Dan

A sliding doors story that explores the power of a name and follows one family through three possible futures.

It’s hard not to love these characters or feel for them deeply, but I often felt kept at arm’s length. Just as I became invested in one thread, the story would jump to another timeline, and by the time it circled back, seven years had passed and the emotional pull had faded. I often had to flip back to remember how each section ended, though that probably says more about my terrible memory than the writer’s choices!

The novel had me feeling devastated yet hopeful, though also a little frustrated. The sign of a book I truly love is when I forget I’m reading, but here I was always aware of the concept. This review is probably harsher than I intended but it’s only because I wanted to love it. I’d definitely still recommend it for readers who enjoy playful structure and characters worth rooting for.