As frustrated as I am by this reading experience, this probably just wasn’t the book for me. I love character driven stories and I hate repetitive time loops. This book lacked the former and indulged in the latter.

I also feel like I don’t know Helena and Barry, the two main characters, despite having spent hundreds of pages with them through a multitude of their many lifetimes. Most of the more personal things we learn about them are just quick summaries of their memories. I also didn’t understand their romantic relationship. There’s no chemistry. No building of feelings. One chapter, we’re just told that they’ve previously spent timelines together trying to save the world and are supposed to root for their relationship.

All-in-all, this was a book that was very plot-driven, and it wasn’t a plot that I could enjoy—though I think it has the potential to be an excellent movie. Initially, the premise sounded amazing. I was very hooked in the beginning chapters, but I just felt that the execution wasn’t what I would have liked it to be. The time travel element became so repetitive at times, and I found myself very bored after the first fourth of the book. I’m the type of person that can’t stand the Groundhog Day trope and had I known this was the type of book where the protagonists are stuck inside a suffocating, desperate time loop, I probably would've opted to not read it. That’s just me, though. Other readers will probably have a very different experience.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2820673918?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Recursion is a bit out of my normal genre preferences, but the idea behind the novel really intrigued me, so I thought I would give it a chance. This book was pretty interesting and very thought provoking. Recursion is one of those books that changes the way you look at after reading it. It is a mind bending science fiction novel and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it.

I did have a few issues with this book while reading. The beginning was amazing and really got me thinking about memory and just how vivid my memories actually are. I found the beginning well paced and fascinating, but then I hit a point where I felt like I no longer cared what happened. I didn't love the characters and I found the middle of the book to be a bit dull. I set it aside for a little bit, but picked it back up and towards the end it got really good and thought provoking again. This book really made me think about memory, the concept of time and just the importance of appreciating life and moments while you're in them.

I think my issue with this book came from the fact that I didn't really connect with the characters. I found Helena and Barry to be a bit vanilla and bland with no real personality to them. I thought the plot was pretty interesting and completely mind bending. There was a lot of action in this book, but I still found it really easy to set down in the middle, At times I got bored of the repetitive plot and just wanted this book to end. I almost did not finish this book, but it picked back up right before I gave up on it. The ending was pretty cool, so I am glad that I actually finished it.

Even with all of the issues that I had with this book I am glad that I read it. Recursion was a book that made me think and sparked many conversations after reading. It was the concepts behind this book that made it enjoyable, not necessarily the writing or the characters.

This book is wild. Straight up science fiction, which is not necessarily in my wheelhouse. It’s very science-y and complex, and I thought it dragged a bit towards the end. Nonetheless it was really interesting and I enjoyed it. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy!

This is the best book I've read this year. A mix of some of the concepts of the film Inception and Edge of Tomorrow, it also brings some unique ideas about time travel and the after effects of changing the past.

Really, really good.

Neuroscientist Helena Smith is working on a project that she hopes will recover the memory of her mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer. Barry Sutton is a New York detective who is investigating cases of False Memory Syndrome - a mysterious affliction that makes people go crazy from the false memories they are experiencing. This story is about how Barry and Helena's lives intersect over and over, as technology proves that in the right hands much good can be created, but in the wrong hands it can wreak chaos and destruction.

This book was mind-blowing. It was scary realizing the possibilities and consequences of time travel in order to alter memories. I could not put this book down. It kept me riveted until the very last page. If you like fantasy/science fiction/suspense, then this is the perfect book for you!

A fast-paced thriller involving a well-imagined ground-breaking technology that creates false memories of lives and makes time an illusion. Involving such things as a memory chair, electromagnetic stimulaters and synaptic regenerations, Crouch’s imagination and writing skills shine as he creates a complicated world of the future in which technology can right a wrong or alternatively wreak havoc on the world, a world in which life is no longer linear. Put that into the wrong hands and you’ve got some trouble! GREAT storyline involving strong passionate characters

*will post in additional online venues once published.

{My Thoughts}
How best to categorize Recursion, the widely touted new book from Blake Crouch? Reading his story is a little like going to a tapas bar when you’re not really sure what you feel like eating. There, you can get a little bit of everything and leave feeling satisfied. The same can be said of Recursion. It’s definitely a whole lot of sci-fi, but also much more. Crouch skillfully wove in a little adventure, a big load of thriller, and even some romance into his sophomore effort.

