Percolates with suspense
New York Times
Elegant and hypnotic . . . Mandel brilliantly modulates the heightening suspense in a novel that remains, above all, an elegy for lost innocence
Washington Post
The book virtually trumpets the author's talents: her charismatic verbal grace and acuity, the rich atmosphere she creates
Boston Globe
Mandel is an exuberant storyteller
New York Times
Mandel has a beautiful writing style
Independent on Sunday
Mandel (<i>The Singer's Gun</i>) strikes a confident chord in her third novel . . . The author again melds mystery plotting with literary techniques like shifting points-of-view, resulting in both sophistication and suspense ... Mandel's novel excels as a character study that considers the slow degradation of hopes, dreams, and expectations of people who are only in their late 20s but already feel ancient
Publisher's Weekly
This ingeniously structured literary thriller begins in sunlight before slipping deeper and deeper into crime and moral darkness. ... Emily St. John Mandel is so sure-footed in her invention and so good at delineating her cast, that I went along trustingly and with bated breath
Star Tribune
Riveting... Evocative, intriguing, and complex, this novel is as smooth as the underbelly of a deadly, furtive reptile. Mandel's substantial fan base will rejoice; word of mouth will bring new fans on board
Library Journal