A review by buffalomj
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Reading this book is like eating an entire cheesecake for dinner: It’s rich and dense and by the end you’re a little sick of it.

The book is phenomenally written, with tight wordplay and an even tighter timeline, Turton knows every minute of that day. There are about four hundred characters too many though, and having to flip back and forth to at least get my names straight was exhausting … and not everyone was even included in the dramatis personae! The ending … well, the ending sure does happen. I’m not sure I liked the Anna reveal, even if I think the concept is interesting. What was not interesting was the big chunk of fatphobia and body dimorphism … I think Turton manages to course correct by the end, but that’s a tempered treatment and in no way absolves him of the problem.

Overall it’s very well-written with a chewy mystery and a hell of a setting. Very worth the investment if not a perfect book.
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