The Echo Wife
by Sarah Gailey
By Macmillan-Tor/Forge Publishing
Coming February 16, 2021

This is a book I requested from NetGalley and the publisher and the review is voluntary.
I was very excited to see Sarah Gailey had a new book out, I loved all her hippo riding books! Fantastic! This one was fantastic also but in a totally different direction.
This book deals with clones, cloning, and ethics involved with it in a distant way. Evelyn is our gal of the story. She is a brilliant scientist who is an award winner in cloning. Her husband left her, after having a long affair. Come to find out the affair was with the clone he made of her! He programmed the clone to be submissive. Evelyn is a bit hot headed.
The book bounces around so we can see how bad Evelyn life was growing up. It also shows life married to Nathan.
Now, her clone wants to meet her. Reluctantly she agrees. She really is evil to the clone. But she is also use to thinking of clones as waste, something like trash and not a person. Evelyn has euthanized clones before. It's not in her mindset to think of this clone as a person.
But things get traumatic. Very scary and dire. The clone and Evelyn have to work together to survive.
Gailey already started the book on a deary note and now it felt so oppressive! The science is not detailed but enough is given to make you believe in the process. The characters are so real (and cloned 😉), dialogue natural, and actions what you would expect from real people. High tension, suspense, and it rarely lets up!
The solution is unexpected and perfect! Finally I could breathe! This was a terrific sci-fi book that dealt with many issues in subtle ways.
The witchy main character really grew as the story progressed. Lots of layers to this great book! Recommend even to those who don't like sci-fi.

This was definitely a twist on the'cheating husband' trope!

Evelyn is a very talented and smart scientist who focuses so much on work she doesn't notice her husband is cheating on her...with a clone he made of her.
You'd think she'd hate the clone, but instead they strike up an intense bond over their common enemy: the husband. I really enjoyed reading their interactions and found myself rooting for them both!
I do wish their was a little more sci-fi in the story with the background on the clones, but I was entertained.

Certainly a unique read that will intrigue you and even pull your heartstrings a little!

I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this book! The concept is great, and I found the end the right level of satisfying and chilling, but some of the twists didn't feel particularly surprising. I also think there are so many moral questions that are raised but never expanded upon in a truly meaningful way. I think that could've added more depth to the story as well as upping the stakes further and increasing some of the suspense.

What does an award winning scientist in the field of cloning do when she finds her ex-husband made a clone of her, the clone is pregnant and then the clone kills her ex-husband?

Tight tale of what the woman and her clone do to not only hide his death but move on with their lives.

Received an arc for an honest review.

This book reminded me a bit of the wife between us, and another thriller I, unfortunately, forgot the name of. that being said, I absolutely loved this book. The cloning, the science, the suspense, everything I love in a good thriller was packaged here, in The Echo Wife.

Will provide a shout out on Instagram and FB page on release date.

Twisty book combining domestic suspense with Sci-Fi. Perfect.

So this book was billed as a sci fi, however the only sci fi element to it is that there are clones. This book is actually a thriller, which is not a genre that I read or enjoy. I did think the premise of this book was super interesting. But my biggest problem with the story was that it was told in the first person, from Evelyn‘s point of view, and she is really not a likable character. She is extremely cold, self-centered, and has no life other than her work. I understand that this is due to her childhood upbringing, but it still doesn’t change my dislike for her. Frankly, I was rooting for her clone. But like I said, the premise of this book is great, so if you enjoy thrillers then I think you would enjoy this book a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This story hits the ground with deep questions and implications. It does so in a way that is also thrilling and paced to hold interest. It would have been a strange thing to think about a husband having an affair with a clone of you all on its own, but... add to that it was your research that created the capability and then the stage is set for a tale filled to the brim with thought provoking twists and turns. Some of the turns too, awesome. The alliances, betrayals, and way things wound against the themes was lovely.

This is the story of cloning. A woman who works in the field is married to a man who wants a child, while she is obsessed with her career instead. So he builds a clone of his wife, and programs her to want a family. His wife is upset naturally but has yet to learn the whole story...
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC.

Wow!! This book blew me away. I could not stop reading it, late into the night and during breaks all day. The premise is interesting - what would you do if you found out your husband was cheating on you... with your clone?
But that is just the beginning. Without spoiling anything, all I can say is that every time you think you know what's going on in the book, a huge twist/shocking plan gets dropped. And it just makes you want to read further. This happened minimum three times.
The main character Evelyn is a flawed, selfish, mean, character who I loved anyway because she was fighting for what she wanted no holds barred. I was constantly in awe of her decision-making and the ways that she justified a lot of her horrific actions.
They aren't raised directly, but there are definitely huge ethics questions in this book - are human clones people? Should they be "used" for profit? Should they even be made??? Entirely disturbing and thought-provoking at the same time.
I am not sure if this is classified as horror, but there are certainly parts that made me squirm, and I'm not that squeamish. Especially in terms of the lab and the "specimens" (the human clones!).
Her relationship with her clone is fascinating. It changes her throughout the book. That's all I can say about that too. Excellent writing. This was my first book by Sarah Gailey and it definitely will not be my last.

