The 13th copy of famous actress Lulabelle Rock has one mission: to kill the other 12 that came before her. Sounds simple right?

I loved the world building in this novel - the somewhat surreal, near-future setting of Bubble City read as almost cinematic and conjured up vivid imagery in my head as I followed the story. I also greatly enjoyed the author's writing style - this book was at times hilarious!

This book has a ton of potential but misses the mark with me. Mind me, I am not saying that this book is bad or that it is not worth your time (or mine), not at all, I am simply saying that, despite all the good elements that we have here, it wasn’t a right fit for me. I was hoping to greatly enjoy this book and instead, I just finished the reading feeling “meh”. And I think that the main problems were two (or maybe three…), so let’s begin with them, and then let’s dive in the good parts!

First thing first, I am a character-driven kind of reader, so for me to really enjoy reading is paramount to be able to really feel the characters, be 100% invested in them, and all that. And here I didn’t really care for Lulabelle (and I am talking about the 13th Portrait, but I don’t care for the original one either, just to be clear). It’s not that she (it?) is a bad character but I couldn’t connect with her, I was always kept at arm’s length, if this makes sense to you, and this hindered my reading experience.
I loved some of the secondary characters, but they are not enough to make some real difference here.
The second thing is the general atmosphere, the vibes of the book. It is almost like the whole book is… rarefied. It has this light dreamlike quality to it, just a hint of it, but for me, it was enough to give me pause. I am not a fan of oneiric or dreamlike settings and vibes, they simply do not work for me.
And last the sense of humor. There is a sense of humor in this book, but it went completely over my head. I know theoretically that it’s there but I didn’t feel it at all. And since I prefer my books with some humor in there… this didn’t work out so well. And mind me, I know that sense of humor is something that can be highly personal, so maybe this kind of humor will work amazingly well for you, but it simply did not work for me. At all.

And that was why this book wasn’t a good fit for me. But the book as a whole is interesting, with an original concept that is well developed along the story. The idea of rich people who can create Portraits (clones) to do things that they don’t want to do, or that they don’t have the time to do, is interesting. The author chose an actress to show us this whole side of her world, and it was fascinating to see why Lulabelle needed her Portraits, and also a little bit baffling to see this kind of amazing technology, this scientific achievement, used for such trifle things.
And it is even more baffling to see why Lulabelle wants her Portraits killed. It is quite shocking to see people interact with Portraits like they were humans, but at the same time disrespect their lives in such a way. Portraits have no right, for example, they have the only function of obeying their orders, and yet they are not mere robots, they are clones, and they are sentient. And this duality was, as I said, quite shocking, but it is a slow thing that would grow on you. Or at least, it was so for me. You obviously see it, the author tells you plainly but still, this realization took some time for me, and this was a thing that I appreciated. She is not in your face with it, and it is also, sadly, a realistic depiction of human nature.

Another good thing about this book is that the author creates some unique characters. It is true that I am not so fond of Lulabelle and her Portraits, any of them, but we have some secondary characters that are, in comparison, so much alive. They feel real and complex, and they are unique. I loved them. But they were not enough to supply my need for investment in the characters, sadly. But still, they are good!
I think my favorite was the tailor, but the hitchhiker can steal her place at any given moment.

So yeah, this book was, on the level of pure enjoyment, not the right fit for me. But it has a lot of good things going on, and it is quite original. So if the idea of the book sounds interesting to you, I suggest you’ll try it for yourself! I am sure that a lot of people out there would love this one!

Set in some kind of dystopian(?) future where the rich and famous can make clones of themselves called Portraits,

We follow our celebrity Lulabelle Rock portrait lucky number 13 while she has to kill/ dispose of all the other ones that came before her.


So this book didn’t make a lick of sense (to me anyway) there were lots of things that were added in that didn’t really make sense plot wise, like the hitchhiker he added zero to the plot at all, and then there was a mysterious phone call that alerted the authorities to the Portrait 13 that was just random and never explained.
Then the whole tarot card felt random and never fully explained or explored other than to call herself death.
The fact Portrait 13 fell in love with a previously made portrait maybe number 6 then had relations with herself, like they have the same memories until they are made. They look the same and are pretty much one person. That just felt weird to me.
Considering it’s a book about killing it’s so slow paced. Hardly anything thrilling happens until the last few pages then it’s a rush to get things wrapped up which comes across as clumsy writing and confusing to us as readers.

