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gillxy23's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
haliza_ali2021's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
melaniesreads's review
4.0
Tick tick boom.
This book had me at so many things, the explosive start figuratively and literally. The death prediction from Alexa, which bizarrely when I asked my Alexa she said she can’t see in to the future and she was unsure if I would want to know anyway. I will let her off though as she has ten years to evolve, but speculative fiction always makes me think what if. Would I want to know? I think the answer will divide most people but for me it’s a resounding yes.
If you were to know what would you do differently? What choices would you make? Would you try to change something to prevent your death? These are all things that Christian Verger has to contemplate while trying to solve a murder and stop it happening again.
With high stakes and set in the glamorous world of high fashion and technology, it moves between various settings and timelines making the pace relentless as the chase is on. I liked Christian and the dynamics between him and his ex fiancée Viola as they both work on the case from different aspects. Christian coming from the side of the law and Viola from developing tech to flag up suspects.
This is a high concept thriller showing scary future possibilities that still retains a good old fashioned mystery at its heart. Now I just need Alexa to be able to make me a cup of tea and my future will be perfect too.
This book had me at so many things, the explosive start figuratively and literally. The death prediction from Alexa, which bizarrely when I asked my Alexa she said she can’t see in to the future and she was unsure if I would want to know anyway. I will let her off though as she has ten years to evolve, but speculative fiction always makes me think what if. Would I want to know? I think the answer will divide most people but for me it’s a resounding yes.
If you were to know what would you do differently? What choices would you make? Would you try to change something to prevent your death? These are all things that Christian Verger has to contemplate while trying to solve a murder and stop it happening again.
With high stakes and set in the glamorous world of high fashion and technology, it moves between various settings and timelines making the pace relentless as the chase is on. I liked Christian and the dynamics between him and his ex fiancée Viola as they both work on the case from different aspects. Christian coming from the side of the law and Viola from developing tech to flag up suspects.
This is a high concept thriller showing scary future possibilities that still retains a good old fashioned mystery at its heart. Now I just need Alexa to be able to make me a cup of tea and my future will be perfect too.
avera's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I liked the story very much. Alicia Yaps writing style is pleasant and captivating, so I could hardly put the book aside. The setting was exciting and the plot well considered, but sometimes predictable for me. I particularly liked the philosophical quotations, conversations and thoughts about perfection, future and happiness. Related to fashion industry (like the thing with dark and friendly art with regard to the state of mind) but also about love, friendship, life and death. "Perfection is Illusion. Love is Reality."
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder, Suicide, Cancer, Death, and Rape
caris's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
mobyskine's review against another edition
4.0
A combination of both a murder mystery and a riveting love story of a computer specialist and a police commissioner.
Love the premise idea and exposition. Interesting glimpse of Britain in the 2030s-- the predictive technology was cool (trendy but how it can do prediction so accurately was somehow a bit terrifying) and the drones part kind of interesting too.
The storytelling was based on each character's point of views + one mysterious narrative from the past. I was a bit perplexed with this narrative that was set in the 90s in Montana, but it was so compelling to read the character's story and the moment the character said 'I was given a pair of androgynous black breeches' I already get my answer there.
I love the 'calm' nuances as well as the writing style which so proper and neat (I remembered how I love Yesterday because of the writing style as well)-- the twists were quite good (although I was really taken aback with the culprit's reason on the bombing incident) and I fancy Christian a lot! I was a bit struggling with Alexander's narrative (although I find the dynamic in all characters were greatly done), his story don't piqued my interest that much even though all those mystery and crime connected to him. Favourite part of the excerpt and fragments of each characters at the end of each chapters
Love the premise idea and exposition. Interesting glimpse of Britain in the 2030s-- the predictive technology was cool (trendy but how it can do prediction so accurately was somehow a bit terrifying) and the drones part kind of interesting too.
The storytelling was based on each character's point of views + one mysterious narrative from the past. I was a bit perplexed with this narrative that was set in the 90s in Montana, but it was so compelling to read the character's story and the moment the character said 'I was given a pair of androgynous black breeches' I already get my answer there.
I love the 'calm' nuances as well as the writing style which so proper and neat (I remembered how I love Yesterday because of the writing style as well)-- the twists were quite good (although I was really taken aback with the culprit's reason on the bombing incident) and I fancy Christian a lot! I was a bit struggling with Alexander's narrative (although I find the dynamic in all characters were greatly done), his story don't piqued my interest that much even though all those mystery and crime connected to him. Favourite part of the excerpt and fragments of each characters at the end of each chapters
sunyidean's review against another edition
3.0
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest Netgalley review. Thank you to the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this.
I was really intrigued by this title and everything I read on it but ultimately struggled with some aspects, while wishing others had been more developed. This is ofc a highly subjective review so salt with everything, as always.
Starting with the good:
It's well written and highly accessible. The speculative concepts are fascinating (prediction technology and it's corrosive, corruptive effect on psyche), the extent to which lives can and are led by drones or dictated by algorithm. Christian was a great character and the timeline/pov plot twist was genuinely good, I didn't see it coming till it was almost unfolding. I think those are all good reasons to dip into the book.
