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3.09 AVERAGE
3.09 AVERAGE
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first 40-ish percent of My Name Was Eden was extremely captivating! Lucy and James' spent years trying to have a baby, and to their delight Lucy became pregnant - with twins! But during the later stages of pregnancy the second twin vanished - likely absorbed by Twin One. Lucy ends up naming both her babies, unable to truly accept one was gone. The baby that was born, a daughter, was named Eden. And the unborn brother, Eli.
Fourteen years later, Eden drowns in a nearby pond. Although clinically dead for a short time, she is revived and taken to hospital where she makes a full recovery. Well, almost full. Eden no longer wants to be called "Eden" but insists on being called Eli instead. She tells Lucy that Eden is "gone". All very interesting and exciting...
But then comes the other 60% of the book, which is nothing but repetition, repetition, repetition! A constant chorus about Lucy's mental health being in crisis, Lucy and James' marriage being in crisis, that Eden absolutely insists on being called Eli and her behaviour, mannerisms and personality are in crisis! The same topics are covered over and over with nothing new being added.
Except bodies. Lots of bodies are added.
At this point it seems Eleanor Barker-White decided to change the novel from an eerie story of a vanishing/reappearing twin acting in a very creepy way, into a body-dropping thriller. Unfortunately, nothing that comes prior has set the plot up for this twist - it comes out of nowhere and doesn't fit the rest of the tone of the book.
The ending feels very forced - as if Barker-White ran out of ideas (and energy) for the book and cobbled something together. Worse still, it was followed by an epilogue.
One of those ones.
The kind that is totally left field and leaves you screaming "What The Hell?!" at a twist that is just... Too much and that randomly changes the personality of an entire character at the very last second.
Rather than read My Name Was Eden, I listened on audiobook. It was narrated by Lucy Price-Lewis and that was probably the only reason I finished it. Lucy Price-Lewis could read the telephone book and I'd listen to her!
My Name Was Eden is Eleanor Barker-White's debut novel. Hopefully, she will take on board some of the feedback and reviews she has received for her first book if and when she comes to write a second. This novel started off very strong, if Barker-White can keep that kind of momentum throughout the entirety of a second novel, it will be an absolute knockout!
Fourteen years later, Eden drowns in a nearby pond. Although clinically dead for a short time, she is revived and taken to hospital where she makes a full recovery. Well, almost full. Eden no longer wants to be called "Eden" but insists on being called Eli instead. She tells Lucy that Eden is "gone". All very interesting and exciting...
But then comes the other 60% of the book, which is nothing but repetition, repetition, repetition! A constant chorus about Lucy's mental health being in crisis, Lucy and James' marriage being in crisis, that Eden absolutely insists on being called Eli and her behaviour, mannerisms and personality are in crisis! The same topics are covered over and over with nothing new being added.
Except bodies. Lots of bodies are added.
At this point it seems Eleanor Barker-White decided to change the novel from an eerie story of a vanishing/reappearing twin acting in a very creepy way, into a body-dropping thriller. Unfortunately, nothing that comes prior has set the plot up for this twist - it comes out of nowhere and doesn't fit the rest of the tone of the book.
The ending feels very forced - as if Barker-White ran out of ideas (and energy) for the book and cobbled something together. Worse still, it was followed by an epilogue.
One of those ones.
The kind that is totally left field and leaves you screaming "What The Hell?!" at a twist that is just... Too much and that randomly changes the personality of an entire character at the very last second.
Rather than read My Name Was Eden, I listened on audiobook. It was narrated by Lucy Price-Lewis and that was probably the only reason I finished it. Lucy Price-Lewis could read the telephone book and I'd listen to her!
My Name Was Eden is Eleanor Barker-White's debut novel. Hopefully, she will take on board some of the feedback and reviews she has received for her first book if and when she comes to write a second. This novel started off very strong, if Barker-White can keep that kind of momentum throughout the entirety of a second novel, it will be an absolute knockout!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Violence
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes