This book was not for me. I had high hopes since I’ve enjoyed her earlier work but it seemed sort of slapdash to me. The letter format was fine but everything seemed poorly edited and then the end sort of fizzles out after hundreds of pages of build up.

I would follow Scarlett Thomas into traffic; am such a fan of her fiction. I think I've been waiting for The Sleepwalkers since the Lily Pascale books, and now, it's arrived and it's so much more elegant and intricate. Shades of Katie Kitamura, but so much darker.

I waited a bit to write this review because I couldn’t decide if I liked this book or not. A few days later and I’m still not entirely sure- it’s a really unique read. The story centers on Evelyn and Richard who are spending their honeymoon on a remote Greek island. The story is entirely told from letters they write to each other and other people (as well as other writings from tertiary characters). I actually liked that writing style, even though it was sometimes jarring to leave a letter mid-thought and move to another voice.

The story was weaved together well and there were a couple good twists. I had forecasted a huge twist that didn’t happen at all. The thing that I struggled with was that the author didn’t help the reader connect the dots all that much- the story was somewhat disjointed and I had to figure out what was going on without much info at some points. I liked the end, though I did feel like I had to suspend my disbelief a bit.

Overall, I really enjoyed the unique writing style of this book but didn’t like having to work so hard to figure out how it fit together. I’m glad I read it but still have trouble deciding how much I actually liked it. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Scarlett Thomas' "The Sleepwalkers" is a compelling foray into the realms of suspense and modern gothic, infused with a wit and darkness that captivates from the first page. Set against the backdrop of a storm-threatened Greek island, the novel follows newlyweds Evelyn and Richard as they embark on a honeymoon that quickly spirals into a labyrinth of secrets, lies, and unsettling revelations.

Thomas masterfully constructs an atmosphere brimming with tension and unease. The Villa Rosa, with its sun-soaked doors and an eclectic mix of guests, becomes a character in its own right, setting the stage for the unnerving events that unfold. The narrative deftly alternates between the island's haunting present and the couple's troubled past, weaving a rich tapestry of intrigue and suspense.

The strength of "The Sleepwalkers" lies in its character development and the exploration of complex themes such as relationships, sexuality, and the facades we maintain. Evelyn and Richard, with their secretive pasts and strained dynamics, are portrayed with a depth that makes their journey both fascinating and relatable. The supporting cast, including the enigmatic hotel owner Isabella and the assorted guests, adds layers of mystery and intrigue to the plot.

Thomas’ writing is sharp and engaging, skillfully balancing suspense with moments of dark humor. The novel's exploration of the "sleepwalkers" — a reference to a tragic past event at the hotel — serves as a metaphor for the ways in which people move through life, often unaware or in denial of the truths that lie beneath the surface.

However, the novel's intricate plot and the multitude of characters might be overwhelming for some readers, especially those looking for a more straightforward narrative. The blending of genres, while innovative, can at times feel disjointed, leaving the reader to piece together the various threads.

Content warnings for themes of sexuality and dark secrets are appropriate, and the book will likely appeal most to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers, modern gothic tales, and character-driven mysteries.

In conclusion, Scarlett Thomas' "The Sleepwalkers" is a mesmerizing, thought-provoking novel that skillfully combines elements of suspense, mystery, and dark humor. It's a provocative exploration of the secrets we keep and the lengths we go to protect them, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary thrillers and gothic fiction.

Evelyn and Richard come to a Greek Isle for their honeymoon. They come near the end of the season and when a big storm is about to hit. They stay at Villa Rosa and the owner Isabella seems to lust for Richard while treating Evelyn poorly. This leads to Richard and Evelyn fighting. Isabella keeps talking about the sleepwalkers a couple married 40 years who stayed at resort that he was sleep walking and his wife walked into ocean and they both drowned but the bodies weren't found. I found this very creepy and bizarre?

Evelyn is writing a letter to her husband. Later she returns to resort and it is unclear what happened to her husband. I found this whole book hard to follow and just a bit bizarre as so many things were up in the air or unclear.

At the outset, I was skeptical about whether I would enjoy this particular book, primarily due to the unique styling format. Despite my initial reservations, I found myself immediately and irresistibly drawn into the narrative. The story begins with exploring marital disagreements and conflicts, a theme that never fails to pique my interest due to its inherent complexity and relatability.

The narrative's raw honesty, presented through a first-person perspective, was genuinely appealing. It allowed for an intimate connection with the protagonist, making their experiences feel incredibly personal and real. This unfiltered honesty, combined with the unique perspective, created a compelling and emotionally resonant narrative.

As the storyline progressed, it took unexpected and darker turns. These twists and turns were far more intense than I had initially anticipated, adding a layer of suspense and intrigue that kept me on the edge of my seat. The narrative didn't shy away from exploring the darker aspects of the human experience, which added a level of depth and complexity that I found deeply engaging.

Despite the unexpected intensity and the darker themes, I found this distinct narrative enthralling. The combination of raw honesty, personal perspective, and unexpected twists created a captivating and thought-provoking narrative. It was a narrative that challenged my expectations and kept me engaged from beginning to end. Despite my initial doubts, I thoroughly enjoyed this unique and compelling narrative.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This was a hard book for me to read, I struggled with the style, it felt too detached for me to get really involved. While parts of it were interesting and held promise, other parts were confusing and disjointed. I pushed through to get to the end but can't say i enjoyed it unfortunately. It has promise and I would try another by the author down the road

Started out Interesting as you follow this husband/wife story on their honeymoon. Isabella is the owner at their vacation spot and seems to have a “thing” for the husband . The term “Sleepwalkers “ refers to a couple who previously stayed and one was sleepwalking while the other followed and subsequently drowned in the process. I will say the story began to get confusing more than half way but I stayed with it until the end . I felt like the story jumped around and was hard to follow after a while but did pick back up with suspense towards the end

4.25 stars

This book is suspenseful, dark, satirical, & eerie. Aka the perfect palette cleanser between humongous fantasy books! It’s the story of Evelyn & Richard’s honeymoon on a Greek island--where things don't go as planned--& is told in one of my favorite ways: via letters & multimedia inclusions (notes, recording transcripts, guest book inscriptions, etc).