###
Things that that didn't click for me:
Subjective, but I didn't like Viola (one of the main povs) and struggled with Alexander, too. In Viola's case, she seemed exasperatingly self-absorbed at times for someone who is supposed to be 40 and a professional, and I found myself getting frustrated by her emotional immaturity. Relationship basics seemed to amaze her, and she had a tendency to engage in that wilful refusal of miscommunication that drives autistic readers mad (by which I mean her relationship with Christian is strained because, imo, she's unwilling or unable to ask straightforward questions like an actual adult.)
I realise that's a common 'thing' in novels but it frustrates me all the same. On the other hand, I struggle enormously to relate to neurotypical people, and likely this is part of why. So much of their communication is riddled with a kind of obstinate refusal to *explain* and an overwhleming need for you to guess, anticipate, and pre-empt their reactions; it's fucking exhausting. Viola is similarly exhausting. She's a reminder of all of those interactions with neurotypical folk that leave me tired and discouraged. Sorry, Vi!
Alexander, I was just a bit indifferent to. He wasn't a bad character, but he seemed priviledged and rather elitist, from that particular class of posh Londoners who live in their own universe and don't really compute for me on a day to day, working class level. Ymmv on that.
###
As before, the characters were well written, but having 2 major povs not clicking for me made some parts of the reading a struggle. I found myself skimming Viola and Alexander's sections to get back to Christian and Mystery PoV, but of course that in turn meant I had to double back to reread to follow the plot.
###
My last grumble is maybe one of genre. I wish the book had done more with its cool setting ideas. The predictive app (which projects what it thinks you will do, which then arguably influences you to do those things, and which tries to make sure you 'stay on track' with its predictions) was a core concept that drew me to the book, but as is often the case with litfic, this aspect of the setting was touched on and not really dug into.
I'd have liked to see more done with the app and its implications, and perhaps some wider philosophical implications, but I also don't think that was what the novel was about. The focus is on the tangled lives of the characters and that's fine, just maybe for a slightly different readership than mine.
I was really intrigued by this title and everything I read on it but ultimately struggled with some aspects, while wishing others had been more developed. This is ofc a highly subjective review so salt with everything, as always.
Starting with the good:
It's well written and highly accessible. The speculative concepts are fascinating (prediction technology and it's corrosive, corruptive effect on psyche), the extent to which lives can and are led by drones or dictated by algorithm. Christian was a great character and the timeline/pov plot twist was genuinely good, I didn't see it coming till it was almost unfolding. I think those are all good reasons to dip into the book.
###
Things that that didn't click for me:
Subjective, but I didn't like Viola (one of the main povs) and struggled with Alexander, too. In Viola's case, she seemed exasperatingly self-absorbed at times for someone who is supposed to be 40 and a professional, and I found myself getting frustrated by her emotional immaturity. Relationship basics seemed to amaze her, and she had a tendency to engage in that wilful refusal of miscommunication that drives autistic readers mad (by which I mean her relationship with Christian is strained because, imo, she's unwilling or unable to ask straightforward questions like an actual adult.)
I realise that's a common 'thing' in novels but it frustrates me all the same. On the other hand, I struggle enormously to relate to neurotypical people, and likely this is part of why. So much of their communication is riddled with a kind of obstinate refusal to *explain* and an overwhleming need for you to guess, anticipate, and pre-empt their reactions; it's fucking exhausting. Viola is similarly exhausting. She's a reminder of all of those interactions with neurotypical folk that leave me tired and discouraged. Sorry, Vi!
Alexander, I was just a bit indifferent to. He wasn't a bad character, but he seemed priviledged and rather elitist, from that particular class of posh Londoners who live in their own universe and don't really compute for me on a day to day, working class level. Ymmv on that.
###
As before, the characters were well written, but having 2 major povs not clicking for me made some parts of the reading a struggle. I found myself skimming Viola and Alexander's sections to get back to Christian and Mystery PoV, but of course that in turn meant I had to double back to reread to follow the plot.
###
My last grumble is maybe one of genre. I wish the book had done more with its cool setting ideas. The predictive app (which projects what it thinks you will do, which then arguably influences you to do those things, and which tries to make sure you 'stay on track' with its predictions) was a core concept that drew me to the book, but as is often the case with litfic, this aspect of the setting was touched on and not really dug into.
I'd have liked to see more done with the app and its implications, and perhaps some wider philosophical implications, but I also don't think that was what the novel was about. The focus is on the tangled lives of the characters and that's fine, just maybe for a slightly different readership than mine.
cookiereadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sengaghbynature's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Set in a futuristic world where mirrors can talk to you about how you look and apps can predict your day, this novel showcases A.I. development whilst also having a thrilling and mysterious storyline.
Initially, this book felt like it tried too hard to highlight all of the technological advancements that had come about by 2030 and I found that it detracted from being able to gage the characters personalities early on. This is important for me, as it helps engage with the journey they subsequently embark upon.
However, I did feel that once this initial influx of technological descriptions was over, it seems to settle down and the storyline really develops. You start to understand the characters and invest in the plot. I found I disliked Viola, she was self-absorbed and ran away instead of discussing how she felt. However, I really found Christian relatable! He didn’t trust how embedded technology had found itself into daily life and as the story progresses, and you understand him more, you really respect him and who he became.
Overall, I found that once I got my teeth into the storyline and characters, it was a well written, speculative novel with unpredictable twists and turns every step of the way.
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