Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

While not my personal favorite of Gailey's work, The Echo Wife is absolutely their best-written work yet. Every aspect of Dr. Evelyn Caldwell's life feels placed under a microscope as she navigates her fraught relationship with her dead ex-husband, Nathan; the clone of her, Martine, whom he created from Evelyn's stolen research; and the relationships with her parents that formed the person she is today—for better or worse. With its brilliant commentary on agency and faithfulness, The Echo Wife is a domestic thriller with a science fiction twist, perfect for fans of Orphan Black, Killing Eve, and Big Little Lies.

What a surprise read! I’m not at all into sci-fi, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I found myself wanting to read more and more to find out what would happen next!

4.5 stars

What would you do if your husband left you for a better version of yourself? Evelyn never imagined her research would one day lead to her marriage ending, but her husband didn’t just leave her for another woman. He created a genetically cloned replica; a patient, more obedient “Evelyn”.

When Martine contacts Evelyn for help, the last thing Evelyn expects to find is Nathan on the floor in a pool of blood. But rather than cause a greater divide between the two them, his death in turn brings Evelyn and Martine even closer, and together they learn that Nathan’s lies and secrets go even deeper than they ever thought possible.

This was a really unique story, and I’m glad I chose to read it. I’m a science geek, so I enjoyed reading about all of Evelyn’s lab work and research. Overall, I really liked the book, but I felt like the end was a bit anticlimactic. I think it was a good spin on how to rectify the situation to benefit both Evelyn and Martine, but I was hoping for a bit more of a dramatic finish.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3612662212

Evelyn, a gifted scientist finds out her husband is having an affair, but not just with any woman but her clone that he illegally created using her research. After this betrayal and ensuing divorce she is trying to put her life back together but receives a call from Martine, the clone that has replaced her, and finds out that Martine has murdered her ex, Nathan. Evelyn and Martine cover up Nathan's murder since Martine isn't supposed to even exist and if the world found out that a sentient clone was created Evelyn's life's work would be destroyed. Not one character in this book makes good decisions, showing that even intelligent people can make dumb choices when they're battling their own self interests. This was a captivating read and watching Evelyn and Martine deal with their discoveries about Nathan and the repercussions of their actions was at times frustrating and totally understandable.

This story is so weighed down with inner monologs and flashbacks that do not move the plot forward. The premise is interesting but the book could have been so much better.

Evelyn Caldwell is an award-winning scientist, who has been recognized for her work with clones. She is beautiful and brilliant, but she cares more about her work than her husband. When he creates a Stepford Wife version of Evelyn things get interesting.

I loved this storyline. I did not guess the ending, which I take as a positive attribute. I was interested throughout. My only critique is the world was too small. We never see anything past Evelyn’s lab and home. No one questions where the clone came from. I loved the premise of this book, I loved the way it kept me interested, but I would have loved a little more realistic look at the troubles the character’s actions would have caused.

I am not a SciFi/fantasy type person but finding out your husband is involved with your clone was too much to pass up. I think it would make a great miniseries. It really made you think about what makes you, you and about betrayal.

An Echo is an almost perfect reproduction of the original, but one can tell it’s the Echo. In The Echo Wife, who is the echo? The original wife who wouldn’t give her husband a child at the expense of her career? Or the clone, who has been programmed to only think what she is told to think? Who is The Echo Wife?

I had the hardest time putting this book down! All I wanted was to find out what happened next to Martine and Evelyn!

The Characters
Evelyn is logical and unemotional while Martine is docile and nurturing. They couldn’t be two more different people. Just the fact that Martine exists pushes against the boundaries of Evelyn’s research, and she’s constantly fighting against her personal beliefs about Martine’s very existence.
Nathan doesn’t have much dialogue in the book, even though his existence actually plays prominently in the story. The book is more about the results of his actions and decisions, than the actions themselves.
This book is excellently written. I connected to Evelyn, even without relating to her. I think this is deliberate, because Evelyn is the unemotional one. Even through her research, I could tell she had a hard time connecting with and trusting others. Even her choice of research shows she is a loner and recluse.
This book doesn’t seem to be about Evelyn’s divorce at all, even though it plays into it. It’s not even really about Nathan’s infidelity. It’s about two diametrically opposed human beings learning to accept one another, even when the world says it’s impossible.