Overall a poor reading experience however it kept me interested enough to finish it and see how it wrapped up. Even if I was frowning the entire way

This book had a unique premise and I found myself drawn in pretty quickly. I read it in one sitting! The world-building was fantastic, and it had a Black Mirror/Twilight Zone feel to it. I would definitely read more from this author and recommend this book to others. Thanks for the opportunity to read!

Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock is a satirical sci-fi novella set in the futuristic Bubble City where the elite can acquire authenticated clones of themselves, called portraits. The reader follows movie star Lulabelle Rock’s thirteenth portrait, created to dispose of her twelve predecessors in a supposed publicity stunt to drum up media attention in time for the release of Lulabelle’s new movie.

Through the point of view of Lulabelle’s last portrait, we explore themes of identity and self-awareness. The portrait is situated in a liminal space of polarity, of existing and yet not existing, of having a recollection of memories and yet knowing they were not lived experiences — of being Lulabelle and not being Lulabelle. I thought this was a really interesting premise to explore and added depth to the story.

I particularly enjoyed the epigraphs and symbolism of the Major Arcana tarot cards in each chapter. There were thirteen chapters and thirteen life lessons for the thirteenth portrait to understand her place and role in the world. As a reader, I don’t get as much out of novellas as I do longer works of fiction so I would have preferred the story to have been a little longer and to have expanded on the lives of each clone etc but on the whole this was a fun, thought-provoking read.

The premise of this book was intriguing with celebrities creating "Portraits" (clones) to live the parts of their live they can't be bothered with/don't have time for until Lulubelle creates a 13th clone whose purpose is to kill all the others. This, alongside the comparisons to Black Mirror and Orphan Black meant I was really excited to read this one.

It was a quick read and I was drawn into the story. Initally, the world building was good and the characters were interesting but then I started to lose interest in what was happening. I found it a bit too repetitive with the introduction of the new clones, many of which we only got to know very surface level which meant that at a certain point, I got a bit bored of it.

Overall, it's certainly not a bad book, it just wasn't great either. The concept was better than the execution, I think.

3.5 STARS

CW: death, assault, blood, violence, suicide

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A movie star who has made copies of herself now tasks her thirteenth clone to kill the others? Sign me the f up. I was immediately drawn in by the blurb of the book, especially because Orphan Black was mentioned and I absolutely love that show. I can definitely see where the comparison comes from and I really enjoyed reading this story about Lullabelle Rock.

We follow Lullabelle's thirteenth Portrait, dubbed the Assassin, on her journey through Bubble City tracking down and decommissioning her predecessors. The reader is thrown right into the story without much preface and is left to figure out what is going on in the first few pages but I really loved the start.

Unfortunately the story becomes rather formulaic after Lullabelle 13's arrival in Bubble City for a while. It's basically just the same scene over and over again, look for the other Portrait, find her, maybe a quick conversation, do the deed and repeat. Naturally, there is some stuff in between that keeps building up suspense but for a while, I was slightly bored even... Nevertheless, I think the book is worth sticking through the repetitive parts and I absolutely loved the ongoing discussion of free will and decision making. There were some more (or less) obvious metaphors for that but even though they were pretty on the nose, I enjoyed them nonetheless.

I was a little disappointed with the ending but I can't really pinpoint why. I had expected a different end to the book but I don't know what I was expecting. Be that as it may, I definitely think it fits with the story even though I did see it coming in parts.

I think this is a great book to pick up in between tomes, it was fun, a quick read that only took me so long because I was extremely busy and who isn't intrigued by a story about clones? I'd definitely recommend it for some fun but also surprisingly deep scenes sprinkled in. I'd love to discuss this with someone because the Portrait situation was wild to read about. Now if you read this and enjoy it and for some reason haven't seen Orphan Black yet, I would recommend you check that out as well. And because others have compared the book to Black Mirror, too, that has now moved up in my list of shows to watch.

The story delves deep into themes of identity and actions, and their consequences really strike a chord with you. As the plot unfolds, you realise that even though she's been around death, she's never really grasped the essence of life. The entire story spans just a couple of days, which is exactly how long she's been alive, making it a significant eye-opener for her.

Every character we encounter is like a piece of the original with a unique twist, each with their own purpose in existence. They have lives filled with things the original doesn't have time for in the real world: hobbies, families, social media, and dinner parties. These are experiences Lulabelle has never had herself, but she lives them vicariously through her portraits.

I have to admit, I was hooked on this story until the ending, which hit me unexpectedly and left me feeling like it wasn't quite wrapped up. But hey, maybe that's just me not fully grasping it.

