The Rules of Seeing got my brain whirring and made me think about things from a new perspective – for that reason it is a truly exciting and unique debut from Joe Heap. He says he drew inspiration from watching his newborn son develop his sight, as learning to see, ‘is a stage we all go through, at least once. It’s just that very few of us remember what it was like.’

If you have never had issues with your vision, then sight is something you most likely take for granted. Reading this book made me realise that I definitely do. For example: depth perception, transparency and how objects are linked are all things I take in my stride, but to someone who is learning to see, the world around them can be a complete minefield. I had just never considered how learning to see is essentially learning another language. This is what Joe explores with one of his two lead characters, Nova. Blind from birth, she is 32 years old when she is offered a revolutionary operation that will give her sight. You would assume anyone given sight after not having it would be ecstatic, but not necessarily, as this book wonderfully describes. Nova is clever and good at languages, but sight is a baffling beast that she needs time to get to grips with, for example: ‘People holding coffee mugs look as though they have a strange, extra appendage’

Our other lead character is architect Kate. She is not literally blind, but blind to the type of man she is really married to, until she discovers Tony’s secret and things get rapidly out of hand. Kate and Nova’s paths cross when they are both at pivotal moments in their lives and and there is a spark that confuses and delights them both. As the story progresses, the focus shifts from Nova’s new ability to see and moves onto the relationship between Nova and Kate. It all builds up to a deliciously dramatic ending that I wasn’t expecting, but definitely kept those pages turning!

Scattered throughout the book are Nova’s ‘Rules of Seeing’ (‘I’m coming up with these rules in my head, to help me remember it all.’) They really put into perspective how much our brain processes when all we do is open our eyes (‘When you go walking, remember that your vision will bob up and down like a boat on the ocean. This is normal.’) The Rules also work to convey more of Nova’s wonderfully dry sense of humour, ‘Sighted people are so good at seeing that they get bored of it, and make things called optical illusions.’

For me, strong, relatable characters are key to making the read engaging and enjoyable. Nova and Kate are both wonderfully crafted, complex characters that you care about. They make mistakes and bad decisions, but ultimately are just trying to be happy and achieve clarity – both literal and metaphorical – in their lives. Also, I loved how the story finished up with a nice touch of poetic justice. This is one of the most unique novels I’ve read this year that will be buzzing around my brain for a while.

When I was young I took my perfect eyesight for granted. Now, many years later I am a slave to my reading glasses. Without them, I literally can't see much at all but could I ever really imagine what it is like to be totally blind? Not until I read this book. Don't get me wrong I still have only a fraction of understanding, because, I have sight, but Joe Heap has taught me so much about this and other senses, and I am so grateful for that.

The main character in The Rules of Seeing is police interpreter Nova who was born blind. Her brother informs her of some new radical surgery which will restore her sight and she goes ahead with it. This is a scary and bewildering experience, as well as totally life-changing.

The other character Kate is dealing with a marriage that has turned abusive. She is sighted but strangely blind to how her life is changing. The two women meet in a hospital and form a friendship which leads to romance.

I loved Nova's story it was fascinating to read about how a previously blind person suddenly sees life as a sighted one. Her character was bubbly, positive and incredibly intelligent. Unfortunately, I wanted more of this and was a little disappointed with the second part of the book, which lost its way at times.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot but I will say that this was a completely thought-provoking and uniquely written debut novel. I will be very interested to see what we have in store from Joe Heap. One thing is for sure, he has a lot to live up to after writing this book.

‘Learn to See?’ ‘It’s from a Da Vinci quote. It was on the inside cover …’ Kate closes her eyes and tries to remember. ‘Impara a vedere. Renditi conto che ogni cosa è connessa con tutte le altre.’ Nova thinks for a moment, then interprets – ‘Learn to see. Realize that everything is connected to everything else.’ Kate smiles. ‘Everything is connected".

Novels are often described as ‘thought-provoking’ – especially when they cover relevant ‘issues’ of the day and this one inspires insights that may never have occurred to the reader before: for instance, the difference between seeing and perceiving – how much more than ‘eyesight’ is involved in interpreting the world. Joe Heap takes this theme a step further by showing how deliberately ‘turning a blind eye’ can be equally disabling as blindness.
He has written one of the most unusual storylines I have ever come across, combining different genres, and inventing an unforgettable protagonist who, as a mixed-race, blind, gay woman, ticks more diversity boxes than you normally come across – even with today's 'woke' political agenda.

