Compelling but uneven ... Its own kind of accessible, plot-propelled novel, one that provokes thoughts on art, coastal beauty, the vulnerability of girls and young women ... These first-person segments have a writing-prompt vibe, but they are also searing and intimate ... Hurtubise is adept at description — the crisscross of dialogue and the rhythms of people coming in and out of rooms, on and off beaches, in and out of memories. Because of that, I found myself wanting to erase full paragraphs of explanation or pry apart summed-up sentences to get to the meaty stuff ... The plot overtakes everything at a runaway pace. Readers will enjoy the twists and turns, though some will wish that the resolution were not so neat — instead allowing room for Saoirse’s internal changes to be deeply felt, rather than seen.
A classic gothic romance at heart ... Linking art and memory is not new, but it’s the novel’s most triumphant aspect, because Hurtubise, an artist herself, does not overreach ... However, as with many gothic tales, Saoirse can sometimes be faintly ridiculous ... Instead of letting us revel in its pulpy pleasures, the novel preaches a message of strength that rings hollow.
Hurtubise delivers a stellar U.S. debut, spinning a transcendent journey of discovery that radiates with exceptional honesty and lingering atmospheric depth.
Engrossing ... Hurtubise places her memorable heroine at the center of a propulsive and twisty plot, and makes Saoirse’s desire for freedom palpable on every page. It’s a knockout.
