Reviews by T

I loved the book when it first came out in print and have been looking out for an unabridged version on audible ever since. The movie may be bonkers (not necessarily bad for that) but don't let that put you off. I know some readers found the hard to get into, but I reckon it's a lot easier with the audible version so, if you have doubts initially, do stick with it. Connections between the different narratives can seem somewhat tenuous, but each is rewarding in its own right. I had forgotten how funny parts of it are (now brought to life by excellent narration), and how unsettling elements set in the future can feel. Overall, a great listen, strongly recommended.

I've enjoyed a number of Kate A's books, includding all the unabridged ones on audible, and think this is my new favourite. Well written and narrated, it covers a period from 1910 until post-war, returning time and again to reconsider events and what might have been. Parallel worlds of personal history? The path/s taken/not taken? Deja vu is given an intriguing viewpoint through moving portraits of people locked together by family and circumstance. I loved it!

I imagined I would find this amusing (I never expected LOL) and was encouraged by one of the previous reviews. I was prepared to put up with an "arch" delivery as I thought it would help anchor the book in its period. But, like a second reviewer, I found the delivery inconsistent and irritatingly inaccurate. The characters were generally well distinguished, but that made it all the more annoying when Robert Hardy tripped himself up by getting the wrong one! I thought the book had dated rather badly and I couldn't even enjoy the anachronistic naming a of one of the characters - "Fanny Throbbing." A big disappointment.

Derivative and formulaic, adequately read (but no better). I found no excitement or tension, no engagement with any characters and so had little interest in the outcome, which was largely predictable. Some of the science was interesting but somehow did not fit seamlessly with the narrative. All in all, a bit like the scipt of a B movie, written in an awful hurry. Disappointing to say the least - I only stuck with it because I was on holiday - and knew that if I lost concentration and missed a chunk, it really wouldn't matter!