cj_mo_2222 's review for:

My Name Was Eden by Eleanor Barker-White

4.0

challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

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This debut psychological thriller starts with such a unique premise. Eden Hamilton is fourteen years old when she has a mysterious accident at a lake near her home. She almost dies, but when she awakens in the hospital, she insists that her name is Eli. Her mother, Lucy, is shocked because Eli is the name of Eden's twin brother who didn't survive in the womb and his death was labeled "Vanishing Twin Syndrome". (This is a real thing - I looked online to get a little more information about it.) While Eden was always close to her father, while Lucy and Eden didn't always get along, Eli is loving and supportive of her mom and acts differently in other ways, too. 

The story is told from Lucy's point-of-view in the present and a few chapters from when she was a child. There are also some chapters from Charlie, Eden's friend since childhood. Getting someone else's point-of-view on some of the events helped me understand the story better, especially since some strange things occur. The book is engaging, tense, and sometimes creepy. For the most part, it was fast-paced but there were times when I was so confused, I would have to go back and reread a couple of paragraphs, so that slowed the pace of the book for me. 

I was engrossed in the story throughout the book, and by the time it ends, some things have been cleared up, while others remain ambiguous or unanswered. The chilling epilogue confirmed that I was correct in my opinion about one of the main characters. If you are a thriller fan looking for something different and don't mind a story without clear-cut explanations, then this could be the book for you.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley, William Morrow Books, and Scene of the Crime. My review is voluntary and unbiased.