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A review by freemindwriting_jelena
Sedam smrti Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
3.5
I can’t remember the last time I felt so conflicted about how to rate a book after finishing it. On one hand, the concept is undeniably intriguing, original, and refreshingly unique—Agatha Christie meets time travel and body-jumping? Count me in! But on the other hand, the execution felt exhausting. The mystery was too drawn out, and I found myself more frustrated than intrigued by the need to get to the end just to understand what was going on. The journey itself wasn't fun at all.
I didn’t care much for any of the characters, and the MC's frequent shifts into new bodies weren’t accompanied by any real depth in character development—just a flat statement of which host he was in, without that change being reflected in behavior or tone. A lot of "telling" rather than "showing."
The resolution of the Evelyn Hardcastle mystery was, tbh, disappointing. Her motivations made little sense and seemed to come out of nowhere, making the payoff feel unearned and clumsily handled. However, the unraveling of the MC’s own story—and the explanation behind the body-hopping concept—was far more compelling. I appreciated the deeper message that it’s never too late to change, and that part left a much better impression.
Despite all the flaws, I wouldn’t call this a bad debut. If you’re able to overlook the shortcomings, this is a creative and worthwhile read. Not perfect, but memorable
I didn’t care much for any of the characters, and the MC's frequent shifts into new bodies weren’t accompanied by any real depth in character development—just a flat statement of which host he was in, without that change being reflected in behavior or tone. A lot of "telling" rather than "showing."
The resolution of the Evelyn Hardcastle mystery was, tbh, disappointing. Her motivations made little sense and seemed to come out of nowhere, making the payoff feel unearned and clumsily handled. However, the unraveling of the MC’s own story—and the explanation behind the body-hopping concept—was far more compelling. I appreciated the deeper message that it’s never too late to change, and that part left a much better impression.
Despite all the flaws, I wouldn’t call this a bad debut. If you’re able to overlook the shortcomings, this is a creative and worthwhile read. Not perfect, but memorable