A review by nzlisam
The Elizas, by Sara Shepard
5.0
Had me hooked from the get-go!
I was really looking forward to this release and am happy to report that I absolutely loved it! I spent the majority of the novel trying to puzzle out, and make sense of what was going on. I had my suspicions – some were correct, most were not. The protagonist, Eliza, was a fascinating, yet pretty screwed-up character. While reading, I had so many questions regarding her. Were there really gaps in her memory, or was she just an accomplished liar? Was someone actually stalking/trying to hurt her, or was it another brain tumour? Did she have a doppelganger/twin? And how did her unpublished manuscript (that is supposed to be a work of fiction but is eerily reminiscent of events in her life) fit in? Every chapter started with Eliza’s POV, ending with an excerpt from her upcoming novel ‘The Dots’. This format worked well at revealing a bit at a time, and kept the tension high. I was very satisfied with the ending – original and clever – and thankfully all my questions were answered, and the loose ends were tied up nicely.
This is Sara Shepard’s first suspense novel aimed at adults, but content wise I didn’t find any parts inappropriate for a teen audience, and Eliza was only in her early twenties. It’s a standalone novel – not part of a series like much of Shepard’s work. As advertised it does have a Hitchcockian vibe to it, which I enjoyed. Read it! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
I was really looking forward to this release and am happy to report that I absolutely loved it! I spent the majority of the novel trying to puzzle out, and make sense of what was going on. I had my suspicions – some were correct, most were not. The protagonist, Eliza, was a fascinating, yet pretty screwed-up character. While reading, I had so many questions regarding her. Were there really gaps in her memory, or was she just an accomplished liar? Was someone actually stalking/trying to hurt her, or was it another brain tumour? Did she have a doppelganger/twin? And how did her unpublished manuscript (that is supposed to be a work of fiction but is eerily reminiscent of events in her life) fit in? Every chapter started with Eliza’s POV, ending with an excerpt from her upcoming novel ‘The Dots’. This format worked well at revealing a bit at a time, and kept the tension high. I was very satisfied with the ending – original and clever – and thankfully all my questions were answered, and the loose ends were tied up nicely.
This is Sara Shepard’s first suspense novel aimed at adults, but content wise I didn’t find any parts inappropriate for a teen audience, and Eliza was only in her early twenties. It’s a standalone novel – not part of a series like much of Shepard’s work. As advertised it does have a Hitchcockian vibe to it, which I enjoyed. Read it! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.