Thank you to both NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review. I read the book blurb it sounded really interesting. However felt let down. This book did not really deliver. Not well executed

I loved the concept of a machine that told you to do a bunch of wild stuff that would make you happy, but after the first few pages of the book it’s barely mentioned. I thought there were too many POVs, and while some were interesting, Pearl and Rhett particularly, others, Elliott, Val and Calla, just seemed vague and purposeless. It was really well written, but just too snap-shot-ty for me. I found the ending quite disappointing as well.

Although the premise was unusual and therefore in itself interesting, overall this book didn't really work for me. There were viewpoints from a few characters but they were not consistent. The reader hears from Pearl with Val, Calla and Rhett only speaking to the reader once or twice. There were also several aspects of the story which were not fully explained and left me searching for answers. I recognise this may say more about me as a reader than about the author's craftsmanship, which is why I have given this book a three star rating instead of a lower one.

Unfortunately this book felt like it should have been an interconnected collection of short stories because there were some amazing ideas and interesting characters, but the overall plot seemed largely non-existent and the pacing was appalling.

There were some important themes such as fame, eating disorders, parenthood, artistic integrity and the limits of science, but overall it felt very muddled and not enjoyable to read. If this wasn’t a review copy, I probably wouldn’t have finished it.