The Other You

by J.S. Monroe

[zooloo1983]

This is one mind-bending book! It is also a completely fascinating concept with doppelgängers and super recognisers, one that boggled my little brain as I was sucked on such an unexpected journey.

I will admit I didn’t know much about super recognisers so I felt like I have learned something while listening to this book. It is amazing how people can just “tell” who someone is by looking at them from the smallest of mannerisms. I rarely forget a face but these people put me to shame. Throw in the doppelgänger aspect and it is enough to mess with my head let alone our MC’s Kate. Then, yes and there is a then! Why not add another layer to the mix with something called Capgras Syndrome which is caused by severe brain trauma, where you start to believe that the person in front of you is in fact an imposter and not the person you know and love.

Head messed up yet?

We meet Kate recovering from a car accident where she has suffered brain trauma, which affects her super recognising skills. She is well on the road to recovery until small things start to happen and she is questioning the man she loves, is it really him?

It is a fraught tale, I was questioning who was involved, is Rob really Rob or is it his doppelganger? Who else is involved? Why were people messing with Kate? But then I found out and that chilled me to the core. But no it doesn’t finish there, when I got to the end of the book I felt like something still wasn’t right, something for me hadn’t been tied up in a bow as you would expect and Mr Monroe threw me a clanger to make my jaw drop, my blood ran cold and then I got the words “The End.” I am still reeling from it, still not quite how to process the closing chapters, not even sure I can trust what I have been told.

In truth, this book terrifies me. The technology, the theory, the fact that this could actually happen knocked me for six. I know I will never trust the camera on my laptop again!

This is such a chilling, clever, creative, tense and fascinating story with its multiple layers. I can’t explain how everything fits together but I am in awe of such a book such as this. I can’t even find the words to write about this book, I just don’t think I can do it justice. It is a dark and blustery path we travelled and it is one I am glad I took. If this was a book I would be burning through my kindle but as I was listening, I spent my time urging the narrator to hurry up, we were against the clock here. I have to say the narrator Eilidh Beaton did an absolutely fabulous job, she knew how to build up the tension in the book and when to read it to diffuse the situation. I will definitely listen to her narration again!

The Other You is stuck in my mind now, even though I am trying to get the words out with this review. The sensation this is something we could see in our future, if it is not already out there, the world of technology is a dangerous game, especially in the wrong hands despite their reasoning behind it all.

Mr Monroe, you can count me in as a fan now!