Reviews

Sundial by Catriona Ward

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ewilsonn's review against another edition

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I liked the beginning of this book but it went off in a different direction and I didn’t care for it.

calliek927's review against another edition

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3.0

I had hoped to love this one as much as her other one I've read, but for some reason, this one just really didn't grip me as much. It was ok, maybe a high 3.5 stars, but definitely not quite as good.

It jumps around quite a bit, but I was able to follow along pretty easily. The plot was ok... but I'm not sure why I just didn't love it.

luminous's review against another edition

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4.0

Might be a 5. I'm going to sit with it. If it sticks with me, it's going to 5.

So much going on, yet by the end all of it makes sense and all of it was there for a reason. Took me a few chapters to get invested. I nearly DNF'd it. This book would make a great project for studying structure. Write a short summary of each chapter and what it does for the story. I mean, we've got a bunch of mysteries:

- the family structure of Falcon, Mia, Jack and Rob
- the neuroscience experiments on dogs
- the nice guy who cries all the time
- why does Rob put up with such a jerk husband
- pale Callie and the pale animals, and the animal bones
- the puppy mill
- Etcetera

I don't know if I misread or missed something, but I got the impression that the book considers

Spoiler

cruelty to animals and psychopathy

to be not only genetic, but inheritable. I say 'the book' because I think the scientists espoused that somewhat and the characters, especially Rob, seemed to accept that as a given. However, I wasn't under that impression. In fact, I thought Rob and Jack were

Spoiler

messed up

because of their early childhood. That kind of early childhood experience causes exactly those behaviors. I thought that was the more interesting angle and I'm disappointed Ward went with "nature" rather than "nurture."

Speaking of, the very last twist was...divine. I bet other readers caught it a mile away but I was completely surprised. In fact, I was impressed with how many secrets there were, and how masterfully Ward doled out the information, and how many jaw-dropping moments I had throughout this book.

The atmosphere was also great. Particularly the desert setting, which comprised most of the book, so that's good. Honestly, I still don't understand why Rob stayed with Irving. And I don't understand the reasons behind some of the dramatic action near the end.

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I mean, all that business with luring Irving out to the desert to presumably kill him, and Rob doesn't prepare? And lets Callie think she's going to hurt her? She knows how to use guns. Why wouldn't she have taken one to Sundial? Bizarre. Like the way it went down, he could easily have killed her before she was able to kill him.

I also don't understand

Spoiler

what was wrong with

Jack at all. I get that remembering made her depressed, but...for crying out loud,

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why didn't they get her, and Rob too for that matter, some freaking counseling? Or psychiatric help?

But they just decided it was genetic. Sigh.

Lots of reviewers mention animal abuse, but there's honestly none actively described, unless you consider keeping animals for experiments to be abuse, and I can definitely see that. But even in that case, other than one operation under proper sedation, the animals do not undergo invasive procedures and are not caused pain. A character (maybe more? don't remember) is described as having abused animals, but no disturbing details are given. I HATE reading about animal abuse and I will nope right out of a novel that has it, and this novel never made me want to nope out for that reason.

The narrator of the audiobook is WOW. She does distinct voices that match the book's description of their voices. There are even parts where she voices Callie imitating Rob's voice and probably other situations like that. It's just great. I started another book a few hours after finishing this one and put it down almost immediately. The writing and the audio narration don't hold a candle to Sundial.

P.S. I DNF'd Last House on Needless Street last year. But after Sundial, I am giving everything Ward writes from now on a 3 chapter trial.

dowryofbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

Reading this after reading The Last House on Needless Street solidifies how in love I am with Catriona Ward's writing style. The language she uses, the metaphors, the way she builds up these toxic characters and relationships really works for me. And so far her books have caught me completely off guard with the twists and turns. I never know what to expect and I love it.

I did wanna be able to give this 5 stars so bad but I can't because I wasn't a fan of the Arrowood chapters. I don't think they were necessary and didn't add any intrigue.

4/5 stars