“And I have to retell it, otherwise I might forget again.
I’ve already started forgetting.”
4.5 ⭐
Lola has been given a chance at a new life, a place at a boarding school where no one knows her story and a special invitation to test a VR game and build something virtually ‘Better Than Life’. Yet, no matter how many fake houses she builds, the past keeps knocking and the truth wants to be known but what is the truth? And does the truth matter if none of this is real? What’s the difference?
From the first page, I was hooked. I finished this book in a matter of hours (despite reading well into the night) and honestly sat there for another hour, unable to sleep, thinking- what on earth have I just read? Have you ever been stuck between a read being one star or five? Feeling both absolutely horrified and wrung out by a series of words but, oh my goodness, what a journey.
Should there have been content warnings (primarily graphic abuse)? Yes. And I think this was part of my issue, this book really moved into virtual reality and horror mash up and I was not prepared for it. Horror really isn’t my genre and certain scenes definitely made me uncomfortable. Que the mad decision of either one or five stars. An unreliable narrator and a morally grey MC is always a yes, but there’s no found family, no stereotypical romance or happy ever afters to be found between these pages either. Only survival. So yes, I was left feeling a little empty and a little insane.
I would definitely not equate it to A Good Girls Guide to Murder despite the marketing tagline, there are no organised notes and interviews, there is no good and bad, it’s about who comes out on top. Okay so maybe some similarities to book three of the series. Yet, I think it’s closer to the mind-bending proposal of ‘Inception’ and the layered female main characters in ‘All The Rage’ or ‘The Girls I’ve Been'. Lola made such an interesting main character and both her and her new peers were layered and engaging individuals I was desperate to learn more about. And the twists! Whenever I thought I saw what was coming there was always something else hiding just around the corner.
As you can see, I didn’t rate it five stars. Partly half a star was deducted because it didn’t have content warnings, and it lacked that something for me personally, again I’m going to reinforce that this book veered into a genre that I don’t usually enjoy so you may feel differently. However, despite rambling incoherently a bit here, if any of this appeals to you, I do recommend picking it up. It’s one hell of a ride.