I enjoyed this one and found the concept of memory removal fascinating. I have read some things on this topic before, although the take here was novel and very engaging.
I did find the multiple POV style a bit distracting, particularly in the beginning. You obviously knew all the characters’ stories had to be related somehow, but it took a while to figure out how – and the parade of malaise and dissatisfaction with life in chapter after chapter as each character tried to figure out why their life was not going the way they wanted it to made reading somewhat painful and difficult at times. I found Noor’s storylines the most compelling, and her sections of the book definitely read the fastest and easiest and most coherently for me throughout the course of the entire book.
As things started to come together, the multiple perspectives made a lot more sense and felt a lot more engaging such that by the end I was wholly engaged with each of the characters. There are some moments where you have to suspend belief and some where you have to accept the eye-rolling and just move past it, but on the whole I found a lot of very thoughtful and interesting material here. I did quite enjoy it and would look for another title from Jo Harkin again in the future.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
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