2019 reading challenge: a book that takes place in a single day

[baronessekat]

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


4.5 rating

Aidan Bishop woke to find himself not knowing who he was or where he was, facing mirror images that were not his own and driven by an unknown force to solve a mystery. His only guide on this journey is the Plague Doctor, an observer who appears randomly, that Aidan is pretty sure only he can see and hear. And so Mr. Bishop finds himself leaping from life to life, repeating the same day over and over, striving to figure out who killed Evelyn Hardcastle and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.

Ok, shtick aside, the best way I can describe the general premise of this book is Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie meets Quantum Leap meets Groundhog Day. I really enjoyed this book and did find myself wanting to keep returning to it to find out what happened and who did the deed.

I will say that this is a book that you cannot really only half pay attention to as so many clues and hints are scattered throughout. I found myself having to rewind a couple times because I had a "wait, what?" moment. The Narrator was excellent and I may have to see what else he has done.

Highly recommend.



View all my reviews

Comments

[mesotablar]

"Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie meets Quantum Leap meets Groundhog Day."

That sounds like the weirdest fruit salad of a mash-up! Is this the sort of book you have to take notes to to keep things straight, especially if you have to keep putting it down as you do other things?

[baronessekat]

I don't think you need to take notes. But if you do audiobooks a lot (like I tend to do) it's not something you can only half listen to.

[mesotablar]

Coolies! So it is more complex/intense information rather than wibbly wobbily scramble of thousands of facts. I will read those books as well but it annoys me to have to write out a family tree/faction features/power lists halfway through the story. If authors give those details as lists or maps I find it much nicer (Anne Bishop gives lists because sometimes her stories get wibbly wobbly and it is a good solution to complex world dynamics)