A wonderfully fast-paced read that blends genres in a fascinating way and sucked me in pretty much immediately. It's one part thriller, one part science fiction, carried by beautiful, almost literary prose that sets the scene vividly while remaining grounded in the narrator's POV.

This book touches on a lot of different themes: queerness, capitalism, climate change, depression, suicide, and grief. I think it did a great job with every single one. It was a bit tough, as a reader, to read about a 'pandemic' after recently living through one, but I think it also gave me an added appreciation for how the Sleepless 'pandemic' was handled in the story. I loved the plot's twists and turns and enjoyed that the high stakes were accompanied by low, personal stakes as well. There was A LOT going on, and it was a joy seeing it all come together.

Definitely recommend this for people who enjoy near-future, almost cyberpunk-esque worlds.

Whoa! What a ride. It was very fast-paced. The writing style kept me hooked and I didn't find myself losing any interest. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and how real the story felt. The author did a great job painting the setting, so it was easy for me to visualize the scene played out before me. I recommend giving this one a chance!

The Sleepless is a queer genre-blending story, combining so many genres in one. From Sci-fi (set in 2043) to mystery/thriller to literary, with a pandemic causing sleeplessness at its core.

I’m not a huge Sci-fi reader, but I devour stories like this, only wanting more, more, and more. Jamie is a journalist and one of the 25% sleepless people in the world, dealing with loss in different ways. He doesn’t have nightmares and other dreams to process unhappy experiences. He’s on 24 hours a day.

What I liked most in this story were those little snippets thrown around. Things you take for granted at first and then start to question. Things slowly coming to the surface, and each time you’ll think, aw, that makes sense, or sh*t, I should have known. There are so many themes handled in this book. Of course, the sleeplessness, does that make the world better? Or worse? But the story is also about mental health issues, suicide, grief, and queerness, even though the last one isn’t even discussed. It’s just there. I laughed when Jamie talked about coming out to his parents. Not because he was queer but because he was sleepless.

Victor Manibo is a name to watch out for, and I can’t wait to see what he writes next!

I was provided an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 stars

I absolutely loved this book it sucked me in right away. The narration with the main character really worked well. The story really took its time setting the scene and building up the world we were in and none of it was boring. The premise of the book and the idea of being sleepless really amped up the intrigue of this book. The writing in this book really fleshed out the pandemic in a way that it feels realistic, possible even as a future reality.

I also enjoyed the reveals and twists in this book, not all of them surprising but they all worked well together to build a cohesive plot and a conclusive ending. If anything, it made me enjoy the book more to be able to say “I knew it!”

It was quite hard to follow all the characters, there are a lot of detailed ones and the author writes them well. I say this is leaning more into a character driven plot which is typically the style I enjoy. There were definitely times where logistics of it all kinda pulled me out of the world a bit which is why I’m rating 4 out of 5 stars.

Overall, I can’t wait to get my hands on a finished copy of this book. The cover is great as well as the chapter break images. I can’t wait to see more from this author!

A super unique concept that was executed just as well, The Sleepless kept me engaged from the start. It's an excellent addition to any scifi/thriller reader's library.

The book has interesting concepts that are quite unique, but I felt like a lot of plotlines were repeated too much and it threw me off at times. The overall storyline doesn't have a lot of surprised and the anti-capitalistic sentiment like I've heard it before and could have been explored in a more distopian way perhaps.

I really liked this one! It was very unique, entertaining and creative. The sci-fi and mystery aspect was captivating and I enjoyed Jamie's character.

This is definitely a read for science fiction fans that like to explore dark, unanswered and philosophical questions. It's both haunting and engaging, a true could-not-put-it-down.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

I really enjoyed this slightly sci/fi conspiracy mystery! The world and pandemic of the Sleepless sickness was very realistically drawn and I loved all the details of how the world had responded to this unusual illness. The mystery itself was a little slow to get going and it took a while for me to care about what had happened because I kept being distracted by Jamie’s life and past, but seeing as I enjoyed reading that world building I don’t think it’s too much of a negative. Generally a great read if you like your sci/fi - dystopia lite.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of The Sleepless to review.

Book CW: suicide, drugs

This book comes out on August 2, 2022.

I initially gave this book 3 stars but changed it to 4 once I'd given it some more thought. For me, the world of this book was much more interesting than its contents. We are in a post-pandemic world where a lot of the population is now "sleepless". These hyper-insomniacs never have to sleep, and now have a lot more time to do all the things they want to do.