This is my second Sarah Gailey book and I am always grabbed by her story concepts and excited to see what she's written. I know I can expect a few twists in a foreground populated by wry women who are realistically written, with men taking a supporting role. I love her attention to detail and the obvious research she puts in to her tales. This one in particular caught me because I've spent time studying the question of nature versus nurture and it fascinates me.
I'm just waiting for her to stick an ending -- the two I've read have felt anticlimactic, and maybe that's on purpose. Still, the other elements of her writing keep me involved and wanting to try again.
Recommended for fans of twin studies, Murakami, and people who like science in their fiction as opposed to sci-fi.

This book!!! I NEVER wanted it to end. it was so good. It had all the elements of books I love; sci-fi, strong female protagonists, twists that I didn't see coming, and an ending that left me completely satisfied.

This was my first book by Sarah Gailey and I immediately went and added every one of her books to my TBR pile.

Thank you #netgalley and #TorBooks for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Evelyn Caldwell's husband has a secret. He's stolen her award-winning research and created a clone of her. An improved version. Docile. Patient. Calm. The perfect housewife. But now Nathan is dead, and it's up to the Caldwell wives to clean up the body. And move on.
I teach them not to freeze at what seems to be a high volume of blood. I teach them how much blood a specimen can lose during conditioning before they should start to worry.

That was an um, wildly atmospheric ride, although the ending skeeved me out with its lack of resolution and circular nature.

In the middle of a really interesting murder-coverup is the story of two women trying to figure out their relationship. Or rather, one woman trying to figure out her relationship with her clone, and coming to terms with the ethical nature of her work.

Evelyn reminded me of Nicole Wargin from The Relentless Moon, in terms of whip-smart intelligence, interesting backstory/family history, and trauma recovery. It was really interesting to read how a brilliant woman maneuvered through her space after that upbringing, how she viewed femininity, and how she responded to rejection by further isolating herself—and how she interacted with others.
I've always known that my need to control things to a minute detail is unhelpful, bordering on unhealthy. I try to keep it in check as much as I can. But then if I don't stay vigilant, my husband uses our money to grow a new wife, and my lab assistant uses my grant to support his side hustle, and I wonder why I keep bothering.

This is a fascinating deep dive into Evelyn's brilliantly cold brain, how a woman who has gone through so much and risen so high processes and compartmentalizes and manages, and what slips away as a result. And the juxtaposition between her and Martine the clone, who is everything Evelyn is not...or is she?

Anywho, for a relatively short book this had a lot packed into it.

Clones.

Women in research.

Murder.

Wicked aesthetics and a tense atmosphere of upper middle class whyte womanhood.

Ethics.

Revenge.

What makes a person human.

And a fucking twist I did not fucking see coming, along with its sticky results.
There's no winning. Either I'm a bitch who needs to control everything, or I'm an easy mark.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

This book was very different from what I expected going in and that's in a good way. I was expecting this book to more of a mystery but it was way more light sci-fi and just our main character reflecting on her life. I quite enjoyed it. I really liked our main character and her interactions with the other characters. I like how this book kind of goes into the grey morals that come with clones. It isn't always easy and not every situation is the same. I thought it was interesting. There isn't too much of a plot but it works really well. I also loved the writing and therefore will definetly check out more by Sarah Gailey in the future.

This book was amazing. Filled with brutal truths about humanity that is inherent in all of Sarah’s work. This story challenges our perception of scientific ethics and makes us draw the line on what we consider to be human vs a specimen. The author’s prose is sharp and each line shows an understanding of human behavior and the ideas of nature vs nurture.

Evelyn Caldwell has dedicated her adult life to studying the utilization of clones in our everyday lives. Her ex-husband, Nathan, would say this is the thing that led to the dissolution of their marriage. Regardless, Nathan has moved on with Martine, a clone of Evelyn programmed with the patient, docile, and obedient domesticity that he finds lacking in Evelyn herself.

When Nathan winds up dead, Evelyn finds herself working with Martine to clean up the mess he created. But neither of them realize how far reaching that mess will be.

Sarah Gailey has quickly become an auto-read author for me. I've found all their stories to be extremely readable and engrossing. Taking subjects in which we have certain formed ideas about and kind of turning those ideas on their heads a little bit.

The Echo Wife is another such book in the same vein. It's so full of varying layers I almost don't know where to start. On the surface you have a book dealing with marriage and relationships. On one hand you have Evelyn and Nathan's marriage - and the dissolution thereof - but you also have the echo of the marriage between Evelyn's parents and her rather traumatic childhood. A childhood that has undoubtedly had far reaching effects upon her marriage.

