Reviews

A chill mystery novel, I decided not to read what it's about to increase suspence. At the beginning, you get the sense of a really reclusive college with sheltered children. Then you start unreveling the "secrets" along with the narrator as she recounts all her realizations all through childhood to her present adult self. You suspect the twists, which makes sense though; like the students, you pick up some clues along the way, so once it gets "revealed", it isn't anything surprising and you just carry on. The students accept their fate without much fuss, and go along with their intended purpose in a devastating way.
The narration was not quite linear, as Kath is recounting her memories, though the book is divided into three parts: her childhood in Hailsham, her time in the Cottages, and her working as a carer.
The book deals with an interesting, although sad theory on how society would go about certain medical advancements, its realistic nature leaving me quite melancholic. The author questions what being human really means, in a quiet and delicate way, without many dramatic scenes or big confrontations. Though it is a bit slow in the beginning, it picks up in the middle and I couldn't put it down.

theveryslowreader's review

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

The book at first was really slow and boring, but towards the end it starts to pick up and it absolutely devastating in a peaceful way. I enjoyed how quiet the book was and how the author was able to make such a sad and angry impact on the audience in such a delicate way. How he questions humanity and what it means to be human. Truly one of the best books I have read this year.

ohhluisa's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

stabilesero's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I thought I'd love this for the sci-fi element, but it was actually the characters and their relationships I fell for.
Tommy was most certainly my most favourite, Ruth my least; but there were still likeable things about all the characters. This hits the mark more on the characters, their personalities and their interactions than what it does as a plot-based novel yet I still adored it.
The sci-fi element did come through, more so towards the middle and end. I did not see the ending coming, I almost cried.
It's another one of those books, alike Handmaid's Tale, that you could see happening in the future. And I really hope we see sense enough to follow Hailsham's example than the grim alternative.

ales_di12's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

chaetrain's review

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mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

found the premise of the book pretty interesting and i liked the slow revealing of what was going on but overall wasn’t moved by the characters, slowness of the plot, or the writing style- kind of bored tbh!!

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