Our protagonist discovers their boss dead, from an apparent suicide, though he suspects something more is lurking underneath.

Overall, this book was fine, especially if you love mysteries, thrillers, or crime novels. We follow Jaime who is searching for the truth about his boss' death in a world where he feels he doesn't really belong due to being sleepless.

I thought the world of this book was stellar. I loved learning about what life was like after the pandemic occurred, and the changes in society to cope with this sudden change in the population. However, it was only about 1/3 of the book. If it had been entirely about the world with the same set of characters, it might have been a five-star read for me. The mystery of it all was just not interesting for me, as I really didn't care why the boss died. For some people though, this might be the opposite case.

Overall, if you love mysteries set in different worlds than our own, this is a great pick for you.

I'm going to preface this review by saying that I love cyberpunk as a genre, but have yet to come upon a book that would rub the itch. Dissatisfied with what most modern attempts at this vibe had to offer, I turned to other media in hopes that a suitable entry would reveal itself with time.

And Victor Manibo delivered.

I haven't even finished reading the first chapter before I just knew that this is it. The sci-fi cyberpunk novel with all the compartments of the genre (social issues, big (at least somewhat evil) corporations, and big questions, all dressed in a cool, badass hat of futuristic technology) that I had been waiting for. The prose is smooth and reads as a detective novel should, smoothly and with little unnecessary interruption. The worldbuilding is incredibly compelling and convincing from the very start.

If you like sci-fi (or want to try it out), I can't recommend this book enough. I really hope we'll get to see more from this author soon.

The Sleepless is a cleverly written, unique exploration into hyper capitalism, productivity, unchecked technology, and mental health. I thought it was thoughtful, loaded with suspense, and complex world building, I was very intrigued by the level of backstory in terms of the world and how The Sleepless came to be. The Sleepless is a whodunit novel that readers will stay up all night to finish.

Manibo has created a deeply intellectual novel that explores the common existentialist question:

“What if we had more time?”

What if we never had to sleep, for instance? What would that mean for us? For those we love? For history? For culture? For politics? For the environment?

Humankind has always been obsessed with legacy. With time. With immortality. And Manibo’s book is centered on what that obsession might mean for a modern, diverse society.

Manibo’s answers to all these questions are successful, in my opinion, because he manages to root the answers in a world that feels concurrent (despite technically being set in the future). I could see this happening. I could believe it. And this is because I’m given a solid social, cultural, and political framework that felt relatable. If I woke up tomorrow and was told that Manibo himself is sleepless and that this is his way of breaking the news to us, then I wouldn’t bat an eyelash. I’d say “duh!”

Moreover, Manibo also succeeds at providing answers that consider all angles. There is no antagonist and protagonist here. There are just individual people believing in whatever they believe in, for whatever personal reason. Just as in real life. It’s a stark reminder that politics are made up by individuals. Politics is all about what individuals want, and how they achieve it via allies and opposition. It works on a much more singular scope than what it pretends to do, and Manibo reminds us of this.

If we delve into the actual plot of the book, Manibo specifically addresses how capitalism exploits the existentialist fear of “so much to do, so little time”. He addresses toxic work culture, unethical business practices, and corrupt politicians. He also highlights the sustainability debate and how a world of sleepless people will negatively impact the environment.

But this isn’t just a book of high stakes; it’s also a book of low stakes.

The low stakes are the personal stakes of the protagonist, Jamie, a journalist who is thrown into a murder investigation. The novel is a whodunit scenario in which Jamie must solve the details of the murder to prove his innocence in the matter. The murder is of his boss and mentor, meaning that Jamie’s arc is largely centered on loss and grief. Throughout the book, Jamie must decide what he’s willing to personally sacrifice for professional success. He goes from being a workaholic who is in denial of his situation, to a workaholic who attempts to save what few personal relationships he has left (alongside his freedom and life, of course). He must decide how selfish he wants to be, and how selfless he needs to be in order to turn the tide around. These are existentialist choices in their own right, albeit of a smaller scale, but they make you care about the book as a whole.

I’ve talked a lot about politics and plot so far, but this is a very character-driven story at its core.

Being character-driven, the pacing is also on the slower side. Especially for a whodunit plot. It’s less “piecing different plot elements together” and more “personal revelations that alter the plot and thus the mystery”. Basically, we care about this world because we care about Jamie. Not the other way around. And Manibo expertly unveils Jamie’s backstory at just the right pace for a character-driven narrative, weaving it seamlessly together with his relatable sci-fi worldbuilding.

