Mark Wheaton

I really wanted to like this book. I like the premise. But when you have a computer program rewriting human beings DNA in split seconds, over Wi-Fi, halfway across the globe, with no explanation of how, no nanites, no actual mechanism to do so, I just can't hold it suspension of disbelief long enough to enjoy the story. There were too many things like that, times I threw my hands up in the air and shouted that's not how that works! if you have no technical or computer science background, you may be more comfortable with how these things are glossed over and be able to immerse yourself in the story. But I just couldn't do it.… (plus d'informations)

Who Haunts You is a fast-paced book that made me think back to my university psychology courses with a pang of nostalgia. I loved the main character, thought the story was really engaging, and enjoyed the overall story.

My favourite thing about this story was Rebecca. Autistic and neuro-divergent, Bex's character and her development was far from stereotypical, and I appreciated the research he put into his character. She attends a competitive high school, but keeps to herself and hides away in the library. It is rare to see autistic characters as the MC and this is the second book in recent weeks that has happened, so I was glad to see more diversity in the characters. Because I am not autistic, I liked seeing things through Bex's eyes and how she views the world. Gosh, she was so fascinating, and I loved going along with her on this journey as she was trying to discover what was happening with her schoolmates.

Because we get the story from Bex's POV, the story is naturally twisty and convoluted, and it took me awhile to figure out who was guilty. I loved how the author threw in those red herrings and took you down one rabbit hole after another, until I actually had difficulty wondering what was real and what wasn't. The writing style was compelling and fast-paced, and because it was so engaging, I read it in one sitting. Looking back, it was hard to believe it only came in at 170 pages.

The one issue I did have was the ending. It's not that I have an issue with the way it went, it's mostly due to its ambiguous ending, like the author was working so hard to be mysterious. While it did have quite an impact, I felt like it took such a one-eighty turn that I was a bit disappointed. I should have seen it coming though, as there was a lot of talk about Bex becoming too obsessed with what was happening.

Verdict
Who Haunts You was a fascinating look at the power of psychological persuasion. It was thought provoking, with interesting twist and turns, and had a great main character that I enjoyed tremendously. While I wasn't a fan of the ending, the author manages to pack in so much to this short novel, that I recommend it to anyone interested in a psychological mind bend.… (plus d'informations)