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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is was such a great read. Hope is the kind of character that will stay with me for a long time. Hope has a unique condition. People forget Hope almost as soon as she leaves the room. Her words and deeds can only be recorded electronically. It started when she was only sixteen years old, her parents couldn’t imagine why their little girl, Hope’s sister, had two rooms. As an adult she finds honest work nearly impossible, so she became a thief. She is one of the best because no matter what sort of evidence she leaves behind, no one can remember her. There is a freedom Hope enjoys by being forgotten, but there are also major drawbacks. She can’t date, she can’t work, she can’t really function as a normal person in society when no one remembers her. She repeats herself a lot. Every time she meets someone it is the first time, for them.
In Hope’s world there exists something called Perfection. It is a lifestyle app that helps you to become perfect. Perfection will tell you what to eat, how to dress, where to shop, and how to live. Do what Perfection asks and you can become Perfect. Who doesn’t want to be perfect? The users who live Perfection can become part of the elite 106. Members of the 106 are indeed perfect, with over a million points on Perfection. They look perfect, they think perfect, they are perfection. Hope infiltrates the 106 and meets a woman so miserable being “perfect” she commits suicide. Destroying Perfection becomes Hope’s goal.
Oh how I loved Hope. She is utterly alone in the world, and her thoughts reflect someone who has a lot of time to think and plan. There are many layers to Hope and I loved seeing how she functioned in the world. Most of this book is told as Hope is living her life, but there were a few flashbacks so we could see how she got here.
"Having no one to define the limits of me, I have to define myself, otherwise I am nothing."
The language in this book is fluid. We are right there inside Hope’s mind. She is cunning and intresting. I loved her crusade against Perfection. Her cause is noble, although her methods may not be. She makes a few “friends” in her pursuit. These people live with Hope just out of mind, carrying her photo and recording their interactions. Hope may be alone in the world bit she has a will to leave a legacy no matter what.
"I write this to be remembered. Will you judge me, in reading this? Who are you? Liar, cheater, lover, thief, husband, wife, mother, daughter, friend, enemy, policeman, doctor, teacher, child, killer, priest? I find myself almost more excited by you than I am by myself, whoever you might be.
Whoever you are: these are my words.
This is my truth.
Listen, and remember me."
When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about it. I was thinking in the prose the author wrote Hope’s story in. That is the mark of a truly great story in my opinion. I devoured this book, but found myself milling over how to review this. I finished this book days ago and it is still very much with me. The author is able to really defining “identity” for the reader. If you can’t be remembered, how will you prove that you have lived? I need to read more from this author. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a well written and thought provoking character.
I enjoyed The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August but this wasn't up to scratch. Reams of extraneous information wore me down and I felt no connection to the protagonist. Great idea; poorly executed.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The writing is phenomenal, but I absolutely hated the plot and found it to be a very unsatisfying and boring read.
A brilliant and chilling idea--what if no one ever remembered you? As soon as you leave their sight, you're completely forgotten forever. This is kind of my personal nightmare, so while I found this book fascinating, it was also pretty upsetting to read.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Did not finish (stopped at 15%), does not work for audiobook
What is perfection? Is there such a thing as the perfect person? How do we arrive at our definition of such a thing?
Hope Arden is a young woman with a peculiar condition – no one can remember her. She can hold a conversation with someone, start to befriend them, but the next time they see her, they won’t remember ever having met her. In a world where she subsists on first impressions, Hope makes a living as a thief. If she’s caught by the police, all she has to do is wait for them to forget her. Then, during the course of a diamond heist, Hope manages to anger some powerful people, the ones behind this new hit app called Perfection, which helps you become “your most perfect self.” For the first time in her life, Hope is being chased. Even though those pursuing her can’t recall ever meeting her.