And this, of course, reinforces the point I made earlier, namely that politics are made up by individuals, and Jamie is one such individual.

Even if you don’t like reading about politics, you will like reading about Jamie.

Actual rating: 4.5

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What's that? A reader who generally does not enjoy sci-fi actually loves a sci-fi book? I thoroughly enjoyed The Sleepless from start to finish. Set in the not-too-distant future, this murder mystery that borders on being a thriller asks the question, what if there is a pandemic that makes about a quarter of the population unable and unneeding of sleep? What would the repercussions be in terms of public health, how big corporations would respond, how work-life balance would shift, and how the media would portray such a phenomenon?

Despite not being able to mentally keep track of all the characters, the fact that this story held my interest from start to finish says a lot about this book. The main character is a compelling narrator, not necessarily because he is an endearing character but because his thought process and the way he views his many different relationships were so interesting to follow. I also found the dialogue to be realistic and the themes that this story touches on to be thought-provoking. The pacing of the book was also nearly perfectly executed with each chapter unraveling the mystery just a little bit more without feeling like the reader is being forced to turn the pages the way most thrillers do. I honestly would love to see this book adapted as a film since reading this felt almost like watching a Jason Bourne movie, though less edge-of-your-seat.

I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future works from Victor Manibo. He's definitely an author to watch, especially in the speculative thriller scene.

I requested this one as I liked the cover and the description. Unfortunately it didn’t grab me as I’d hoped. I didn’t connect with the main character and his story, as I read I just couldn’t care about the story, although I appreciated the concept.

This literary leaning sci-fi with a strong mystery through-line reminded me yes, I am depressed. Manibo has a fantastic, well-crafted novel here that will no doubt take off for fans of the genre.

What if, a pandemic causes a quarter of the world to not require sleep at all. That’s the exciting premise of Victor Manibo’s debut.

The Sleepless drew me in immediately, and left me thinking long after I had finished it, which is the best kind of book.

In this near future world, those who are sleepless are incredibly productive, and the envy of those who require sleep. But the core of this story is a wellcrafted mystery.

Jamie Vega is one of the Sleepless, and a reporter, who is the first person to find his boss and mentor dead in his office. The police think it's a suicide but Jamie, convinced it is not, sets off on a journey to find the real killer. The twist at the end is a refreshing surprise.

The world building is very real, especially around how the Sleepless are shunned, how entire industries mushroom around them, and how they get at least some rest.

Thank you to Erewhon Books and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this great debut.

The title and description immediately attracted my attention. It is twenty years in the future, and a percent of the population throughout the world develops the ability to go without sleep. This has serious ramifications as people who are awake 24/7 will inevitably put a strain on resources — more food required, more fuel and energy needs. This in turn leads to worldwide discrimination of the Sleepless as they are ostracized and quarantined by the global community. When this story opens, the balance has shifted and this group is now identified by society as high performers with the ability to work multiple jobs and strengthen the economy. At the same time there are terrorist groups and other factions who see danger ahead.
If this book had focused on this battle in society and the Sleepless as a metaphor for other kinds of social stratification, it would have been a powerful cautionary tale. Unfortunately, the author chose to concentrate on the personal story of Jamie, an investigative reporter who joined the Sleepless by taking an illegal pill. As the story opens, he has come upon the body of his boss and is trying to determine if he committed suicide or been murdered due to his reporting on government corruption.. Much of the developing mystery depends on conversation and description rather than action, and in the world of the future with so much personal technology, there is lots to describe to the reader.
This would work better, I think, as a movie with rapid fire scenes filled with robot cars and futuristic architecture. Instead it tended to bog down as Jamie tries to avoid capture by police and corporate forces. To be successful as a story of personal danger and vengeance, the main character has to be sympathetic, but Jamie radiates more anxiety than charisma and I just couldn’t get on board. And, frankly, I never bought in to the idea of people wanting to be awake forever. Even for an insomniac like me, sleep is a respite and reward I would not want to give up.

Interesting premise, great storyline, characters that make you want to follow. I will definitely be reading more by this author. I read this in one sitting.

In this fantastic debut we follow Jamie, who after a traumatic loss, finds his boss dead. The story grips you from the beginning and doesn’t let you go. We learn and investigate along with Jamie to find out the truth about the death and the sleepless secret. Such a wonderful book. Utterly unique, exquisitely crafted and quietly powerful. I loved it and want everyone to read this novel!