The Writing
One thing I thought was funny is the ARC I received was labled “Uncorrected,” but I didn’t find many writing issues at all. Evelyn is the narrator, so the story moves along in almost a scientific way. It’s almost cold and unemotional. I was able to see some growth as the story progressed, because of Evelyn’s proximity to Martine.
When Evelyn and Martine are interacting, it’s easy to see the frustration in Evelyn’s voice over what she sees as Martine’s failings. When Evelyn is trying to understand Martine, she is only doing so through the lens of her own research.
Sarah Gailey’s depiction of The Echo Wife is so well-written that one could almost believe cloning is a real, achievable science.

The Author
The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey is not her first book, but she is now on my list of auto-buy authors. I don’t have many on that list, so the fact that she made it tells you how good I think this book is! I haven’t had a chance to find her on Twitter yet, but trust me when I say it’ll be one of the first things I do. I need to follow this awesome human! I’ve only read this one book of hers, but I will be adding the others to my Amazon Wishlist.

I’m not sure what genre this book would fit into, because it seems to have elements from several different ones. I would probably consider it a thriller, because most of the story seems to fit that category. It is definitely an adult book, as it has bad language sprinkled through the book. The language isn’t so prevalent that I would ever say don’t read it, but there is some.
Honestly, I will say I thoroughly adored this book. This will go on my list of “Books to read again when I’m going through a reading slump.” Even knowing what’s going on doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story.
The Echo Wife has enough psychological aspects to it, that I think it could take a lifetime to discover all of them.
I hope you give this book a chance, because I don’t think you could be disappointed.

I am so happy I read this book. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the advance copy. This is not a book I would normally read. This is a book about cloning. The premise is good. Evelyn’s ex-husband has divorced her and made a clone of her. He’s managed to get his new wife, Martine, pregnant. Evelyn was betrayed by her father and now her ex. How can a clone be pregnant? Evelyn’s clone are for research, or to stand in for a politician. The writing isn’t too technical. It’s also one of those great books that aren’t time/place specific. She has a lab. She drives a car. This would be brilliant for a book club, and in my opinion, it should be a movie.

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey was the first time I had read anything by this author. This was an interesting read. I usually do not gravitate toward science-fiction, fantasy type reads. However, this book was interesting and written beautifully. I was drawn into the world and needed to know what happened. The author did a fantastic job in developing the plot and the characters. There were so many creepy twists and turns I was on the edge of my seat!

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Sarah Gailey is one of my favorite writers, so I was especially disappointed that this fell flat for me. The science was unclear at best, and the timing of the whole endeavor didn't really hold up. The writing lacked Gailey's trademark wit and cynicism. There were some underlying themes of abusive history, manipulation, and the ethics of cloning, and I felt like none of that was adequately explored. Ultimately, pick up one of Gailey's fantasy books, all of which I would recommend over this one.

This tightly-wound, thoughtful thriller with a sci-fi twist is EASILY an early 2021 standout. Scientist Evelyn Caldwell's ex-husband is having an affair - from a clone of Evelyn herself, programmed to be everything her ex ever wanted her to be. In Gailey's expert hands, this scientific premise reads like a gripping psychological thriller, with each secret and betrayal unearthing another dazzling layer that will leave readers relentlessly turning pages. This novel is rooted in issues of the moment and packs a sharp, emotional punch.

Oo y’all I was SO happy when I was able to read and it did not disappoint!’! Seriously one of the best novels this year. Very dramatic and suspenseful.

I loved The Echo Wife. It was utterly original and thoroughly engrossing and I loved the conclusion. My only complaint is that I didn't want it to end.

Coming February 2021, but you should go ahead and mark it on your TBR list now. It's a WILD. RIDE.

The premise of this story is very Westworld meets Black Mirror, and there are enough creepy moments throughout that this book started to feel a little bit like horror to me. Spoiler here: at one point, as Evelyn is talking about "conditioning" the specimens, my stomach was actually turning. She literally means breaking bones, cutting them so they have matching scars to their human counterparts - they have to make sure Nathan has a large scar on his knee, and they sand away the skin to get it. Eeeeeeek. It gave me the creeps!