There were things I enjoyed about The Sudden Appearance of Hope, but yet again I’m left wondering if I’m too familiar with Claire North’s writing style. Hope’s voice sounds like pretty much every first person narrator Claire North has ever written. It also felt a bit pretentious, possibly because of all the random facts constantly being spewed. It’s justified within the text as being the way Hope fills up the loneliness in her life, but it makes Hope sound like a self absorbed academic instead of a twenty-four year old who never finished high school. It reminded me a lot of a character from one of North’s other books, Harry August, who has life experiences which are completely different from her’s.
I do think The Sudden Appearance of Hope could use some slimming down. Even besides the repetition of random facts, it feels like some sections were digressions. Given all that, it’s surprising that it remains as fast paced and thrill oriented as it is. I didn’t find it as riveting as Touch, but I thought it managed to manage the pacing better than The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August.
As usual with Claire North, there were some interesting themes and ideas at the heart of this. The criticism of the idea that “perfection” exists and is attainable is wound threw the novel. North also points out that our ideas of “perfection” are shaped by the power structures of the world we live in. At one point Hope, a mixed race woman, muses on if it’s even possible to fulfill society’s definition of “perfect” if you’re not white and male.
Hope herself seemed more interesting in theory than execution. Part of it’s definitely the “standard Claire North voice” but it also feels like she lacked motivation. While she wasn’t completely passive, it often felt like the plot was driving her instead of her being the one to drive the plot. Also don’t expect an explanation for why everyone forgets Hope. That’s not really how Claire North novels work.
It’s hard to describe a general audience to recommend The Sudden Appearance of Hope to. I think the people who will like it best are those who are intrigued by the ideas it explores, such as perfection and what it’s like to live in a world where everyone forgets you.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
Hope Arden is a young woman with a peculiar condition – no one can remember her. She can hold a conversation with someone, start to befriend them, but the next time they see her, they won’t remember ever having met her. In a world where she subsists on first impressions, Hope makes a living as a thief. If she’s caught by the police, all she has to do is wait for them to forget her. Then, during the course of a diamond heist, Hope manages to anger some powerful people, the ones behind this new hit app called Perfection, which helps you become “your most perfect self.” For the first time in her life, Hope is being chased. Even though those pursuing her can’t recall ever meeting her.
There were things I enjoyed about The Sudden Appearance of Hope, but yet again I’m left wondering if I’m too familiar with Claire North’s writing style. Hope’s voice sounds like pretty much every first person narrator Claire North has ever written. It also felt a bit pretentious, possibly because of all the random facts constantly being spewed. It’s justified within the text as being the way Hope fills up the loneliness in her life, but it makes Hope sound like a self absorbed academic instead of a twenty-four year old who never finished high school. It reminded me a lot of a character from one of North’s other books, Harry August, who has life experiences which are completely different from her’s.
I do think The Sudden Appearance of Hope could use some slimming down. Even besides the repetition of random facts, it feels like some sections were digressions. Given all that, it’s surprising that it remains as fast paced and thrill oriented as it is. I didn’t find it as riveting as Touch, but I thought it managed to manage the pacing better than The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August.
As usual with Claire North, there were some interesting themes and ideas at the heart of this. The criticism of the idea that “perfection” exists and is attainable is wound threw the novel. North also points out that our ideas of “perfection” are shaped by the power structures of the world we live in. At one point Hope, a mixed race woman, muses on if it’s even possible to fulfill society’s definition of “perfect” if you’re not white and male.
Hope herself seemed more interesting in theory than execution. Part of it’s definitely the “standard Claire North voice” but it also feels like she lacked motivation. While she wasn’t completely passive, it often felt like the plot was driving her instead of her being the one to drive the plot. Also don’t expect an explanation for why everyone forgets Hope. That’s not really how Claire North novels work.
It’s hard to describe a general audience to recommend The Sudden Appearance of Hope to. I think the people who will like it best are those who are intrigued by the ideas it explores, such as perfection and what it’s like to live in a world where everyone forgets you.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I never understood the “why” behind Hope’s mission, and usually I love stream of consciousness in a narrative but I found it distracting. She’s a fantastic writer, though. Harry August will always be a favorite.