Well I don’t know what to say about this. It’s billed as Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day. It is a clever plot, well written, with excellent descriptions of the characters, but I spent a lot of time in a state of confusion! There are a lot of characters in lots of places, gathering lots of clues to solve the mystery of who killed Evelyn Hardcastle.
The story starts with Aiden Bishop waking up in a forest, not knowing who he is, where he is or how he got there. He later learns his name and that he received an invitation to a Masquerade Ball at Blackheath House, the family home of the Hardcastle family. He also learns that he is trapped in a supernatural prison, and his only means of escape is to identify Evelyn Hardcastle’s murderer. A masked figure curtly informs him that Evelyn Hardcastle will die every day until he can identify her killer and he must do so by reliving the day of the murder eight times, each day in the body of a different person. If he fails he will return to the first day, memory wiped clean, to do it all again.
The concept is good, 8 people each with different skills for picking up clues and working out where people were and who did what at given times of days and nights, but I found it very difficult to pick up any clues or remember where all the characters were and what they were doing.
At the beginning of the 505 pages I was invested in the plot and the characters but as the novel progressed I lost track of everything, enjoyment turned to hard work, and eventually I was speed reading to get to the end.
If you decide to read it, take notes, copious notes, about everything and everyone! AND CONCENTRATE!
It's an interesting premise. Might make a better movie than a book. I find it's sometimes easier to remember characters by recognizing faces, rather than remembering names.
ReplyDeleteI agree Debra, I think it would make a very good movie. I would remember faces much better.
DeleteThat is too long of a book for me! The title is interesting…….I recently read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo!
ReplyDeleteThat one sounds interesting.
DeleteI haven't read that one, but like Bijoux I've read the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, who presumably rejigged the other title. I'd recommend Seven Husbands, it rattles along very nicely.
ReplyDeleteNot anonymous.
ReplyDeleteHi Nick, this anonymous thing is weird, I've seen it happening on other blogs. I have put 7 husbands on my 'To read' list, it sounds good.
DeleteThe name always defaults to anonymous when I first start commenting, and I forgot to call up the Google Account option which presents as Nick.
DeleteInteresting sounding book though I think I'll have to pass. Give me brain candy not something I have to think about hard AND take notes .
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Pam, it was hard work.
Delete