I appreciated the variety Crouch offered up in his story, but we simply must begin with the memory/time travel at its core. Neuroscientist Helena Smith put her life into creating a machine through which people with Alzheimer’s (like her own mother) might be able to relive some of the memories they’d so tragically lost. As we might expect, her breakthrough doesn’t stay quietly within the scientific community, but is co-opted for money and power by a multitude of groups.

From there Recursion really takes off, growing and splitting as Helena’s machine is used over and over, layering on timeline after timeline. Without any sort of dynamic road map, I wasn’t always positive I was on the path Crouch intended. And yet, time after time I found that I really was. Even better, I enjoyed the adventure and sense of disequilibrium created as timelines lapped and overlapped each other. I know some might find this confusing, but honestly, this is a story where every piece doesn’t need to fit together perfectly to realize the bigger picture. The fracturing works because the idea of time being a construct that may not be static became both fascinating and scary.

If you’re unsure what you’re hungering for this summer, but are ready for something a little bit different and a whole lot of fun, you need to pick up Recursion. You’ll get a taste of a future we may never want to reach.

Note: I received a copy of this book from Crown (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

LOVED THIS BOOK. Similar to Crouch’s Dark Matter, the mix of science and classic literary thriller elements was just right. The characters were engaging and like able and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The timelines were a little confusing towards the end, but did not impact my understanding of the story overall. I can’t wait to see what Blake Crouch writes next!

Prepare to have your mind BLOWN when you read this. We’ve got a touch of an unreliable narrator to make this mind-bending tale all the more suspenseful. If you don’t like when a story messes with your head, you may not enjoy this. This book will make you look at life in a whole different light. I didn’t expect to get some valuable life lessons from this story. Blake, what a philosopher you’ve become! I absolutely loved it!

Recursion has everything that I loved about Dark Matter. It is complicated and action-packed and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. It was also surprisingly romantic, which I wasn't anticipating but thoroughly enjoyed. It raises a lot of ethical and moral questions. It's a book I will continue to think about!

Full RTC.

Inspired by two MIT neuroscientists, who, in 2012, implanted false memories into the brain of a mouse, Blake Crouch has created another epic science-fiction story!

I'm convinced Crouch has become THE sci-fi phenom of our time. His novels have been some of the most consistently high rated of all my must-read authors. When Blake Crouch comes out with a new book, you may as well go ahead and pre-order it...the premise is irrelevant. You and I both know it's gonna be amazing.

So...Recursion.

My mind was blown.

I'd devour several chapters of this book, then spend the next hour multi-tasking...loading the dishwasher and contemplating Crouch's words; bathing my three pugs and St. Bernard and contemplating Crouch's theories; folding laundry and contemplating Crouch's genius.

You see, unlike Dark Matter, another novel by Blake Crouch, which I felt was fairly straight-forward and easy to understand, Recursion requires some brain unraveling. I was always able to reach an elementary understanding...but the science was complex. Fascinating, but difficult at times.

The basis of the story? What if your memories had never actually happened? What would you do if given the opportunity for a re-do? While it does get mildly repetitive throughout the final third of the book, I remained captivated.

Keep in mind, though, this isn't an easy beach read. This is a novel which will require your concentration at all times. And I recommend giving ALL Crouch's other novels a chance too...he's an author who is absolutely worth your time.

4 "explosive" stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crown, and Blake Crouch for the digital e-copy, in exchange for my thoughts.

Publishing date: June 11, 2019
Review published on Goodreads: June 5, 2019

Crouch knocked it out of the park. I completely devoured RECURSION and cannot recommend it enough. Dare I say, that this is even better than 5-star Dark Matter?!?!

Never did I ever think that I would like this as much as I LOVED Dark Matter. I have to admit I was a tad nervous but he’s done it again! His storytelling makes science fiction something that is captivating, chilling and “almost” understandable. I was hooked from page one and thrilled the whole way through. Get ready for your mind to be blown!

Like Dark Matter there is lots to digest and you’ve got to use that noggin of yours. This isn’t merely a page-turner, it’s a deep and thought provoking look at how precious life is and the memories that make up our existence.