The whole narrative felt like a brilliantly crafted early Black Mirror episode (not like the newer ones that aren't so great). Every reveal of a tarot card and target kept me on my toes, and I never knew where the story was headed, adding a constant element of surprise.

This book started off strong, but confusing then picked up and was full of action only to pitter-patter it's way to a weirdly unsatisfying end.

I think the concept is interesting, but the idea wasn't executed well. I can see if working better as a play or a Black Mirror episode. The world building didn't make sense and there were a few too many plot holes. I almost set it aside for good and honestly, maybe j should have.

This reminded me a bit of Chuck Palahniuk critical satire meets delightful Sci-Fi. I really loved the idea of clones and how clear the world building is, yet the pace is nice and quick. It was detailed without bogging down and had some really great moments that were super complex. The pacing allows the story to keep you hooked the entire time, and it has a lot of depth, drive, and really makes you think. This wasn't my favorite flavor of sci-fi, which is the only reason I gave it 4 stars. I prefer a little more space and adventure and a little less Black Mirror the world is terrible and this is just another reason why.

That being said, it will be many people's cup of tea, especially with AI, idolizing celebs, and how close to home this story hits. Which is the point. I just prefer a bit more escapism.

The story unfolds in a city in some undefined future. Our protagonist becomes aware as the story starts, and realises she is a clone (number thirteen) brought to life in order to clean up the other clones of Lulabelle Rock, a major celebrity. As the story progresses, number thirteen discovers more about Lulabelle, the world of clones, the realities of celebrity life, and, lastly, herself and her own identify as a clone.

While the book uses some sci fi tropes, it is essentially a critique of contemporary celebrity life, and the productisation of the individual celebrity that happens as their success grows, and the demands on their time and personality grow. It's also a critique of the society that is willing to accept and adore said celebrity, ignoring (often willingly) the realities of the toll this adoration takes on the celebrity. This is perhaps the good part of the book, and it's quite interesting and poignant, especially in our day and age.

There was much more about the book I didn't like. First, the writing and character development felt shallow and not credible (putting aside the premise itself). Perhaps there is an opportunity lost here to explore further the psychology of the characters (and the main protagonist). Somehow, things happen, but it's not always clear why, and behaviours are often hard to understand without some further clarifications. The ending, in particular, is entirely weird in this context.

Second, there are some parts in the plot that are clear and glaring plot holes (I will spare the detail here to not spoil it). While I salute the author's recognition of these, and integrating them into the plot itself, saying that the protagonists didn't really think through their actions, and therefore something happened that didn't make sense. While bold - still lazy.

Third, while the book's critique is interesting, it's very time-bound. Not sure whether it will stand any test of time.

Finally, the entire experience of clones and their roles, in a spectrum between e.g., Never Let me Go (Ishiguro) on the one hand, and e.g., Orphan Black (TV Series), this book is far closer to the latter than the former, albeit will even less sophistication.

I don't think I can recommend it to anyone. This book could easily have not been written and nothing bad would have happened - no idea or experience or memory lost. It's fine as a quick read and a nice way to think about celebrity culture, but it could also have been done in a short novella or even a short story.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an early copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

If you had copies of yourself, what would you have them do? Besides kill the other copies...

My day for the tour! Thank you Angry Robot for letting me help push Maud Woolf's "Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock."

You wake up, the place is kinda familiar. You see a face, it's yours. They give you a job, kill the other 12 clones. That's how her existence starts. A perfectly legal disposal of clones of a semi washed up actor, which is fine since they are her. But what to do when things just don't feel right. I'm sure talking with the targets doesn't make it any easier. Let alone feeling something for them.

Reasons to read:
-Had no clue where this was going to go and loved the landing
-Was playing Cyberpunk and some of the future dystopia vibes were lining up for me
-Life changing technology, used for silly things
-A really interesting tailor
-Finding everyway possible to put off a task
-Support a writer out of Glasgow (the city with less tourists, therefore better)

Cons:
-Oh no people might use technology this way in reality...

A fun read of what it means to be a person, to be yourself, in a world that tries to define you into a little box.

