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126 reviews for:
The Catch: The long-awaited debut novel from award-winning writer, Yrsa Daley-Ward
Yrsa Daley-Ward
3.65 AVERAGE
126 reviews for:
The Catch: The long-awaited debut novel from award-winning writer, Yrsa Daley-Ward
Yrsa Daley-Ward
3.65 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
wow. the shifting, unreliable perspectives in the latter half of this book create an enthralling labyrinth. i was also hooked on the meta book-within-a-book(within another book or two??) concept and repeating generational stories. i don't read much fantasy or magical realism, so this was very interesting. i also love a non-romance love story, which i would argue "The Catch" certainly is, for Clara, Dempsey and Serene. it's full of heart, watching these estranged twins bond and try to better themselves after the hell they've been through, and to see the lengths they go for their mom (or is it?). but this resentful, competitive, unfurling love spiral between the three is messy: it’s cursed and raw, challenging and hurtful.
not to mention Daley-Ward's atmospheric, stunning command of poetry and prose. imagery of the metaphysical is dazzling. this was super duper immersive. you're really thrown right into the chaos of the characters’ minds in the second half.
this novel's approach to unreliable, spooky and manic storytelling reminded me, in some ways, of another book i enjoyed a while back -- "White is for Witching" by Helen Oyeyemi. the reader doesn't know who to trust, questions what is real, is given hints of ghostlike appearances/possession and more. both books also deal with a set of siblings who confront haunting subjects, grief & generational trauma, a departed mother and mental illness — and each come out with differing POVs to share.
i'm still not really sure what the hell happened at the end (seriously what??!!) and that's awesome. i'll be thinking about this for a long time!!!! which is what i LOVE about stories.
not to mention Daley-Ward's atmospheric, stunning command of poetry and prose. imagery of the metaphysical is dazzling. this was super duper immersive. you're really thrown right into the chaos of the characters’ minds in the second half.
this novel's approach to unreliable, spooky and manic storytelling reminded me, in some ways, of another book i enjoyed a while back -- "White is for Witching" by Helen Oyeyemi. the reader doesn't know who to trust, questions what is real, is given hints of ghostlike appearances/possession and more. both books also deal with a set of siblings who confront haunting subjects, grief & generational trauma, a departed mother and mental illness — and each come out with differing POVs to share.
i'm still not really sure what the hell happened at the end (seriously what??!!) and that's awesome. i'll be thinking about this for a long time!!!! which is what i LOVE about stories.
No particular reason. Love Eli and her book club but I just have other things i want to read rn
Super interesting, but I think I needed to like the characters better to hang in and wrestle with the ambiguous, speculative parts.
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
The Catch
Yrsa Daley-Ward
25% into this novel, I asked myself repeatedly “what am I reading?”. I think it would be too simplistic for me to say that the experience I had was that of a fever dream. Daley- Ward has woven a tale so consciously dubious that it transcends genres. I truly respect an author that can commit to the strangeness of a story.
As the synopsis mentions, this is a world of vastness in terms of realities. I was unaware of what I had committed myself to. I went into reading this blindly. I’m so glad I did.
Clara and Dempsey stand on the precipice of mania and magical realism. It’s immediately understood that no one perspective can be trusted. It becomes a mystery in a way, because no information is the absolute truth.
Clara is positioned as the more desirable twin. She’s been given more access and privileges, but that doesn’t mean she’s had an easier life.
Dempsey has a downtrodden disposition. She is very reclusive. This makes her feel as if she has a greater handle on life. This isn’t true.
Both sisters are mentally convoluted, and their shared and personal trauma has manifested into selfishness. The mental fog hinders them from holding more compassion for each other. It’s how they’ve learned to deal with the pain of Serene’s absence.
This book is odd, interesting, confusing, engaging and entertaining. The writing style pulled me into these chaotic worlds. I appreciate that while the story is murky due to the subject and the unreliability of the characters, the actual writing is very rich.
Lastly, I enjoyed the fourth wall being broken whenever Carla’s having internal dialogue during her book tour. It’s refreshing to see writers that can make fun of themselves. At times, they’re expected to have a profound answer to every question in regards to their writing. It’s unrealistic. Sometimes it’s just an exercise in expressing your imagination. In Carla’s case, it would be exorcise, but I suppose that’s debatable.
Thank you @netgalley, @w.w.norton and @liverightbooks for the ARC. I did purchase the audiobook. I loved it.
#readandtellwithshantel #yrsadaleyward #thecatch
(Nobody Jhene Aiko)
Yrsa Daley-Ward
25% into this novel, I asked myself repeatedly “what am I reading?”. I think it would be too simplistic for me to say that the experience I had was that of a fever dream. Daley- Ward has woven a tale so consciously dubious that it transcends genres. I truly respect an author that can commit to the strangeness of a story.
As the synopsis mentions, this is a world of vastness in terms of realities. I was unaware of what I had committed myself to. I went into reading this blindly. I’m so glad I did.
Clara and Dempsey stand on the precipice of mania and magical realism. It’s immediately understood that no one perspective can be trusted. It becomes a mystery in a way, because no information is the absolute truth.
Clara is positioned as the more desirable twin. She’s been given more access and privileges, but that doesn’t mean she’s had an easier life.
Dempsey has a downtrodden disposition. She is very reclusive. This makes her feel as if she has a greater handle on life. This isn’t true.
Both sisters are mentally convoluted, and their shared and personal trauma has manifested into selfishness. The mental fog hinders them from holding more compassion for each other. It’s how they’ve learned to deal with the pain of Serene’s absence.
This book is odd, interesting, confusing, engaging and entertaining. The writing style pulled me into these chaotic worlds. I appreciate that while the story is murky due to the subject and the unreliability of the characters, the actual writing is very rich.
Lastly, I enjoyed the fourth wall being broken whenever Carla’s having internal dialogue during her book tour. It’s refreshing to see writers that can make fun of themselves. At times, they’re expected to have a profound answer to every question in regards to their writing. It’s unrealistic. Sometimes it’s just an exercise in expressing your imagination. In Carla’s case, it would be exorcise, but I suppose that’s debatable.
Thank you @netgalley, @w.w.norton and @liverightbooks for the ARC. I did purchase the audiobook. I loved it.
#readandtellwithshantel #yrsadaleyward #thecatch
(Nobody Jhene Aiko)
But. I am so confuzzled. I didn’t love it. But maybe I’m just the wrong audience.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced