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A review by maralyons
The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen
5.0
The Arc is a fascinating light satire about contemporary love and how we sustain our relationships. The writing reminded me of Laura Hankin’s novels and the show Black Mirror. The story immediately drew me in set in privileged elitist New York City. It follows Ursula, 35, and Rafael, 42; who are both successful in their careers but haven’t found the right person. They each spend $40-50k on the Arc’s service, an intensive matching service that employs technology in matching romantic partners. They’re matched with each other and have an instant, deep connection.
I loved Ursula and Rafael’s characters. The dialogue was so fun and punchy and I loved their connection. A few months in they begin having disagreements and old patterns appear. We soon learns what happens after a perfect match is put together. This book made me ponder questions like, how do we make our relationships successful? What makes people compatible? How do our insecurities and past experiences reflect in our relationships and communication? I also pondered the precarity of all relationships. I listened to the audiobook which was deftly narrated by Mary Elizabeth Kelly who perfectly embodied Ursula and the tone of the book.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Ursula and Rafael’s characters. The dialogue was so fun and punchy and I loved their connection. A few months in they begin having disagreements and old patterns appear. We soon learns what happens after a perfect match is put together. This book made me ponder questions like, how do we make our relationships successful? What makes people compatible? How do our insecurities and past experiences reflect in our relationships and communication? I also pondered the precarity of all relationships. I listened to the audiobook which was deftly narrated by Mary Elizabeth Kelly who perfectly embodied Ursula and the tone of the book.
Thank you St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.