I enjoyed the plot twists, but I prefer books where the story is written in a style where the characters are doing actions instead of explaining what they are doing.

** Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC of Anna O. All thoughts and opinions are my own **

Anna O is the story of Anna, a young lady with resignation syndrome. Anna is accused of killing her two best friends while sleepwalking and hasn't woken up since. Dr Prince is summoned to wake her up from his prestige sleep clinic in London. Dr Prince is successful in his mission and lots of dark secrets are revealed once Anna is awake.

I was so excited to read Anna O by Matthew Blake. This book was all the buzz so I dove into it with a lot of anticipation. I quickly found that the story was confusing, was repetitive and not much of a page turner. I was often not paying attention to what I was reading and really didn't care where it was going.

I liked the characters and the idea of what happened the night of the crime but this book was not for me. There were too many things that could have been explained in an easier manner without all the build up. The ending of Anna O had a good twist to it, but I was already disengaged by the final chapter so it was anticlimactic for me.

Fantastic read! Great mystery with an original plot focusing on a doctor who works with a patient who may or may not have committed murder in her sleep - and it's his task to try and wake her up. Lots of interesting little twists and an excellent ending! This should be a hit with fans of the Silent Patient.

Anna O by Matthew Blake is a complex, dark, and twisty thriller that will hold you in its spell even when you put the book down.
The point of view fluctuates between various characters and times in their lives as Blake slowly unfolds the multi-faceted events leading up to a double murder and the lapsing into a coma-like sleep by the main suspect.
The book is filled with detailed psychological studies that explain the phenomenon and the actions that certain characters undertake.
I was both surprised and somewhat disappointed by the ending. The book is well-written and will stick with you once you are done.
I received an ARC of #AnnaO from #NetGalley.

A very dark psychological thriller with a ‘whodunnit’ mystery. Thank you to NetGalley, Killer Crime Club and Harper Collins Canada for this ARC. This was a very dark and complex novel. A disturbing tale of human disfunction, sleep disorders, family dynamics and the clever and scary criminal mind. It starts off with a lot of twists and turns, maybe a little slow at times, but it holds on well after you are done.

A solid 4 stars. Told from the perspective of Anna’s missing diary and several of the key figures in the story, this book was hard to put down. Kept me questioning my theories throughout.

Anna O has been asleep for 4 years. After allegedly confessing to the murders of her friends and coworkers while sleepwalking, she fell asleep and remains that way.

Now, psychologist Dr. Ben Prince is trying a radical new treatment to try to wake her up so she can stand trial. But even as he struggles to achieve this, he is confronted with his own fear and insecurities, and the connection between his patient and another notorious multiple murderer.

Was Anna guilty? Did she fake the parasomnia? Did she really have resignation syndrome? What really happened that night? And, how is Anna connected to Patient X, the child of the notorious Sally Turner. These questions plague the reader throughout the story, and the twists and turns make it a great read.

Review
Anna O, by Matthew Blake
Sleepwalking can be deadly.

Dr. Benedict Prince, and expert in sleep receives an urgent call from Professor Virginia Bloom, Ben’s
Superior, who will have an important role in this story.
Ben is directed to take the case of Anna O, at The Abbey Sleep Clinic by the Legal Director at the Ministry
Of Justice. Who in turn will follow the case of Anna’s sleep by recording the events behind the scenes.
Dr. Prince, Ben, will begin his studies and methods to find a way to get Anna wake up, after her 4-year sleep.
This sleep started after Anna was accused of killing two of her friends while sleepwalking.
She thinks she might have killed someone.
Investigation begins with Dr. Prince’s ex-wife, police officer, Clara Fennel, who was first on the scene.
Different theories are investigated and explained. Sometimes I imagined being in a lecture hall listening
To these discussions.
Dr. Prince and Professor Boone will try to analyze reasons to sleepwalking and results of those thereafter.
Anna does not remember her actions of the killing in the Farm, a place where her family and two
Friends spending the weekend. She does not remember any of the other incidents that had happened,
When she was 9 years old, as well the attempt on her mother later in her teen years.
This makes one wonder; do we know what we do while sleeping.
Twists in Ben’s life, as well as Professor Boon’s will cause many disturbing doubts of his own abilities on
The theories that he has written and will be writing. Also fears of harms that might be done to his daughter and ex-wife.
The case of Anna O has many unsolved thoughts in Ben’s mind, and will be causing turmoil and doubts of his own abilities in his profession.
The story of Anna O is profound and will make the reader wonder about their own thoughts of one’s
Experiences while sleeping.
The ending will clear unanswered questions, and perhaps arouse interest into further study of the
Phenomenon of Sleepwalking.
This book is not a fast read, but is informative and extremely interesting,

Synopsis (From Netgalley, the provider of the book to review)
*******************************************************

THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME

What if your nightmares weren’t really nightmares at all?

We spend an average of thirty-three years of our lives asleep. But what really happens, and what are we capable of, when we are sleeping?

Anna Ogilvy was a budding twenty-five-year-old writer with a bright future. Then, one night, she stabbed two people to death with no apparent motive—and she hasn’t woken up since. Dubbed “Sleeping Beauty” by the tabloids, Anna suffers from a rare psychosomatic disorder known to neurologists as “resignation syndrome.”

Dr. Benedict Prince is a forensic psychologist and an expert in the field of sleep-related homicides. His methods represent the last possible hope of solving the infamous “Anna O” case by waking Anna up so she can stand trial. But the doctor must be careful treating such a high-profile suspect—he’s got career secrets and a complicated personal life of his own.

As Anna shows the first signs of stirring, Benedict knows he must determine what really happened and whether Anna should be held responsible for her crimes.

Only Anna knows the truth about that night, but only Benedict knows how to discover it. And they’re both in danger from what they will discover.

This is a freakily weird but amazing book --- you never know what to expect on the next page. What dp we do on our sleep and what if it was real??? Or a nightmare that you could not wake up from???
It was just freaking awesome … well crafted, easy to read and easy to stay up way past ones bedtime reading. I will highly recommend this far and wide, especially to lovers of thrillers and my book club ladies. A perfect read.


#shortbutsweetreviews