The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by Stuart Turton - Sian
I picked up this book because it was highly recommended to me by a customer. They had said it was one of the best and quickest reads of the year… sadly, I can’t say I agree.
We first enter this story as Sebastian Bell, a doctor lost in the woods on a stormy day in the 1920s. All he knows is a woman’s name, Anna. He stumbles into a manor home, running from a gunshot, and finds himself surrounded by strangers who seem to know more about him than he does himself. We later meet a mysterious man in a Plague Doctor costume, who tells our narrator that he has eight days and eight hosts - that is, bodies he will possess - to solve the murder of a woman, Evelyn Hardcastle. He will relive this day eight times, through the eyes of eight different people. Every night, Evelyn will die. On the eighth day, if we haven’t discovered who the murderer is, we are destined to repeat this loop, with our memory wiped clean.
It is a fabulous premise in theory, but unfortunately the nature of the story makes the whole reading experience a little repetitive. Each mind that our narrator possesses is very distinct, and this change in voice certainly helps to move the story forwards. On the other hand, it was hard to get comfortable with each character before it’s ripped away from us again. I’d say the worst part about the characters, however, is that none of them are remotely likeable. And because we don’t know anything about our narrator, there’s nobody to root for! I found myself profoundly unbothered by the idea of failing The Plague Doctor’s task and the loop beginning all over again.
Thankfully at the end of the slog, the final plot twists and tying of loose ends is deliciously satisfying, and brings a lot of sense to the chaos.
I embarked on this read expecting a very different tone: I was hoping for salacious, dynamic, and exciting. I would instead describe this book as dark, solemn, and challenging. For the right person, those adjectives are perfectly fine. Just not what I was after!
Overall, give it a go, but don’t be surprised if you need long breaks!
Sian
