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129 reviews for:
The Catch: The long-awaited debut novel from award-winning writer, Yrsa Daley-Ward
Yrsa Daley-Ward
3.64 AVERAGE
129 reviews for:
The Catch: The long-awaited debut novel from award-winning writer, Yrsa Daley-Ward
Yrsa Daley-Ward
3.64 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i wasn’t sure what to expect going into the catch, but wow - this was an entertaining, super trippy ride. i fell in love with the writing style from the get-go; it was poetic and evocative, infused with a dark, dry humour. the story itself took unexpected twists and turns, and while i wasn’t entirely sure what had truly gone down by the final page, i still had an enjoyable time. this isn’t a “no plot, just vibes” read, but the vibes were immaculate and kept me engaged. massive thanks to Cornerstone, Merky Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!
✧ full review on my tumblr ✧
✧ full review on my tumblr ✧
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
A darkly human tale full of unreliable narrators, with shades of Toni Morrison and Daphne du Maurier.
I requested and received an eARC of The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward via NetGalley. Twin sisters Clara and Dempsey have always struggled to relate, their relationship blown apart after their mother vanished into the Thames. Following her disappearance the twins are separated in foster care and have lived under the impression that their mother died. All this changes, however, when Clara is sure she had spotted her dead mother stealing a watch in a department store.
I fell in love with the way this story is written and found myself mesmerized by Daley-Ward’s words. Her prose is poetic and unforgiving, both beautiful and repugnant. The way the author fully allows the reader to inhabit Dempsey and Clara’s world makes for very compelling reading. How the sisters relate to one another on the page felt very real, the tension, anger, and sadness radiating off the page was irresistible. As I read The Catch I kept on finding myself asking, which sister do I trust? Which characters do I believe? It wouldn’t take long for me to realize that I had entered the story with the wrong mindset.
The Catch is puzzling and disorienting with no stability in sight. Just as I thought I had a grasp on what was happening, I had the rug yanked from beneath my feet and had to crawl my way toward the end where I discovered that I knew nothing at all. As confusing, and at times difficult, as this book can be to read, I found it well worth it in the end. Clara, Dempsey, and Serene are willing to hurt themselves, hurt each other, and hurt you, but through all the murk what shines through is the depth of humanity invested in these characters and their stories.
I requested and received an eARC of The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward via NetGalley. Twin sisters Clara and Dempsey have always struggled to relate, their relationship blown apart after their mother vanished into the Thames. Following her disappearance the twins are separated in foster care and have lived under the impression that their mother died. All this changes, however, when Clara is sure she had spotted her dead mother stealing a watch in a department store.
I fell in love with the way this story is written and found myself mesmerized by Daley-Ward’s words. Her prose is poetic and unforgiving, both beautiful and repugnant. The way the author fully allows the reader to inhabit Dempsey and Clara’s world makes for very compelling reading. How the sisters relate to one another on the page felt very real, the tension, anger, and sadness radiating off the page was irresistible. As I read The Catch I kept on finding myself asking, which sister do I trust? Which characters do I believe? It wouldn’t take long for me to realize that I had entered the story with the wrong mindset.
The Catch is puzzling and disorienting with no stability in sight. Just as I thought I had a grasp on what was happening, I had the rug yanked from beneath my feet and had to crawl my way toward the end where I discovered that I knew nothing at all. As confusing, and at times difficult, as this book can be to read, I found it well worth it in the end. Clara, Dempsey, and Serene are willing to hurt themselves, hurt each other, and hurt you, but through all the murk what shines through is the depth of humanity invested in these characters and their stories.
dark
slow-paced
This just wasn't for me - I couldn't work out what was going on and I could not connect with the style of writing. In the first part the character refers to the body she is inhabiting - what? Is she a spirit? Maybe I am just too literal and lack an imagination but I cut my losses and started another book.
It’s always risky picking up such an esoteric book – I am 100% certain that some people will have this on their “best of the year” lists, but for me personally it didn’t quite connect.