Most of us have experienced déjà vu. Well what if you experienced instances of acute déjà vu? Constantly struck with the sense that you are living multiple lives? Barry is a cop in 2018 when the world is struck by FMS (False Memory Syndrome). Suddenly people have two sets of memories. One true, one false. Some kill themselves over it. Barry is determined to investigate what the true reality of it all is. Meanwhile back in 2007, Helena, a scientist has dedicated her life to creating a technology that will preserve memories. I really can’t tell you much more than this without spoiling some of the plot, themes and questions the story touches upon. You’ll just have to take a leap of faith.

Captivating, mind-boggling and original I give this book all the brilliant stars. This will 100% be in my top 10 for 2019.

I have owned and lost more than a few copies of Blake Crouch's Dark Matter. I'm not sure what made me pick up my first copy of Dark Matter - I usually avoid New York Times bestsellers - but the book sunk its claws deep from the first page and didn't let go until the very last one, many hours later. Needless to say, the next day was fueled by copious amounts of caffeine. If the book was nothing more than a frenetic, roller coaster ride through multiple dimensions, I would have tossed it on the DONE pile and moved on, but Dark Matter was also a meditation on family, regrets, and the huge impact small choices can have on our lives and that real struck a chord with me. So over the years I have given many copies of this book to friends, family, and people that want to try something "new" but don't no what that "new" might be. Dark Matter also managed the small miracle of turning my allergic-to-reading daughter into a book guzzling fanatic. So, I was really excited to receive an preview copy of Recursion and see if Blake Crouch could, once again, take me on a wild ride through the inner cosmos of his grey matter.

Recursion follows the story of two main characters - Barry Sutton who is investigating the suicide of a woman suffering from False Memory Syndrome in 2018 and Helena Smith, a neuroscientists who is working with Alzheimer patients in 2007. Imagine experiencing an ice-pick through the skull migraine followed by a sudden flood of memories of a past that didn't happen. The memories are very detailed, but can only be remembered in black and white. Now imagine that those memories are of a life that is much better than you have - maybe you have a child in those memories that doesn't really exist and a life filled with love and belonging. For some, the memories are too painful and death is the only escape.

At the same time, but 10 years earlier, Recursion tells the story of a science project designed to preserve the memories of Alzheimer patients. While both stories are connected by the theme of memory - in one case too few and the other two many - how the characters connect doesn't become apparent until fairly late in the book. And just when you think you know where Blake Crouch is taking you, he makes a sudden left turn into the apocalypse and the end off all life as we know it.

Recursion starts as a straightforward sci-fi thriller but quickly becomes something much bigger when it starts asking questions such as what is memory? How does it define us? And what happens if we can no longer trust it? But more importantly he leaves the reader asking themselves - if I could take away (or change) the memory of my worst day, would it really make my life better? A few weeks ago, a friend's daughter died in a car accident during Prom Weekend, and after seeing the emotional devastation the family is suffering, I find that particular question doesn't come with an easy answer.

<b>Highly Recommended with special thanks to Mr. Crouch, Crown Publishing, and the Kind folks at Netgalley</b>

Blake Crouch fans will not be disappointed with this wild ride of a story. This book has science, adventure, war, time travel, murder, mystery, and love all in one book. Neuroscientist Helena has worked for years to create something that will stop Alzheimer's, which her mother is suffering from, and NYPD Detective Barry is struggling from a tragic family loss when "False Memory Syndrome" shows up in America. People are suddenly having memories of lives they have never lived before and nobody knows why. Until they do. Someone is changing memories, and with it changing the course of reality. I feel like this book is hard to describe without giving away plot points that people may not want to know about head of time, but just know that this book is pretty crazy in the best way possible. I couldn't put it down.

3 Stars.

What can I say about Blake Crouch’s new book Recursion? Well, it’s got “a Whole Lotta Crazy Going On!”

Can you say, do-over? Are your memories to be trusted? What happens if your memories are replaced with new ones and you keep re-living your life over and over?

Just ask NYPD Detective Barry Sutton, whose life has been in tatters for the last several years, ever since the death of his daughter Meghan. When he is called to the scene of a potential suicide, he learns of something called “False Memory Syndrome.” Ann Peters Voss claims that the life she is living now is not her original, true life. She states that she was once married to someone else and that she had a son and now, in this life, he ceases to exist. At first, Barry finds Ms. Voss’ claims to be incredulous, until the same thing happens to him.

Helena is the Scientist who is responsible for False Memory Syndrome. She finds a way to travel back in time to change memories and in the end, the world. For her, it started innocently, but then doesn’t it always?