I looooved the writing! There are so many references throughout about things that Evelyn would know later - it gave the whole narrative a terribly scary undertone, in the best way.

And hiding the rest for spoiler talk about the ending: THE SECOND FRANTIC PHONE CALL TO EVELYN - HOLY COW. I thought for sure that she had killed Nathan again. Then, when it's revealed that there are bodies, I was certain that we would discover that Evelyn wasn't the original, but was another specimen and the original was dead, too. I was actually shocked that there were so many failed specimens - it never occurred to me that Nathan had failures, I guess?

Evelyn making Martine leave Violet wasn't the only time I hated Evelyn, but was at the top of the list for times I hated her *the most*. And then, you're excited to see Violet get to spend time with Martine, but the trade off is that Martine is the literal guinea pig for life for Evelyn? I left the book feeling like what the FUCK just happened - very Black Mirror.

This one moves quickly, it's captivating, the surprises keep coming, and if you love sci-fi, it's a 2021 must read! Solid 4.5 stars!

Sarah Gailey gets in my head, and stays there. How much loyalty would you feel towards a clone of yourself? What if your ex-husband was the one who did the cloning? This stunning book delves into what it means to have a work-life balance, the glass ceiling, and motherhood in a un-put-down-able tale of deceit, technology, and murder.

BEST BOOK I'VE READ THIS YEAR!! Can I give it 6 stars? Evelyn is a celebrated scientist who makes and programs clones. Her childhood was quite difficult, and now her marriage is not going well. The Echo Wife is the story of what happens when people can be easily replaced. I LOVED how this science fiction tale was so real, so believable! I LOVED how surprising events happen every couple of chapters - I sure didn't see all that comin'! WOW! This is a fun and exciting book - easy to read because there are reasonable number of characters, and they are all quite relatable. I LOVED the way the story flowed and I LOVED the very satisfying ending.

HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Thank you, Netgalley for letting me read this fantastic book!

The Echo Wife is a thrilling story about Evelyn Caldwell, a geneticist, and Martine, a genetically cloned replica of Evelyn. After having an affair with Evelyn’s husband, Martine, calls Evelyn saying that her husband is dead and she needs help.

This story was pretty crazy. The fact that Evelyn’s husband decided to “upgrade” her for a genetic clone edited to his liking is bonkers. The main focus of this story wasn’t really the murder. I’m not saying that aspect isn’t important, just that it’s not the real meat of the story. The focus is the relationship between Evelyn and Martine, and the development of these two characters throughout the story. Questions of ethics come into play, and the uniqueness of this story had me devour it in one sitting.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Evelyn Caldwell is a brilliant scientist whose work revolves around clones. If only she could see things in her personal life as clearly as she does at work, perhaps she would have noticed that her husband Nathan was having an affair. Not just any old heartbreaking, gut-wrenching affair with someone younger, prettier, nicer, or less driven, but with Martine, a clone. Nathan has stolen much of Evelyn's work and created a clone of......Evelyn!But a nicer, more maternal version, and for Nathan, life is good. I suppose he had one redeeming quality, he didn't move Evelyn into the attic or kill her, but I am really stretching it by saying anything good about him.
Despite the threat, this poses to her career, Evelyn is also humiliated and suffering on a personal level. A desperate phone call from Martine annoys Evelyn, but curiosity makes her head to the lovebird's house. What she finds will test her in ways she never imagined, and send her down a slippery moral and ethical slope. If two wrongs don't make a right, can any amount of bad decisions make for a happy ending? Evelyn is going to find out.
Well, this one was a trip to cray cray land. The book description was very short, but if I could change one or two things, I think it actually gave too many plot points away. If I discovered them while reading The Echo Wife, it definitely would have upped the what just happened moments. But, there are still a lot of shocking surprises, and at less than 250 pages, I abandoned my garden work plans and devoured this book. Kudos to a story that made me forget about the madness that is 2020 for a little while. 4.5 stars.