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jrosario17's review
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
daja57's review against another edition
5.0
An ingenious, original and page-turning crime novel.
It intertwines two stories: comatose patients recovering, or not, in a hospital ward, seen both from the point of view of one of the patients and from some of the nurses; and an anatomy student with severe Asperger's syndrome learning to dissect a human corpse. These stories intersect when the student realises that the official cause of death of the cadaver he is studying is incorrect, and he begins to suspect foul play.
The verisimilitude is amazing. I learnt so much about coma (they don't just lie there!) and recovery from coma and about human anatomy. The character with Asperger's was treated with honesty and empathy and some humour. Other characters were also beautifully depicted, including the lazy, husband-hunting nurse and a devastatingly sad portrait of the Asperger's student's mother.
The second half of the book, as the mystery deepens and the hunt for the killer turns into a fight for survival, is nail-bitingly exciting.
It intertwines two stories: comatose patients recovering, or not, in a hospital ward, seen both from the point of view of one of the patients and from some of the nurses; and an anatomy student with severe Asperger's syndrome learning to dissect a human corpse. These stories intersect when the student realises that the official cause of death of the cadaver he is studying is incorrect, and he begins to suspect foul play.
The verisimilitude is amazing. I learnt so much about coma (they don't just lie there!) and recovery from coma and about human anatomy. The character with Asperger's was treated with honesty and empathy and some humour. Other characters were also beautifully depicted, including the lazy, husband-hunting nurse and a devastatingly sad portrait of the Asperger's student's mother.
The second half of the book, as the mystery deepens and the hunt for the killer turns into a fight for survival, is nail-bitingly exciting.
snorpy's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
szilvicsanyi's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent mix of The Rosie Project and an Agatha Christie crime story. I think she describes the symptoms of Asperger's in an interesting and accurate way. The mystery was not so difficult but I really liked the way she closed all the other storylines. An absolute page-turner.
molliew26's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.75
rhealambe's review
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
claired2024's review
mysterious
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
aiqi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5