Memory loss is an incredibly traumatic event. Trust me, I know. In the summer of 2017 I had a seizure, and from that point until the fall of 2018 I have maybe one or two memories because I was diagnosed as having a type of epilepsy caused by traumatic brain injury. We don’t even know what the traumatic brain injury was because I can’t remember. I have a specific type of PTSD that’s tied directly to the trauma of having over a year of time lost. To this day, my memory is splotchy at best. 

So I can deeply identify with Kat, the twin who loses her memory in a car accident at the beginning of this book. When you lose your memory, you become completely dependent on those around you to fill in the blanks. Then you have to hope that those around you are honest and ethical enough to tell you the objective truth and not mislead you. 

Can you imagine that level of trust? (Yeah, I have a lot of trust issues).

Luckily, Kat knows one solid thing once she wakes up: her mirror twin, Jude. Jude is where she ends and begins, like a Mobius strip. They twist and flow into one another. They may be separate beings, but they share that mystical twin link, and Jude is determined to care for Kat and help her slowly but surely remember all she has lost. 

The thing is, Kat lives up to her name, for she is curious and things just don’t quite add up. 

The things I liked the most about this book were the prose and the psychological terrors that lie behind trusting someone else to fill in your memories. It doesn’t matter how good someone’s intentions are–memories intrinsically belong to the individual, and unless you spend 24/7/365.25 with a person you can’t begin to provide them with anything close to a reliable recitation. Even if you try, you should be truthful, even if the truth is painful. 

The prose is compelling and propulsive, engaging in its vigor and imagery. If this wasn’t so clearly a thriller novel I would classify it as literary fiction. Kahler has a lovely way with words, painting vivid pictures and thrilling scenes throughout the book. 

The book is truly great, but it’s a little too long, in my opinion. I feel like it could have been trimmed in a few places in each act and made for a much tighter novel, but I don’t truly believe the story suffers overmuch for it. I definitely recommend it.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.