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okevamae's review against another edition
5.0
Evelyn is a career-driven scientist, a pioneer in the field of cloning and clone programming. Her husband Nathan has gone behind her back and used her research to replace her with a clone, Martine, who looks just like her but acts completely different: more docile, more agreeable, more obedient, and willing to carry his child. Evelyn despises both of them, especially Martine. But when things go wrong between Nathan and the clone and Martine reaches out to Evelyn in a desperate panic, Evelyn has no choice but to help her, or risk the scandal of Martine’s very existence destroying her career.
You know an audiobook is good when you get home and then just sit in your car because you can’t bear to pause it. This is one of those. It’s fascinating and compelling and deeply fucked up. I never saw the twists coming, and there were some big ones. The main character and POV narrator, Evelyn, is for the most part deeply unlikeable, and while in some books that rubs me the wrong way, in this one it just made her more interesting, especially as our (unreliable) narrator, through whose eyes we experience the story. Most of Evelyn’s mistakes come from a well-established part of her character – arrogance, abrasiveness, inability to compromise or apologize, etc – which made her flaws and missteps feel authentic. We also learn a lot about her childhood, which sheds a lot of light on how she became the person that she is. But she also evolves over the course of the book to be a more empathetic, if still very flawed, character – though she fights this character growth tooth and nail. I found this book to be a beautifully written and compelling, though definitely disturbing, science fiction novel which takes an interesting look at themes like misogyny, the formation of identity, the toll that childhood psychological and emotional abuse can take on the rest of a person’s life, and the inevitability of becoming like our parents.
I’m giving this 4.5 stars, rounded up. I’m docking it half a star for a couple of things that don’t really make sense to me. It has little to do with the science - this is “soft” sci-fi and I’m fine with that - but there are things that don’t quite make sense within the world of the novel. Specifically: I may have missed an explanation, but the programming of memory seems inconsistent. There are a few non-science-related explanations that we’re just expected to go along with, but I can’t suspend disbelief for them. But I felt like the rest of the book was mostly good enough to make up for those issues, thus it’s only docked half a star.
CW: Physical abuse, domestic violence, emotional and psychological abuse, negligent and abusive parenting, abortion, blood and gore, murder, misogyny, infidelity, PTSD
You know an audiobook is good when you get home and then just sit in your car because you can’t bear to pause it. This is one of those. It’s fascinating and compelling and deeply fucked up. I never saw the twists coming, and there were some big ones. The main character and POV narrator, Evelyn, is for the most part deeply unlikeable, and while in some books that rubs me the wrong way, in this one it just made her more interesting, especially as our (unreliable) narrator, through whose eyes we experience the story. Most of Evelyn’s mistakes come from a well-established part of her character – arrogance, abrasiveness, inability to compromise or apologize, etc – which made her flaws and missteps feel authentic. We also learn a lot about her childhood, which sheds a lot of light on how she became the person that she is. But she also evolves over the course of the book to be a more empathetic, if still very flawed, character – though she fights this character growth tooth and nail. I found this book to be a beautifully written and compelling, though definitely disturbing, science fiction novel which takes an interesting look at themes like misogyny, the formation of identity, the toll that childhood psychological and emotional abuse can take on the rest of a person’s life, and the inevitability of becoming like our parents.
I’m giving this 4.5 stars, rounded up. I’m docking it half a star for a couple of things that don’t really make sense to me. It has little to do with the science - this is “soft” sci-fi and I’m fine with that - but there are things that don’t quite make sense within the world of the novel. Specifically: I may have missed an explanation, but the programming of memory seems inconsistent.
Spoiler
How is memory programmed in? Is it just from the things the clone is told in conditioning, or is it somehow taken from the “scan”? Martine has to be re-taught science, but Clone Nathan must have retained his education, otherwise how could he go right back to work? But if the memories come from the scan, there appear to be some gaps in his memory – like not remembering what the kitchen he and Evelyn shared looked like – that should probably have been covered in the scan from five years prior. So how much of his memory is retained? Did Martine come programmed with basic education, or was she just a blank slate? I believe Martine said that Nathan had to teach her to read and write, but did he also have to teach her how to speak? It’s not addressed. If she was “born” knowing how to speak, how could she have a vocabulary but no other education, no other memories?Spoiler
I don’t buy that Nathan just vanished from his job and his life with no warning for five whole months, and his colleagues, bosses, and friends were just... fine with that. Didn’t question it. He goes awol for that long without making any sort of arrangements ahead of time, no direct communication with anyone, and he still has a job waiting for him when he returns? That struck me as totally unrealistic. (If that IS how vacation leave works in academia, let me know. I may need to consider a career change.) Also, in the beginning they made a huge deal out of how Martine getting pregnant was impossible, and then they never explained it, which is a total violation of Chekhov’s gun.CW: Physical abuse, domestic violence, emotional and psychological abuse, negligent and abusive parenting, abortion, blood and gore, murder, misogyny, infidelity, PTSD
kdahlo's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, the protagonist has a great voice, damaged, hyper-focused, stunted. I also thought the twists and turns were all very interesting and appropriate. The concept of the story feels a bit like allegory, and I found the afterword illuminating in that respect. Really curious to see what this author does next, as 'River of Teeth' was a mixed bag for me - cool concept but kind of stiff and formulaic. I thought this book was much, much better and really went to some interesting places. The author had much more insight into the interiority of these characters, and made some really great choices that challenged them and put them in interesting situations.
dumb_library's review against another edition
2.0
ummmm, ok???? cool premise but wtf was this plot????? like…….none of it made sense? i’m upset fkfkgkgkgkgkhlg
anurbannomad's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
thewileyseven's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
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
5.0
Brutal and uncompromising and excellent. Are there some holes in it? Completely. Is that the point? Not even a little. Wow. I am awed and shaken by this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Murder, and Domestic abuse
themosquitoqueer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lighterthaneyre's review
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I like the way this book turned over themes in its hands, looking at different angles. It's slow, introspective. The main character is as defined by her flaws as she is by the hurts she's received. The ending is satisfying, the way pressing on a bruise can be satisfying. I don't think it's happy, but it's better than it could have turned out
anigoose's review
4.5
read for enjoyment
i really liked and was pleasantly surprised by the ending :)
i really liked and was pleasantly surprised by the ending :)