Author: Stuart Turton
Genre: Mystery; Adult
Rating: 8.5/10
Every day, Aiden Bishop wakes up in a new body, and every day, Evelyn Hardcastle dies. If he wants to ever leave Blackheath Manor, Aiden has to find out who’s done it.
Right off the bat, we have a Groundhog Day situation going on. There are a multitude of ways to use this trope, and it was interesting to learn the underlying rules the author had decided to establish for his purpose. I especially enjoyed the involvement of a mysterious supernatural entity as well as a competition, both of which made the book that much more exciting and suspenseful.
“If this isn’t hell, the devil is surely taking notes.”
Furthermore, our character also took on the qualities and skills of the person he was in the body of, which can be both a hindrance and an advantage. I like how these hosts were not just ‘meat suits’, and how this caused him (and us) to really question who he was outside of them.
My favourite part of this book had to be its layered structure. The story is not told in order and consists of overlaps, allowing you to theorise about the cause and effects of our character’s actions. From the beginning, we were receiving all these easter eggs and questions that would compel you to keep reading, because you wanted to know how all the pieces fit into this complicated puzzle. I commend the author for the complexity and intricate details he was able to weave into the story.
On a different note, this book reminded me of Agatha Christie’s work. There were so many characters at play (most of them with dark secrets), connections everywhere, twists and turns done purely for shock factor, family drama, and 10 pages of our character explaining everything they’ve figured out at the very end.
However, manipulating time is such a tricky trope to work with, specifically when it comes to past and present selves existing and interacting, thus inevitably affecting one another. I was constantly on the lookout for loop holes and there were certainly moments when I felt a bit lost especially nearing the end. Moreover, the mystery was a bit convoluted towards the end.
In all, what really worked for this book was the suspense it created. The first 3/4 had me on the edge of my seat. I loved the old mystery vibes, with unseen danger dogging your every step while you desperately try to piece everything together. As for the resolution, though it was not as satisfying as I had hoped, I can live with it.
Reviewed by: N.G. Rainwater (1st reading)
Comments