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berksah's review against another edition
Wasn't the right time for this book. Pretty heady writing, but I was looking forward to getting into the story. Interesting concept, felt like it was taking a while to get into it. Might revisit
kerrymc's review
3.0
Interesting and weird… hated it a first but then it really picked up. SF/La Femme Nikita vibe
motherslug's review
4.0
I thought this would be more fun than good but it’s actually pretty great, if a touch pretentious. An unhinged, pop-heady blend of beauty pageant culture, 90s true crime touchstones, spy thrillers, MKUltra-style mind control, folklore and fairy tale logic, and a study of the nature of the self.
ashleyozery's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ravensalwaysreading's review
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
Hmm.
ciarajalberts's review
4.0
What!!!!! I guess being a woman is like being in a deep state trance lol. Sticky!!!!! I have never read a book like this ever
lattelibrarian's review
4.0
“Some criminals mark the bodies of their victims with tattoos, burns, elaborate scars. Jessica knew this was unnecessary. Visible or invisible, the imprint of the awful doesn’t slide off like lipstick under baby oil.”
Amid the great scandals of the 90s, Jessica's memory begins to resurface. A child beauty pageant star in her youth, she wakes up years later with mysterious bruises, the source of which spirals her into looking for an underground intelligence agency--one that she's long since forgotten. Being a pageant star and a secret agent isn't so different, it seems. You must learn to have an outer self, reject pain, memorize answers. But as Jessica begins to fit the pieces together, she discovers that much of her youth was spent in a government program MONARCH and that they are the ones responsible for her parents' deaths. Alongside her black-lipsticked mentor Christine, the two plunge deep into the depths of government bureaucracy to uncover their pasts and hopefully forge some semblance of a future.
Told in two parts, Wuehle makes for a totally convincing secret-agent story, perfect for fans of Orphan Black. With an ubiquitous vocabulary, references to country-shocking events (Lorena Bobbitt, OJ Simpson, and Monica Lewinski, to name a few), it is easy to believe that Jessica was once an agent regaining her memories. The second part of this novel certainly aligns more with the thriller genre than the first part, and this makes for a fast-paced, engaging read.
Amid the great scandals of the 90s, Jessica's memory begins to resurface. A child beauty pageant star in her youth, she wakes up years later with mysterious bruises, the source of which spirals her into looking for an underground intelligence agency--one that she's long since forgotten. Being a pageant star and a secret agent isn't so different, it seems. You must learn to have an outer self, reject pain, memorize answers. But as Jessica begins to fit the pieces together, she discovers that much of her youth was spent in a government program MONARCH and that they are the ones responsible for her parents' deaths. Alongside her black-lipsticked mentor Christine, the two plunge deep into the depths of government bureaucracy to uncover their pasts and hopefully forge some semblance of a future.
Told in two parts, Wuehle makes for a totally convincing secret-agent story, perfect for fans of Orphan Black. With an ubiquitous vocabulary, references to country-shocking events (Lorena Bobbitt, OJ Simpson, and Monica Lewinski, to name a few), it is easy to believe that Jessica was once an agent regaining her memories. The second part of this novel certainly aligns more with the thriller genre than the first part, and this makes for a fast-paced, engaging read.
juliusclearance's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I told my partner the gist of the plot and she said “oh I’ve seen this movie. I’d rather read something different.”
I didn’t know how to say that this is different. The prose, pacing, and structure of the story was so refreshing it felt brand new.
I didn’t know how to say that this is different. The prose, pacing, and structure of the story was so refreshing it felt brand new.
emloueez's review
5.0
You know when you read a book description and you feel pretty confident that it's your kind of book, and then you read it, and it totally is? So strange and bitchy. It's the demonic lovechild of "Memento," "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" and at least half of the episodes of "You're Wrong About." It's definitely a bananas premise, but it largely works, save for a couple of hiccups in logic. Couldn't put it down.