I feel like this is a book best read two or even three times, because just once left me rather confused.
Looking at the title of this book, perhaps you'd immediately guess that it's about two things: a murder, and the end of the world. And you would be right. And as is usually the case when a book is about two things, one ends up being more successful than the other.
The first half of this story focuses on the end of the world, and that was my favorite part of the book. I was absolutely riveted, turning the pages as fast I could, trying to figure out what was going on. There was this rather sinister feeling throughout, as if you know something wasn't quite right, but you can't put your finger on what exactly. And the more we learn, the stronger that feeling got. I totally ate it up.
Then about halfway through, we arrive at the murder as well as some revelations about the end of the world, and that was truly a satisfying "ah ha" moment for me. It was the highlight of the book, and so much of what had been hinted at thus far slotted into place.
But soon after, it started to go off the rails a bit. I went from being absolutely glued to my seat to quickly losing interest. I think it's because we switched into murder investigation mode, and that arc just wasn't as compelling. There were so many details and people, too many to really keep track of in my head. I kept forgetting who the characters were and how they related to each other. As small revelations appeared, only to twist upon itself later, then twist upon itself again, I just could not keep it all straight.
And not being able to remember really hindered my enjoyment. There were so many moments when a character would mention a fact or a relationship, and I would have to pause, desperately searching my memory for this morsel of information I should've known, only to come up empty. These pauses really took me out of the story and prevented me from being fully immersed in the mystery.
The other thing that constantly felt a little bit off was the story's simultaneous use of the 1st person and 3rd person narrator, which I've never seen done before (maybe with good reason). I kept being vaguely confused, uncertain if we're reading about a character's true feelings or our omniscient narrator's interpretation of them. And maybe there is no real difference between the two at the end of the day, but that dissonance gnawed on me.
I'll be honest, I think the writing and editing contributed to these issues. The story isn't that far off from being easier to understand, if only some of the more convoluted plot developments were pared back and the writing polished up for clarity. It's a shame the book went out the door as is, so close to being amazing and yet falling short of that lofty goal.
It seriously pains me that I can't seem to give Stuart Turton's books more than 3 stars. His premises are always amazing, and there is so much potential embedded in the pages. And yet, the execution is just a smidge too complicated and tortuous, leaving me feeling like I've gone through several rounds of plot-gymnastics rather than just being able to sit back and enjoy the stories for what they are.
Still, that being said, it's not going to stop me from reading more of Stuart Turton's books. So there you go.
Readaroo Rating: 3 stars
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