Marissa Levien

In a Nutshell: This would be a great book for sci-fi beginners who want to try a dystopian novel with detailed sci-fi embellishments without going overboard on the technical jargon.

Story:
Myrra is a contract worker whose family has been in servitude since generations due to a bond signed by her great-grandmother a century ago. With 50 years to go on this contract, Myrra has to continue working with the Carlyles, her uber-rich, politically-influential owners. But one night, when both the Carlyles end up killing themselves, Myrra finds herself free but at a huge cost: a horrible secret that made them take their own lives, even willing to leave their infant daughter alone. Now Myrra has little Charlotte, a gateway to freedom, and nowhere to go. Is it too late for her? Will she be able to embrace and accept the truth about her fate?
Can’t reveal much more because I don’t want to give out spoilers, but the secret is so, so bad that it’s really good! :D
The story comes to us in the third person perspective of Myrra and Tobias, one of the investigating officers on the Carlyle case.

Where the book clicked for me:
• For a debut work, the scale of the story is really well-created. All the locations in the story are detailed out in such vivid detail that the scene comes alive in your mind. I loved every single locale described in the book, and the names given to them.
• The lead characters are pretty likeable, and quite realistic. They aren’t shown to be perfect but depicted with human strengths and flaws, making it easier to connect with them.
• Reading this book while in a pandemic is a philosophical experience in itself. There are so many poignant lines in the second half that left me lost in thought. (No, the book isn’t about a pandemic.)
• There is no forced romance. A big hurrah for that.
• The ending. Oh My God! A whole star for that ending. I wish I could tell you about it, I so want to talk about it, but my lips are zipped. All I can say is how happy I was that the book stuck to its natural flow and gave it a logical ending. With the way the narrative was going, I was mentally prepared for yet another last-minute, farfetched twist in the tale. But the manner in which the author brought things to a close took my breath away and I just sat for a few minutes, dumbfounded.


Where the book could have been better:
• The first half of the book is fast, almost thriller-like, with quick changes in scenes, character perspective shifts between Myrra and Tobias and a rush from one event to another. In the second half, the pace becomes slow and the writing becomes more like a drama, sometimes even turning philosophical. If you can’t realign yourself to this shift in pace and genre, you’ll be disappointed with either the first half or the second half.
• Some parts in the second half felt like personal philosophical advice being given by the author. I could have happily done without those.
• While still in third person, the writing suddenly peppers us with "let's consider" and "let us think about" and other such "let us" phrases. This is not in what the characters are saying but in the background scene description. Such ad-hoc use of the first person imperative marred the overall writing flow of those chapters.
• Though the character sketching was more or less okay, Myrra seemed far too prescient considering her lack of formal education or learning opportunities. I couldn’t come to terms with the depth of her knowledge, especially as she was said to be hardly schooled and had no access to books or technology. The extent to which she grasped technical stuff by overhearing conversations was unrealistic.

So there were areas of improvement for sure. But I still think this is a pretty good debut work and would love to read more by this author. The pros far outweighed the cons for me, and I think I’m also being more generous because of that choice of ending.

The audio book is about 13 hours long, and is narrated by Christine Lakin. She is fabulous with her narration. I think her “male voice” is one of the best I’ve heard from a female narrator. She doesn’t deliberately convert her tone to a guttural bass but just voices Tobias in a natural-sounding way. I don’t know what she did, but I enjoyed it. Getting the reader to concentrate from the first scene to the last in such a lengthy audiobook without any rewinding needed is a big plus point for the narrator.

Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Audio, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

It's a 4.25 from me.




***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever!, for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Follow me on Instagram: RoshReviews… (more)

Absolutely fantastic book! The world is expansive, gripping, and somehow relatable to the one we inhabit, despite its rich, imaginative sci-fi themes. A contemplative read made accessible by characters you feel like you know personally by the end of the book.

Well written throughout, a sci-fi book that defines what needs to be defined without losing the magic of a complex, undefinable scenario. The echo of romance, the impact of generational trauma, and the creeping fear of death throughout make this one of the best books I've read so far.… (more)

i loved this. and what a wonderful surprise to find such beauty in a science fiction book. granted, it's not hard sci-fi, and maybe aficionados would have issue with the world building, but i thought it answered all the questions i could possibly have about it, and it worked well for the story. i loved that this was a book just about finding meaning and connection, and that asks and answers that age-old question of what would you do if you knew the world was ending next week. it's quiet and lovely and the writing is excellent and i thought this was just beautiful and brave.… (more)

The world is a huge space ship and when a contract worker's employers suicide rather than living to what they know to be it's coming end, Myrra takes their year old daughter and runs to where she hopes to have a better life for the couple of months remaining. Tobias is a new security agent tasked as the junior partner to bring her back, having no idea why the couple she worked for suicided - if even they did. Well written and neither emo or sentimental this explores what it might mean to be able to live right up until the last moments knowing the end is coming. As social SF, the structures aren't the best thought out, but they are more props than serious speculations.… (more)