Title: MR NOBODY
Expected publication: out now
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2
Book Description:
Who is Mr. Nobody?
When a man is found on a British beach, drifting in and out of consciousness, with no identification and unable to speak, interest in him is sparked immediately. From the hospital staff who find themselves inexplicably drawn to him, to international medical experts who are baffled by him, to the national press who call him Mr. Nobody, everyone wants answers. Who is this man? And what happened to him?
Some memories are best forgotten.
Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Emma Lewis is asked to assess the patient in a small town deep in the English countryside. This is her field of expertise, this is the chance she’s been waiting for, and this case could make her name known across the world. But therein lies the danger. Emma left this same town fourteen years ago and has taken great pains to cover all traces of her past since then.
Places aren't haunted . . . people are.
But now something—or someone—is calling her back. And the more time she spends with her patient, the more alarmed she becomes that he knows the one thing about her that nobody is supposed to know.
When a man is found on a British beach, drifting in and out of consciousness, with no identification and unable to speak, interest in him is sparked immediately. From the hospital staff who find themselves inexplicably drawn to him, to international medical experts who are baffled by him, to the national press who call him Mr. Nobody, everyone wants answers. Who is this man? And what happened to him?
Some memories are best forgotten.
Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Emma Lewis is asked to assess the patient in a small town deep in the English countryside. This is her field of expertise, this is the chance she’s been waiting for, and this case could make her name known across the world. But therein lies the danger. Emma left this same town fourteen years ago and has taken great pains to cover all traces of her past since then.
Places aren't haunted . . . people are.
But now something—or someone—is calling her back. And the more time she spends with her patient, the more alarmed she becomes that he knows the one thing about her that nobody is supposed to know.
What attracted me to this book:
I always feel drawn to premises revolving around amnesia. If
done right, they have the potential to be intriguing, twisty and tense. Other
times they just fall flat, but it’s a chance I am willing to take!
My musings:
So, you ask, which one was it: an epic psychological
thriller, or a dud? Let me begin by saying that this my second attempt at
reading this book. I picked it up late last year, didn’t click with it and put
it aside. Drawn again to the premise, I recently spotted it among my TBR pile
and was very happy to find that the second time around I was quickly drawn into
the story. I really liked Dr Emma Lewis, the young, driven neuropsychologist
with a deep dark secret of her own in her past. Emma struck just the right
balance between vulnerability and ambitious, intelligent career woman. Having
some skeletons in her family closet added to the mystery, as I was looking
forward to finding out what had made her this reclusive character, when she
seemed otherwise young, capable and liked by those around her. Getting two
mysteries for the price of one, I thought – bonus!
I also really enjoyed the author’s willingness to divulge
some of Emma’s knowledge obtained by her profession, especially related to
retrograde amnesia and how the brain functions, as observed in Emma’s
mysterious patient Mr Nobody. With this background information, the situation
the man has found himself in seemed not only more plausible, but also a lot
more fascinating.
The picture painted, and all my senses on high alert as I
was trying to unravel some of the strands of the story, I eagerly turned the
pages and was loathe to put the book down. Tension mounted as Emma found
herself in a secluded house in the English countryside, and her patient appeared
to be hiding some mysterious abilities, including the knowledge of some of
Emma’s most intimate secrets, even though she has never met him before. Or has
she? Chris, a character from Emma’s past, and his wife Zara made for an
enigmatic support cast and alternative POV, and I was well and truly hooked. At
this stage, anything was possible, and it all looked great.
Then comes the pivotal point in a book that either wraps it
up in a satisfying finale or brings out some convoluted twists and farfetched
plot points that is the make it or break it moment in the story. Sadly it was
the latter for me here. I remember almost groaning at one stage in the story
when I realised that the author was trying to inject something unexpected into
the plot that totally backfired for me. Which is a shame, because up to that
point it could have easily gone either way. Let’s just say that I don’t mind a
“killer twist”, a total change in direction the story is taking, as long as I
can follow its logic and it is somewhat believable. But after turning the last
page, I am still not comfortable with some of the pivotal plot points here.
Summary:
All in all, MR NOBODY was an intriguing story of a man who
finds himself washed up on a beach with no idea who he is and how he got there.
With the framework of real facts about the neuroscience behind retrograde
amnesia, and an enigmatic main protagonist who is determined to help Mr Nobody
discover his true identity, the book quickly drew me in and hooked me. But even
though the ending was certainly original and unusual, it left too many
unanswered questions and loose ends to bring it to a satisfying close. So it
fell a little bit flat, like a pancake cooked just right at the bottom but
flipped too vigorously that splattered and crumbled all over the pan. Still
edible but not as tasty as it could have been. That said, I really enjoyed the
author’s writing style and will definitely read her previous novel INTO THE
WATER.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
If you enjoyed the amnesia or neuroscience component of this book, you may also like:
The Echo Maker, by Richard Powers
The Other You, by J.S. Monroe
Forget My Name, by J.S. Monroe
Before I Go To Sleep, by S.J. Watson
What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty
The Truth About Melody Browne, by Lisa Jewell
The Asylum, by John Harwood
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
If you enjoyed the amnesia or neuroscience component of this book, you may also like:
The Echo Maker, by Richard Powers The Other You, by J.S. Monroe Forget My Name, by J.S. Monroe Before I Go To Sleep, by S.J. Watson What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty The Truth About Melody Browne, by Lisa Jewell The Asylum, by John Harwood
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