So…I have mixed feelings about this one. This was my KindleFirst pick for June. I was expecting a psychological thriller but I feel like I didn’t get that? I’m not even sure it could be classified as suspense.

Anyway, this is about a sociology professor in her late 30s, Maris, who lives with her teenage daughter from her first marriage, and her second husband. She’s a recovering alcoholic who is suddenly experiencing blackouts. She later learns that other women have/had experienced similar blackouts, and they go in search of what’s causing it.

I was expecting a creepy, thrilling read, but instead I got a feminist narrative about rape culture, misogyny, female oppression by males, and the patriarchy. Which is fine, I’m all for that as a feminist, but this book wasn’t billed or advertised as that.

That being said, Maris is really unlikeable. I’m not sure why she insisted on constantly lying to her family when they seemed so supportive of her, and after awhile it started to really annoy me. There was a side plot that completely threw me off in between chapters involving the rapist that Maris wrote about, and a young woman who’s trying to get him, but I felt that didn’t add much to the story because she didn’t end up doing much anyway. The science behind everything seemed unrealistic and unbelievable.

It just felt like the story was trying to do a lot without fully executing any of its points well.

Told from Maris’ POV in third person, interspersed with first person from an unknown young woman.

In short, I liked the feminist messages and what it was trying to do, and I loved the premise. I just wish it were executed better! ( )

So…I have mixed feelings about this one. This was my KindleFirst pick for June. I was expecting a psychological thriller but I feel like I didn’t get that? I’m not even sure it could be classified as suspense.

Anyway, this is about a sociology professor in her late 30s, Maris, who lives with her teenage daughter from her first marriage, and her second husband. She’s a recovering alcoholic who is suddenly experiencing blackouts. She later learns that other women have/had experienced similar blackouts, and they go in search of what’s causing it.

I was expecting a creepy, thrilling read, but instead I got a feminist narrative about rape culture, misogyny, female oppression by males, and the patriarchy. Which is fine, I’m all for that as a feminist, but this book wasn’t billed or advertised as that.

That being said, Maris is really unlikeable. I’m not sure why she insisted on constantly lying to her family when they seemed so supportive of her, and after awhile it started to really annoy me. There was a side plot that completely threw me off in between chapters involving the rapist that Maris wrote about, and a young woman who’s trying to get him, but I felt that didn’t add much to the story because she didn’t end up doing much anyway. The science behind everything seemed unrealistic and unbelievable.

It just felt like the story was trying to do a lot without fully executing any of its points well.

Told from Maris’ POV in third person, interspersed with first person from an unknown young woman.

In short, I liked the feminist messages and what it was trying to do, and I loved the premise. I just wish it were executed better! ( )

Good god this was boring.

The author kept repeating herself, and not where you thought she would (i.e. the blackouts) but just in mid paragraph. The weird fixation on her daughter's period and being a period virgin was just icky. I just felt like these characters were flat, the tension was manufactured and unrealistic and I'm not even going to touch the amount of suspension of disbelief you need to employ to get through the end.

Don't waste your time. ( )

Billed as a psychological thriller; but I would bill it as a sci-fi speculative. A bit far-fetched, controlling ones "memory" from cell-phone transmitters. It became annoying that at least in every single chapter the author let her personal bias show through with the constant whining of white male privilege. All that being said, it wasn't an "awful" read. 296 pages ( )

Underwhelming

Interesting premise but it wasn't great. Every other sentence was a reminder of her alcoholism and it was extremely predictable. Nothing was resolved at the end and it just was not great. ( )