It is refreshing when a book delivers on its premise. I could definitely see where the Orphan Black and Margaret Atwood vibes come into play here. Another interesting element to me was the cult like atmosphere. I was drawn into this story pretty much right away and scrambling to piece it all together along with Josephine along the way.
There was a few times when things dragged a bit in the first half but I quite enjoyed meeting each unique character along the way and seeing those sisterhood bonds form. While I can’t really say I fell in love with any of the characters, I definitely appreciated them and what each one brought to the story. It also felt a bit to me like that was possibly the goal though. I felt like we weren’t meant to necessarily love but rather respect them. Above all else even, respect their power as women. It was great how much that shined throughout the entire story, the power of women, even in the midst of others constantly trying to stamp that out.
I also loved the very relatable way Murphy incorporated the intricate and evolving relationships with parents as a child grows up. You get two very different views from childhood and adulthood. While Josephine definitely had her own brand of revelations there so much of that pov change is something we all experience and it can be quite an adjustment. I enjoyed seeing those differences through Josephine and how she had to really process it all in a rather short amount of time.
All in all a compelling story that kept me guessing and eagerly flipping through the pages. I’m definitely curious to check out more from this author.
I received an arc of this book from Farrar, Straus and Giroux via Netgalley and this is my honest review.
Bookworm Coalition 