But then you add in Martine who is a copy of Evelyn, but tailored to what Nathan actually wants in his wife and you get some really interesting commentary about the male/female dynamic in the household. The kind of old-time thought that women are for taking care of the house and having the children and men are for earning the money.

Breaking away from this you have the interactions between Evelyn and Martine. Martine who is, at first, almost spoken of, and to, as though she's this thing. Not real, not human. Not made for critical thinking beyond what she's programmed with upon conception. There's some wonderful rumination that occurs about what makes us human and how much actually living through our experiences inform who we are as a person.

It's so subtle and such a slow-burn of a book, but really packs a punch when all is said and done. I went back and forth with my feelings towards both Evelyn and Martine. I felt bad for Evelyn who clearly loved Nathan very much (at least in the beginning of their marriage). To literally come face to face with your replacement (and that replacement is a replica of yourself) is heartbreaking. Believing that you were only good enough on certain levels for your significant other. Evelyn is a seemingly difficult character to like. She had strict standards she adheres to - why she has trouble keeping a lab assistant - she's unforgiving if someone makes a mistake. She's so driven and focused (not necessarily bad things on their own) that she loses sight of everything else around her that doesn't pertain to her work including her husband. But then you begin to understand, through past reflection, why she carries herself the way that she does, and you begin to see the complexities that make up the individual.

On the other side of that you have Martine who was made to be subservient. She's not made to have her own thought processes or opinions. When she find herself without the person who has been guiding her throughout her short-lived existence, while we're often conditioned to not like the "other women", I couldn't help but feel sympathetic even though Martine, in Evelyn's scientific-thinking terms, is technically not real. Which brings up the ethicality of the things we do in the name of science.

Sarah Gailey deftly weaves all these elements together in such a seamless way. It's a truly impressive work, and this is only me maintaining a close-to-surface level review in order to avoid spoilers. If you're a fan of contemplative, not-so-speculative fiction you'll really enjoy the Echo Wife.

The plot was a bit strange. I had a hard time getting through this book because the writing was difficult to enjoy.

The Echo Wife is a seriously crazy, messed up story about a scientist named Evelyn. When Evelyn discovers her husband, Nathan is not only cheating on her but leaving her, she is stunned. But not for the fact that he doesn’t want to be with her anymore but for the fact of whom he is leaving her for, herself… Well not herself exactly, a clone, named Martine.

The science of cloning is what Evelyns career is made of. She is the one perfecting it and her husband betrayed her with her own life's work.

When she gets a call one night from Martine requesting she comes over now, Evelyn doesn’t know why she agrees to but is glad she did. For Nathan is dead and Martine was the one to do it. Nathan’s murder sets a crazy amount of twists and turns into play.

The Echo Wife is shocking, cold, creepy, and intriguing at all times. I loved and hated our main character at all times. If you are a lover of Science Fiction(Non-space styles) you will love this book.


*Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books/Macmillan for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review

I honestly was very hesitant going into The Echo Wife because this genre is completely out of my comfort zone, but I am so glad I gave it a chance! I can’t remember ever reading a book about clones before. However, the actual clones were so believable as humans that I oftentimes forgot they were clones. This novel read more like a contemporary book than science-fiction which was great for me, but could be misleading for someone looking for a sci-fi read. I loved the thriller elements that were incorporated; the twists kept me on the edge of my seat. I thought I would lose interest with the slow narration style, but I was engaged the whole time. I really enjoyed that every chapter ended on a cliffhanger, so there was always something to hold your interest. I’m not a science person in the slightest, so even though some of the scientific elements went over my head, I felt that this was a book you could understand relatively easily.

The only thing I didn’t love about this book was the lack of world-building. I know Evelyn is considered at the top of her field, but how did clones come about? How many of them are there? I would have loved to know more about a world possessed by clones, and am sad we only saw them in the context of Evelyn and Martine. I also would have wished to have gotten more answers about Evelyn’s past, as it was hinted at, but I feel like we never really understood her mother or father. All in all, I would say this is a book most people would enjoy!

Wow, what an incredible book! I spent a good half an hour after finishing this to formulate a review. This is one of the most intelligent, twisted and satisfying books I’ve read in a very long time.

The inner science nerd in me was endlessly entertained. My love of slow burn revenge was fanned and fed. The twists and turns are impossible to see coming. The ending was not rushed or an afterthought. Every part of this book was well balanced, perfectly paced and gratifying. It’s as calculated and resolved as Evelyn Caldwell herself.

There isn’t much more I can say than, you absolutely MUST read this book. There isn’t a work by Sarah Gailey that I have not gushed over, they are an inimitable genius author and I will never stop shouting that from the rooftops!