In the near-future of this speculative story, Louise is still acclimating to her new life. She is one of five women who were murdered by a serial killer and brought back to life as a clone. She is in a similar body, although less physically scarred, and has all the memories of her previous life except for the murder and a short time before it. Louise attends weekly support group sessions with the other murder victims and tries to be a good wife and mother to her baby. She’s also back at her job, offering virtual reality therapy. When she has the opportunity to meet with her murderer, however, she learns more than expected, and it sends her reeling and questioning the life she was starting to settle into. Williams’s (
Tell the Machine Goodnight) writing is delightfully quirky, clever, and often breathtakingly observant as she chronicles Louise’s past and present through her clone, who has to try to fit into a life that she mostly remembers but didn’t physically live through.
VERDICT Combining elements of dystopian fiction, psychological suspense, and mystery, this is a wonderfully incisive and intriguing novel that defies genres and invites contemplation. Perfect for book groups.
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