As many reviewers point out, this is reminiscent of orphan black, black mirror, etc, and I can certainly understand the comparisons. Unfortunately, for the first half of the book it's very samey - meet a clone, a glimpse into what they do, kill the clone. Meet a stranger, a glimpse into what they do, leave. On repeat. I found it very hard to care about anyone or really know much about them, there's really only 2 people we get to know with any amount of depth. I don't know enough about tarot to know if its inclusion was clever or a gimmick, and I don't think the characters did either. This was alright, but the magic of orphan black was how fleshed out each character was that you forgot they were all played by Tatiana Maslany, even the ones for whom their screen time was brief (hell the fandom ate up the ones on just ID cards - and yes, a tv show has more time for you to grow to love them but from the first episode I was hooked and in love with Sarah manning forever more). I felt like it was lacking something - a reason to care maybe? I can't say that the plot wasn't predictable either but it was entertaining enough. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock" by Maud Woolf is a riveting and intelligent sci-fi thriller about a movie star, Lulabelle Rock, and the intriguing concept of clones tasked with eliminating each other. The storyline is a rollercoaster of suspense, with unexpected twists that kept me guessing until the very end.

The author skillfully combines the glamour of Bubble City with the dark undercurrent of an assassin's mission, creating a unique and captivating atmosphere. Fans of Orphan Black and Killing Eve will find themselves immersed in Woolf's masterfully crafted world.

What sets this book apart is not only its thrilling plot but also the exploration of complex themes such as identity, purpose, and the impact of love on even the most unconventional situations. The characters are well-developed, and Woolf navigates the blurred lines between morality and necessity with finesse.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I love anything to do with clones which is what drew me to this book. I can see this being made into a great black mirror episode. The writing was addictive, I couldn’t put it down. The use of tarot cards throughout the book was really interesting and fun. The ending was really fast and I would’ve liked it to be a bit more fleshed out but it did fit the pace of the rest of the book so I get it.

Thanks Angry Robot for this arc. I will definitely be looking into more books from this publisher and look forward to more books from Maud Woolf.

I was very excited about this book, and it held up to my expectations. The writing was immersive and smooth, and the characters intriguing. I would definitely recommend.

Wow I was not expecting to fall in love with this story but ahhh!!!
I NEED this to be a tv show; the episodic nature but the overall arc of the narrator was perfection. Also I never knew there was such a thing as cozy sci-fi, but here it is. I loved the conversations about purpose and choices and the tarot card chapter titles were so greatly woven into the story
I do have to say that the ending felt a tiny bit rushed and messy but that could just be because I was sad the story was ending. Can't wait to reread for literally forever aka until my original dies :P

My review will be in my weekly and monthly reading wrap ups on my YouTube Chanel, I will link when published.

"Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock" by Maud Woolf is an entertaining and thought-provoking science fiction novel that explores themes of identity, autonomy, and the human experience. The story, set in a near-future world, revolves around the protagonist, Lulabelle Rock, an actress who creates multiple clones of herself, referred to as Portraits, to manage her demanding celebrity lifestyle. The plot focus is how the book starts when she creates a thirteenth clone with the sole purpose of eliminating the other twelve.

Say what?
Too many questions are raised from the get go.
Why does Lulabelle want to kill her clones?
Regardless of the reason(s), valid or frivolous, why doesn't she kill the clones herself?
Why make a clone to kill her other clones?

Ok so I'm interested , if only to get my questions answered. To say anything more about the plot would be spoilerish so I'll talk around it.


The narrative style is engaging, with the story unfolding in a way that keeps you wanting to know more. The reader ends up on an exploration of themes related to clones, self-identity, and individuality. Each clone, or Portrait, in the story is distinct, possessing unique characteristics and personalities, which raises profound questions about what it means to be an individual and the nature of selfhood.

Humour is woven into the novel, providing a satirical take on celebrity culture and the absurdities of modern life. It also delves into the concept of autonomy, challenging us the reader to consider the extent of control one has over their life and decisions, especially in a world where cloning blurs the lines of individuality and existence.

Overall, "Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock" is a pleasant read that offers enough themes and ideas in this sci-fi story to keep you interested right up until the end . A solid debut from Maud Woolf.

My thanks to Angry Robot Books and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for a review

This book was addictive to read - I didn't want to put it down and I just wanted to keep on reading. It was satisfying to see the threads of the plot weave together and figure out why the Lulabelle we follow was sent out on her journey.

I love how the chapters themselves are linked to their namesake card. I enjoyed reading the chapters and working out how the chapters and characters were linked together by this.

Each Lullabelle had a distinct personality and I loved unravelling the mystery that we get as Lullabelle 13. I thought the characters had dynamic relationships and I can’t wait to see what else Maud Woolf writes.

This would make a great TV show and I'd love to see it one day adapted. I will be recommending this book to my friends who like sci fi and black mirror.