I loved this book! A massive 5 stars from me!! What a brilliant concept? The author has an extraordinary insight into the mind of a blind person & really helps us to “see” the world from their point of view. Also the parallel story of the domestic abuse kept me chilled right to the end. I was constantly expecting more disturbance but having been lulled into a false sense of security was even more shocked towards the end.

Beautifully written & I would thoroughly recommend!

This is partly a good about how the world is for someone who cannot see but also a whole lot more. The sight issue almost becomes peripheral as the story unfolds while still being a key element. It is thought provoking about so many things and makes you question your own assumptions and views.

I don't normally like love stories but this book is an exception. I loved it! Beautifully written and a definitive page turner, I highly recommend it.

A beautifully told story that shows the lives of two women going through incredibly difficult times and how their paths cross. Nova is an interpreter for the police who having been born blinds takes the decision to have an operation to restore her sight. Learning to see is an incredibly difficult journey that can be bewildering and frightening and Joe Heap's description of it is written with such depth of knowledge that I will never take being sighted for granted again. Kate is a successful architect married to Tony, a controlling husband who is violent and after an altercation with him she ends up in hospital with a head injury. She is confused and struggling with her memory and perceptions and meets Nova who is also having a hard time coming to terms with learning to see. They form a friendship bond that blossoms and grows and they help each other come to terms with the new situations they are going through. I would highly recommend this book as the writing was extraordinary and the story a beautiful tale of love.

A really interesting storyline about a young woman (Nova), blind from birth, who undergoes an operation to restore her sight and the trials and tribulations that go with such a complex procedure. The book also charts the storyline of Nova and various people who enter and leave her life (trying not to give away spoilers) which include domestic abuse, same sex relationships, complex families and mental heath issues.
My initial overview probably sounds quite depressing just it’s not; the book explores these topics but not in granula detail; it merely offers an insight into the Leicester of the characters.

I enjoyed the book and would recommend to others. My main piece of constructive feedback was that I found the ending a little abrupt. As if the word count us been reached and therefore the story needed to come to an end and was rushed. I think that more thought could have been to the final few chapters.

Overall a nice read.

I am currently purchasing books for our secondary school library for our senior students. I am trying to provide a balance of genres and periods and really try and introduce them to a wide range of modern fiction. This book would definitely go down well with a hypercritical teenage audience as it has a bit of everything - great characterisation and a narrative style that draws you in and keeps you reading whilst also making you think about a wide range of issues at the same time. I think that school libraries are definitely changing and that the book we purchase should provide for all tastes and reflect the types of books that the students and staff go on to enjoy after leaving school. The Rules of Seeing is the kind of book that you can curl up with and totally immerse yourself in and I think it will definitely go down well at my school. I think that it was the perfect blend of page-turning fiction with a strong message about the way we judge people too I think it would be a big hit with our seniors and will definitely recommend that we buy a copy as soon as we can.

In the main I enjoyed this novel but my enjoyment wobbled at points and the quality hovered between 'pretty good really' and 'decidedly middle of the road'. It starts well, nicely building the tension and intrigue but then seriously flags in the middle - the narrative flow drying up like a stream in a draught - then progresses to a wildly exciting, slightly overblown ending that feels like it's tacked on from a different novel. The characters veer towards annoying on many occasions - Kate's endless woe depleted my empathy supplies and Nova was more like a just left home fresher than a woman in her 30s and just didn't ring true. Also at 94% it is declared that Nova is now able to use visual metaphors. I'd noticed her doing just that at about 24% and been annoyed because it just wasn't possible. Also the whole thing with 2 grown women sleeping in a blanket fort in the living room for 6 months? Yeah, no. But for all that made this book seem unrealistic, the premise was intriguing and I found myself mildly entertained.

I'm afraid I found this book, in the main, really slow. At times it also felt like I was reading a text book. Some of the actual story bits that included Tony were really the only parts that captured my attention.

This didn't grip me at first, the story was intricate enough without being incredibly confusing. I really enjoyed the pace, unleashing the story with ease and then BAM! from around 45% through I couldn't put it down. I finished the rest in 1 night!
The author gives enough to intrigue without giving anything away, I didn't have any expectations of this book, I hadn't read anything about it before accepting it on Netgalley and I'm glad I didn't because I really enjoyed it. Exactly what I needed! A perfect distraction.

Do you know when you really want to love a book? The premise sounds brilliant, the characters are likeable, there's a really great story....but then somehow it just doesn't quite work. That is sadly how I fell about The Rules of Seeing. This is possibly the most negative 4-star review I have ever given!