This is an autofiction book about estranged twin sisters, Dempsey and Clara, one of whom believes she has seen her mother (who was presumed dead) in some sort of time warp where she is still young (or, in Depmsey’s opinion, a con woman). Clara also happens to be a celebrity author who writes an autofiction book about twin sisters, one of whom meets her mother in some sort of time warp where she is still young.
What this book has that worked well for me: Weird! I love books with a weird, dreamlike quality, where you aren’t quite sure what’s going on but trust the author to take you on a journey. I also am a fan of an unreliable narrator, and that was definitely well done here.
Things that aren’t my jam, but would appeal to the right readers: Unhinged women. I know this has become more and more popular in recent years, but books about sad and/or unhinged women just don’t really appeal to me. From there, the writing also didn’t quite pull me in; I’m not 100% sure how to articulate why, but I think it had to do with the way I struggled to connect with the characters. It was very high-concept, which can sometimes work for me but I think kept me at an arm’s length in this case.
3 stars
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"The Catch" by Yrsa Daley-Ward has a beautiful, poetic writing style that really makes certain moments shine. I appreciated the themes of love and self-discovery, but I struggled to fully connect with the characters and their journeys. While there were some powerful, introspective moments, the pacing felt uneven, and parts of the story didn’t quite land for me. That said, if you enjoy lyrical storytelling, it’s still worth a read.
mysterious
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
Borderline Personality Disorder representation!!!
Wow, this book was kinda crazy. I'll be honest, I didn't like the beginning. It felt way too cheesy and overdramatic, especially with that main character's book quote from a man with who she had slept. The introduction of the heroine through the "one-night stand" scene has been done too many times, and I rolled my eyes a few times.
However, I continued reading and very soon found myself really enjoying the book. With each new chapter, the plot got crazier and crazier, but slowly, with little details. I was amazed at how the author plays with the reality and delusions of the sisters. I was genuinely confused about what was real and what wasn't, but that kept me captivated until the end. The epilogue was an interesting choice - so many variations. It felt experimental, but I can't say I disliked it.
I also enjoyed the character studies. While not so many people may understand the plot, we can't deny that the characters' work was top-tier. The sisters were completely different in their traits and had unique perspectives. They were real, and I understood exactly why they had so much trauma and how it affected them both individually. They shared the same trauma - the abandonment of their mother - but it influenced them in different ways. I enjoyed how the sisters went from "we didn't even grow up together" to accepting each other. But the best was, that the author didn't tell us that, they showed.
Overall, I think this book has a pretty good chance of becoming a booktok's literary darling because it's a fresh and unusual exploration of growing up without a mother. However, I am afraid it will receive a lot of controversial reviews, and many readers might not understand and appreciate it. I personally had a great time with this book and I want to thank the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an arc.
Wow, this book was kinda crazy. I'll be honest, I didn't like the beginning. It felt way too cheesy and overdramatic, especially with that main character's book quote from a man with who she had slept. The introduction of the heroine through the "one-night stand" scene has been done too many times, and I rolled my eyes a few times.
However, I continued reading and very soon found myself really enjoying the book. With each new chapter, the plot got crazier and crazier, but slowly, with little details. I was amazed at how the author plays with the reality and delusions of the sisters. I was genuinely confused about what was real and what wasn't, but that kept me captivated until the end. The epilogue was an interesting choice - so many variations. It felt experimental, but I can't say I disliked it.
I also enjoyed the character studies. While not so many people may understand the plot, we can't deny that the characters' work was top-tier. The sisters were completely different in their traits and had unique perspectives. They were real, and I understood exactly why they had so much trauma and how it affected them both individually. They shared the same trauma - the abandonment of their mother - but it influenced them in different ways. I enjoyed how the sisters went from "we didn't even grow up together" to accepting each other. But the best was, that the author didn't tell us that, they showed.
Overall, I think this book has a pretty good chance of becoming a booktok's literary darling because it's a fresh and unusual exploration of growing up without a mother. However, I am afraid it will receive a lot of controversial reviews, and many readers might not understand and appreciate it. I personally had a great time with this book and I want to thank the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an arc.