why did the villains do all this, really? Wasn’t it too ambitious, too risky, too unrealistic? How could they even think this could work?
· How come Sarah never thought about giving her daughter a call? Poor Maddie seemed like the victim in this story.
· How come the friendly doctors back home didn’t reach out to Sarah following the announcement of her “disease”?
Bottom line, I enjoyed listening to this book, mostly thanks to Richard Armitage’s butter-melting baritone voice, and I think it’s a solid debut novel, but it was simply too predictable and full of plot holes for my taste.
Have you ever thought about giving a different rating on different platforms? I gave it 4 stars on Audible without hesitation, but I just couldn’t do the same here. Because where the audiobook was riveting thanks to the voice actors’ undeniable talent, the actual novel was… okay. I don’t feel like I would have been quite as captivated if I had read the text version.
So, there you go, 4 on Audible and 3 on here. #sueme
Plot:
Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sarah Collier has taken a step back from public life after she started exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, just like her father. She reluctantly follows her husband to Geneva after being invited to be the guest of honour at a prestigious biotech conference where a dangerous revolutionary technology will be unveiled. At the conference, Sarah is increasingly confused and suspicious. Is there something wrong at play, or is it all in her head?
There’s industrial espionage, medical ethics conflicts, controversy, murder, effective hooks, a tragic spiral. Armitage’s thriller is fast paced, with a great balance between suspense, betrayal, and medical ethics. Sarah’s emotions are finely nuanced, with eerily realistic depictions of dementia.
However—and this is why I don’t usually read thrillers—the plot twists were rather predictable. Very early on, I was able to guess who the villains were and what would happen. It was still entertaining to read, but I would have liked to be surprised.
Characters:
I liked Sarah’s character and felt used and betrayed for her. Perhaps it’s because I’ve known people with Alzheimer’s, but I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. However, I thought there was a bit too much of her feelings and episodes—it was soon redundant. I also enjoyed Pavel Osinov’s character and his interactions with Sarah. But I couldn’t stand *all* of the other characters. Daniel was annoying, Helen was annoying, and—most of all—Terri was so cringey and stereotypical.
Writing:
I was pleasantly surprised by Armitage’s prose, especially his captivating setting descriptions and depictions of dementia and Alzheimer’s. The dark, wintry atmospheric backdrop was easy to imagine, and the institute felt claustrophobic, which added to the overall thrill and sense of dread.
But some questions remain:
· Why did the villains do all this, really? Wasn’t it too ambitious, too risky, too unrealistic? How could they even think this could work?
· How come Sarah never thought about giving her daughter a call? Poor Maddie seemed like the victim in this story.
Spoiler
· How can a smart woman, a SCIENTIST, like Sarah not check her own results or follow the disease’s progression when the symptoms start to worsen?· How come the friendly doctors back home didn’t reach out to Sarah following the announcement of her “disease”?
Bottom line, I enjoyed listening to this book, mostly thanks to Richard Armitage’s butter-melting baritone voice, and I think it’s a solid debut novel, but it was simply too predictable and full of plot holes for my taste.
hjb_128's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
bouldermimi's review against another edition
3.0
Read 1/15/2024 - Audio
A really good debut for Richard Armitage! I enjoy his audiobook narrations so much, his voice has become a staple for thrillers and classics. So his premiere into authorship makes sense it would land on a thriller with some wild twists and turns. Love to see his costar from MI-5 narrating alongside him! Looking forward to more from him!
A really good debut for Richard Armitage! I enjoy his audiobook narrations so much, his voice has become a staple for thrillers and classics. So his premiere into authorship makes sense it would land on a thriller with some wild twists and turns. Love to see his costar from MI-5 narrating alongside him! Looking forward to more from him!
pinliepink's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hugill298's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75