The story begins with Nova been offered the chance to see after been born blind. A revolutionary operation has been developed, and whilst it seems too good a chance to turn down she has her reservations. How, when you are a grown adult, do you suddenly learn to see the world? She takes the chance and as she thought she struggles with this new world. But then she meets Kate, someone else who is struggling with seeing, but in her case, it's seeing the truth about her husband, finally. What follows is a tender and affecting love story that raises many questions about how we translate what we see. So far so good right? Wrong. You see this tender love story is ruined, for me, by a pointless thriller subplot that almost feels slotted in to make it more commercial, and rather than have a natural end it feels like it judders to a stop. It doesn't need the thriller aspect. Their story is enough. 

Rating it is difficult as had it just been the love story it would have been an easy 5 stars. But the thriller aspect kind of ruined it for me so I veered towards 3 stars.....but then again it was so thought-provoking. We often think how would we cope with not seeing - I don't think I've ever considered just how difficult the opposite would be...so it has to be a very indecisive 4 stars!

My thanks to the publisher and to Net galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Such an interesting main theme. Nova has an operation to allow her to see for the first time, and a large part of the book is about how she handles this, in her own, quite unique way. Accompanying this is a love story, some horrible domestic violence and a really frightening depiction of the experience of being stalked.

I really enjoyed reading Nova's rules and seeing how she gained in confidence and understanding of the visual world and visual language. The love story was equally touching and pleasing. For a first novel this is accomplished, engaging and well plotted. Several unexpected moments and a very enjoyable novel that really makes you appreciate the gift of sight.

A fantastic debut! I really enjoyed The Rules of Seeing and it made me think how we actually "see" things and take for granted what a gift it is. This heart warming story of friendship between two friends turning into a lot more really grabbed me although I got frustrated at times with the characters and their reactions to obstacles in their life.

This story is beautiful on one hand and terrifying on the other - throw in an obsessed, unhinged ex into the mix and I was left on the edge in certain chapters!

Looking forward to more from Joe Heap.

Only after finishing the book and reading reviews have I learnt there was a lot of hype about this book. I’m glad I didn’t know that when I started it. I started it not really knowing exactly what it was about. Book was an easy read, part love story, part domestic thriller but with a quirky different edge. Really enjoyed it and would highly recommend.

A great read if you’re looking for something a bit different, although I felt it lost its way briefly a couple of times.
The characters were well written, especially Kate and Nova

Heralded as "the next Eleanor Oliphant" by some, this did not quite live up to the hype for me; a cute story, but with a plot that felt somewhat far-fetched throughout. I found myself skipping pages as the story dragged on, not really caring what was happening but just to find out what happened at the end... which I now can't really remember.

The cover and description grabbed me right away with this book. The vivid colours which made no sense, a bright green rabbit? By the end it made so much sense.

Nova was born blind, and gets the chance to have an operation to be able to see. She meets Kate, a woman who can see but in a way can't see clearly. Their lives are so different, but their friendship brings them so close, and they realise they have move on common than they think.

I really enjoyed this, and the thing I remember the most is the scene with Nova asking Kate what she did with her hands when she signalled the waiter for the bill. You know what I mean, scribbling in the air haha. I do it all the time, but it really made me think of how much we do speak with our hands. Watch someone the next time you're having a chat!

All in all a lovely book and if definetly recommend it.

Simply incredible!

Have you ever wondered what would it be like to learn to see? Never? Me neither. If you had an option to see after years of ‘darkness’ would you take it? Yes? Are you certain? This fantastic book will ask you the same questions and more. Nothing is just black and white, decision to see or not see is not as easy. Could being blind be sometimes easier than to see? I would never think so but after this book my mind is certainly open to all possibilities.

Nova is given option to see. Blind from the day she was born, she doesn’t anticipate what a hard journey it can be to learn to see and you will struggle with her.

Kate is tackling her own obstacles. After head injury, trauma she suffered brings suffocating blindness to her life and she also has to make decisions that will change her life.

They meet in the right time, when they both stand on crossroads and need someone to guide them.

Unbelievably good book. I read for pleasure, for story to take me away from reality but on some rare occasions I also take more from the story than just the experience, the thrill. This book is life-changing in so many ways. It definitely changes the way you see the world. The objects are not the same, darkness is not the same, even looking at the moon or street lamps is different now. If I was a writer, I would be so jealous I didn’t write it. 😜 Just FANTASTIC.