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adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
wow. the shifting, unreliable perspectives in the latter half of this book create an enthralling labyrinth. i was also hooked on the meta book-within-a-book(within another book or two??) concept and repeating generational stories. i don't read much fantasy or magical realism, so this was very interesting. i also love a non-romance love story, which i would argue "The Catch" certainly is, for Clara, Dempsey and Serene. it's full of heart, watching these estranged twins bond and try to better themselves after the hell they've been through, and to see the lengths they go for their mom (or is it?). but this resentful, competitive, unfurling love spiral between the three is messy: it’s cursed and raw, challenging and hurtful.
not to mention Daley-Ward's atmospheric, stunning command of poetry and prose. imagery of the metaphysical is dazzling. this was super duper immersive. you're really thrown right into the chaos of the characters’ minds in the second half.
this novel's approach to unreliable, spooky and manic storytelling reminded me, in some ways, of another book i enjoyed a while back -- "White is for Witching" by Helen Oyeyemi. the reader doesn't know who to trust, questions what is real, is given hints of ghostlike appearances/possession and more. both books also deal with a set of siblings who confront haunting subjects, grief & generational trauma, a departed mother and mental illness — and each come out with differing POVs to share.
i'm still not really sure what the hell happened at the end (seriously what??!!) and that's awesome. i'll be thinking about this for a long time!!!! which is what i LOVE about stories.
not to mention Daley-Ward's atmospheric, stunning command of poetry and prose. imagery of the metaphysical is dazzling. this was super duper immersive. you're really thrown right into the chaos of the characters’ minds in the second half.
this novel's approach to unreliable, spooky and manic storytelling reminded me, in some ways, of another book i enjoyed a while back -- "White is for Witching" by Helen Oyeyemi. the reader doesn't know who to trust, questions what is real, is given hints of ghostlike appearances/possession and more. both books also deal with a set of siblings who confront haunting subjects, grief & generational trauma, a departed mother and mental illness — and each come out with differing POVs to share.
i'm still not really sure what the hell happened at the end (seriously what??!!) and that's awesome. i'll be thinking about this for a long time!!!! which is what i LOVE about stories.