Date of Completion: 13/08/2021
’56 days’ is the first book I have read that is set in this COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, this book puts a magnifying glass on the early days of the pandemic. Catherine Ryan Howard does a great job of capturing the uncertainty and apprehension of that time. While this could potentially be triggering for some readers, in my opinion, it helped make the story even more engaging and realistic.
People think the decisions you make that change the course of your life are the big ones… But she knows it’s the little ones
The story that unfolds is clearly well-thought-out and fittingly delivered with Catherine’s simple yet, vivid and descriptive writing. The narration switches between the past, with Ciara’s and Oliver’s point of view (POV), to the present day, where detectives are on the scene. These multiple POVs flow smoothly from one to the next in a way that is not disjointing or chaotic. Even the repetition generated by the switching POVs did not bother me as each retelling revealed lots of new information about the characters and what really took place.
Ciara and Oliver are fascinating, well-developed characters with an abundance of secrets. Although initially portrayed as simple and predictable, these characters are gradually shown to be far more complex. Their alternating POVs are skilfully used to point out flaws in the other’s narration which kept me on my toes, desperate to know the truth.
Even the detectives responsible for working out what happened are also well-developed and bursting with unique personalities. Their interactions are full of banter and teasing, making them easy to like and connect with. Honestly, I wish these two detectives could be given a spin-off series as I would love to read more about them.
Of course, I cannot end this review without raving about the twists in this book! What starts off as a few uncertainties about the motives driving Oliver and Ciara soon incites an avalanche of revelations that left me shook. More than once, I believed that I had a good picture of what happened and the events that led to that point, only for a new twist to send me reeling. I saw nothing coming – and I loved it!
Lies are spindly, unwieldy things. Delicate filaments, like bundles of nerves in the body. Easy to twist, hard to control, impossible to keep hold of.
In the end, all I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. ‘56 days’ was captivating from start to finish! Each twist and reveal kept me tethered to the story as I eagerly waited for the truth to emerge. This strong storyline is further supported by Catherine’s amazing writing and characters. There is also the COVID-19 setting which makes the story even more engaging and relatable.
Do you agree or disagree with anything mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
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