This was an unusual book. It sort of reads like a play and there is lots of talking directly to the reader which takes some getting used to. It feels like there are stories within stories and while it's a bit of a character study, some of the few characters felt superfluous.
Many of the chapters end on "cliffhangers" - i.e. "and that was the last time we see Lana alive" or "if only I had known then what I know now..." type lines - which I'm not a big fan of when done too often. It often didn't help with the pacing, which I found rather slow.
I had a hard time getting into this book. Much of the first 15-20% was spent telling me that this was going to be unlike anything I've ever read, the next 60% felt like something I've read 10,000 times, and then the last 20% was a fun whirlwind of twists and surprises that I enjoyed but ultimately didn't save it for me.
I listened to this novel on audio and I think that was a great choice. Because of the theater aspect and the second person narration, the audio worked spectacularly. I also really enjoyed the narrator -- Alex Jennings -- and thought he did a fabulous job.
Overall, this ended up being an enjoyable read, but not one that will stick with me or that I'll be likely to recommend to a wider audience.
Thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the copy.
Many of the chapters end on "cliffhangers" - i.e. "and that was the last time we see Lana alive" or "if only I had known then what I know now..." type lines - which I'm not a big fan of when done too often. It often didn't help with the pacing, which I found rather slow.
I had a hard time getting into this book. Much of the first 15-20% was spent telling me that this was going to be unlike anything I've ever read, the next 60% felt like something I've read 10,000 times, and then the last 20% was a fun whirlwind of twists and surprises that I enjoyed but ultimately didn't save it for me.
I listened to this novel on audio and I think that was a great choice. Because of the theater aspect and the second person narration, the audio worked spectacularly. I also really enjoyed the narrator -- Alex Jennings -- and thought he did a fabulous job.
Overall, this ended up being an enjoyable read, but not one that will stick with me or that I'll be likely to recommend to a wider audience.
Thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the copy.