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.
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.
