A review by literaryelephant
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

adventurous dark mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I was under the impression that this book would be a fast-paced, plotty sci-fi, perhaps even a sci-fi thriller, but instead found it to be fairly slow and introspective. Part of what makes it drag is the writer's tendency to overexplain, pausing each scene to tell the reader outright what each gesture, expression, and comment means, leaving nothing for the reader to decipher or interpret. The careful detailing of minutiae makes it easy to see which direction the book is going at almost every turn, before it gets there. 

I agreed with/appreciated the feminist commentary but didn't feel it pushed any boundaries- that some women desire to reproduce, others do not, and both choices are valid is not new to me, nor is the narrative of a man taking advantage of a smart/successful woman in a quest to secure his own power both personally and professionally, though they're nice points to see made in mainstream lit. 
Ultimately this story just wasn't quite as punchy and innovative as I expected, though I did enjoy the focus on morality, on personality, on what differentiates a human from a highly successful clone. Gailey also weaves in some very specific and believable scientific details, which adds a sense of authenticity and makes for a more engaging read. 

I'd recommend this one to readers curious about the human condition who like close attention to detail and no questions left unanswered.

Thanks very much to Netgalley (and Tor) for the eARC! All of my thoughts and reactions stem from the advance edition of this book. 
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