Recursion by Blake Crouch

 

The next book I picked up from my stack was Recursion by Blake Crouch. I bought this novel a few years ago on the recommendation of a book YouTuber and it had been sitting in my little book cart ever since. I hadn't read any true science fiction in 2023 up to that point, so I was definitely due to give one a try. I jumped in ready for some page-turning, science-y action. Happily, I wasn't disappointed.

Recursion follows two characters. The first is Barry, a detective. He is struggling in his personal life as the novel begins and is still grieving the loss of his teenage daughter who died in a hit and run several years ago. One afternoon, he responds to a call about a potential suicide. A woman is about to throw herself off of a building. When he arrives to try and talk her down, she tells him a strange story about having two sets of memories in her head. She can distinctly remember two lives--one in which she was a happily married wife and mother living out in the country and the one she is currently in now, in which she is a single high-powered executive. She can't reconcile the two sets of memories, she wants to go to the life where she was a mother, and is in despair over the whole situation. Her story intrigues Barry, who sets off on a path to investigate these mysterious memories.

The second character is Helena, a scientist studying memory in an effort to help Alzheimer's patients. Her goal is to be able to build a device that allows her to trigger memories in peoples' minds on command. She is brilliant, but unable to secure the kind of funding she needs to take her research to the next level. This changes when she is approached by a tech billionaire who offers her a chance to build the memory machine of her dreams at his private facility. Her work soon starts yielding incredible results, but the implications of what she creates are very dangerous and she fears what could happen if her work ever falls into the wrong hands.

The paths of these two characters eventually cross as they both work to sort through a series of impossible and dangerous consequences born from the intersection of technology and memory.

I really ended up liking this book. It was action-packed and contained lots of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. I couldn't really guess what was coming most of the time and I was totally engaged trying to figure out where the story was going. Aside from the interesting plot, Crouch's writing was easy to read and very engaging. The narration flipped back and forth between Barry and Helena and created lots of mini-cliffhangers along the way. Both sides of the story were great though, so I was never too annoyed to cut away from a character for a little while. In addition to all the exciting bits, the story asked some deep questions about memory, trying to change the past, and how humans experience time. Like all good science fiction, it gave me some complicated ideas to think about after the story was over. I couldn't help by feel like this would make a great limited series on TV.

Recursion ended up being an excellent read. I would definitely recommend it to science fiction fans or even people interested in trying out the genre. It's a very approachable story with a highly interesting and engaging plot--the perfect book to escape into. I'm happy to have randomly picked it up. Hopefully whatever book is next in my stack will be just as enjoyable.

2023 Reading Challenges Tally:

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 10/24

Clear the Shelves 2023: 7/24

Landline by Rainbow Rowell

 

After reading a few very serious books, I was happy that the next title in my stack was on the lighter side. Adult contemporary fiction isn't a genre I usually pick up, but I made an exception for Landline based on the author. I've been a fan of Rainbow Rowell's young adult work since I read Eleanor and Park years ago, so I was very interested to see how I would feel about her fiction for grownups. 

The plot of the novel follows Georgie McCool, a TV writer in her thirties. She is married to her husband Neal and they live in LA with their two young daughters. As the story begins, Georgie and Neal are going through some trouble in their marriage. Georgie has been focusing on her career while Neal, who is a stay at home dad, wishes she would spend more time with the family. When a big opportunity comes up that requires Georgie to work over Christmas, Neal decides to take the kids and visit his family across the country without her. Afraid that her marriage might be over, Georgie tries calling him to check in using her old landline phone and discovers something impossible. Her landline is calling Neal in the past, from just before they got engaged. Speaking to the younger version of her husband stirs up a lot of old memories and feelings in Georgie, and it also presents her with an interesting opportunity: a chance to save her present-day marriage by reaching into the past.

I ended up really enjoying this book, even though it was quite a different pick for me. Rowell's writing was easy read and felt quite relateable. The emotions were genuine and the characters were layered. I found myself torn between Georgie and Neal's issues. Georgie was often careless in the way she treated her family and should have placed more importance on being there for them. However, Neal was struggling with a personal aimlessness that made him needy and resentful, often unfairly so. Neither character was perfect but both were still sympathetic, which brought complexity to the story. I also appreciated that while the topic was a serious one, the tone wasn't too depressing. Georgie's dry sense of humor kept things from being too dark and the supporting characters (especially her mother and sister) added some lightness as well.

So, much like I enjoyed Rainbow Rowell's writing for young adults, I enjoyed her writing here too. I wouldn't say this is one of those novels that will stay with me forever, but it was a fun bit of escapism and the perfect thing to break up the serious stories I have been reading lately. This was a solid read that ended up being a sweet and emotional treat.

2023 Reading Challenges Tally:

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 9/24

Clear the Shelves 2023: 6/24