Timelines shift, reality becomes obsolete. Human nature takes over.

“Recursion” by Blake Crouch is a novel that was highly intriguing at first, with characters who I was wholly invested in and then became way too technical for me, thereby losing my interest. I personally love Sci-Fi. I read a decent amount of it and tend to watch a lot more Sci Fi on television than anything else, and yet, I felt like Recursion, missed the mark as the novel wore on. The characters are what drew me into the story, yet around the mid-point of the novel the focus on the characters was lost when the timelines kept shifting, which became difficult to keep track of.

What Blake Crouch excelled at in “Dark Matter,” was crafting a well-executed, highly entertaining story about what could have been a difficult subject to understand - and instead he made it extremely easy to comprehend, while including extremely captivating characters to boot. “Dark Matter” was unputdownable! Sadly, “Recursion” was much more difficult to follow and the characters simply didn’t pull me in.

I read “Recursion” with my book buddy Kaceey. I think it might be the first true Science Fiction book we have read together. I loved our discussions about it and look forward to seeing how we feel about other Sci Fi books we read in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crown Publishing and Blake Crouch for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 6.5.19.

Memory makes reality.

Neuroscientist, Helena Smith has been working for a long time on a way to recreate memories. Helena's mother has Alzheimer's and Helena is racing the clock to create something that will allow people to re-live those memories they have lost. But with her budget small, it may not happen.

Then one day a man walks into her office and offers her the dream of a lifetime. Full funding, state of the art lab, everything she needs to bring her vision to life. But is her benefactor doing this for other reasons? Maybe not so pure ones?

Meanwhile, an NYC cop, Barry, is learning first hand about a phenomenon the press are calling False Memory Syndrome. Driving people to kill themselves. Believing they have lived other lives and being driven out of their mind, not knowing which memories are real and which lives they are living now.

When Barry and Helen team up to bring down the horrifying invention that has been unleashed as a weapon, things get insane. Time shifts, reality shifts, memories shift. What's real and what is not?

This is one of my favorite types of stories. A puzzle in a puzzle in a puzzle. I had to pay attention very closely to remember all of the timelines and it was worth every minute!

Very Well Done!

NetGalley/June 11th, 2019 by Crown Publishing Group (NY)

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4
What would you do if you had a memory but couldn’t tell if it was real or just a story someone told you? What length would you go to to learn the truth. Once you are there do you think you can handle the truth?

Blake Crouch does an amazing job of writing a very disturbing story. Because I could easily see this happening to us in the future. The ending had me look for more pages in the book. I was left wondering what the heck (haha) in a good way!!

If you are a Blake Crouch fan you will love this book.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Crown Publishing
in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

I'll start by saying I love the premise of this and the exploration of memory and being able to go back in time to past memories. The story alternates between Helena, the scientific maker of the chair that allows memories to be preserved as well as memory time travel and Barry, a cop who gets caught up in the implications of False Memory syndrome and is put in the chair himself. I wasn't crazy about this alternating structure, I preferred Barry's story to Helena's and this back and forth also made what was already a confusing storyline all the more so. This wasn't an easy plot to follow and I spent almost all of my time trying to figure out what was going on in order to just follow the plot. I really wanted to like this but I just didn't.

This takes a little work. There's the time line issue- and then there's the science. There's not a lot of science but there was enough to slow me down and probably not enough for veteran readers of the genre. The basic premise of false memory syndrome and Helena's work on the device is fascinating. The characters, especially Helena, are interesting and you'll find yourself invested in their lives and memories. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Not my usual genre but it's a gripping read and one that will make you question your own memories.

I've read several of Blake Crouch's books - his Wayward Pines series is bizarre, Dark Matter mind-blowing - and he's never let me down.  With this book, Crouch has made my auto-buy list.

Trippy, mind-bending, thought-provoking - it's unlike anything I've read before.  Recursion starts with a basic idea, and then it branches out from there, with tendrils weaving in several directions.  This isn't a book to read if you're expecting several interruptions - you'll want to give 100% of your attention to it, and you'll need every bit of brain capacity to keep up with this fast-paced enigma.

I really can't say much about it, because you'll never read spoilers in my reviews, but if you're a sci-fi thriller fan, this is a must-read.  It's taken me four days after finishing the book to write the review, because I've been turning the story over in my mind.  I can't recommend Recursion enough - one my best reads in the past few years.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.