The first half of the book is mostly from Evelyn’s perspective, via a letter she’s writing throughout the events to Richard, unsure if she’ll ever send it. She’s a writer, though, & prone to melodrama. Can’t imagine what that’s like. Evelyn hints at tension in their relationship due to something that was revealed at their wedding, but doesn’t specify what it was. This isn't helped by the villa’s manager, Isabella, being *welcoming* to Richard & passive-aggressive to Evelyn. Richard gaslights the crap out of Evelyn about it, of course.

All of this minor drama is compounded as Evelyn starts to learn more about “the sleepwalkers”, a couple who visited the island the year before but tragically drowned during a storm. The story is romantic & suspicious, & apparently took place at this villa, in the very room they’re staying in. But the more Evelyn hears about it, the less things add up, & the tension is ratcheted up as the island starts to shut down due to a dangerous storm approaching.

We switch to Richard writing to Evelyn for most of the last half of the book, & while neither of them are “likable” characters I was 100% Team Evelyn. Richard’s reveal of the cause of their rift shocked me, & while I questioned some of the details, it was a bizarre enough book that I rolled with it anyway.

The dark humor in this was amazing, I loved Evelyn’s tangents about her writing, as well as her perceptions & glamorizations of random people & situations to a degree that flabbergasted Richard. The beautiful setting made a great contrast for the events & made it even more unsettling. If you’re in the mood for something weird I definitely recommend, but beware triggers. Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, & the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Seeing this described as “Patricia Highsmith meets White Lotus” is what sold me on wanting to read it!! I really enjoyed it, dark comedy at its finest.

Newlyweds Evelyn and Richard arrive at Villa Rose, a small greek island inn, with a storm coming. Evelyn is wary of the owner, Isabella, and it causes strife in their new marriage.

I wasn’t sure I was going to like this based on the format style that I read about in reviews, but I was hooked immediately. It starts with marital discord and arguments, which is always my thing. I loved the style since we got raw honestly in first narration. There were some serious twists and it got much darker than I expected but I loved this unique read.

“People grasp any chance to minimize their failure, their despair. Offer them something good, on the other hand, and they bite your arm off.”

The Sleepwalkers comes out 4/9.

“The Sleepwalkers” is a very strange book, in part because portions of the story are told through incomplete documents (letters, transcript with errors). The story is much more complex than it seems at first, touching on a number of contemporary issues — sexual assault, human trafficking, refugees, prejudice against foreigners and the LGBT community, relationships, secrets, lies. The story hints at a major secret that is revealed at the wedding of Richard and Evelyn, two of the main characters. The secret itself, when finally revealed to the reader, is quite shocking. However, considering the way the friendship between Richard, Paul, and Evelyn is described, it is not believable that they don’t realize their shared past.

This book was really difficult to get into. A married couple shrouded in secrets shows up for their honeymoon at a remote resort. The people who recently checked out, a famous couple, has passed away and the resort owners are mourning their death. The resort owner makes the wife feel unwanted and a nuisance, and the opposite for the husband. Then there’s the “sleepwalkers” that not everyone wants to talk about but of course we all want to know about. Honestly predictable and hard to get through. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I am totally blown away by this crazy story!
Meet Evelyn and Richard as they vacation on their honeymoon on a small Greek island.Evelyn begins the story and seems somewhat hard to please..I do understand that the hotel is not up to the standard she hoped for but is the hoteliere Isabella truly unhelpful, or are Evelyn's standards too high?

As the story continues we hear from several others including Richard himself. We learn that there was an incident where two honeymooners died via sleepwalking. Isabella is quite excited to host an American couple who has come to make a film on the subject.

A large scale storm threatens the island and the two are separated. In the melee to leave, we learn far more about Evelyn and Richard then you would have ever guessed. Through different sources including photograph lists, journals, letters and recorded conversations you will learn about the inhabitants of the island and never quite forget them! This atmospheric story is truly one of a kind and you must pick it up! #TheSleepwalkers #scarlettthomas .#simonschuster

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Evelyn and her husband are excited about going away. I liked this book

I was not quite sure what to think of this book. In someways it was phenomenal and in other ways, it was downright bizarre. It was definitely entertaining although hard to follow. There were several threads that were very haphazardly pulled in from time to time. There were also lots of typos that generally don’t bother me, but this time was very distracting and confusing. I feel like this author has such potential, but this was altogether a bit messy. Good story overall, but definitely needs to be polished and better edited.

Evelyn and Richard arrive at the Villa Rosa, a luxurious retreat on a Greek island, marking the second leg of their honeymoon. Here, they encounter Isabella, a figure Evelyn fears from the very beginning. True to the stereotype, this Isabella is strikingly beautiful. The narrative unfolds through a mix of letters, notes, audio transcripts, and pages from the characters notebooks, as well as some entries from the hotel guestbook amongst other collections of media. Together, these elements spin a tale of a mystery that constantly eludes a clear understanding on an island inhabited by attractive individuals and dubious characters with questionable motives.

While the mystery elements are weak, not all of them falter. Delving further into specifics would risk revealing too much. Overall, I found the journey ok and would maybe recommend it to others.

The Sleepwalkers by Scarlett Thompson starts with Evie writing a letter to her husband Richard that she was leaving him. What a different approach! The chapter abruptly ends in mid sentence. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be like that or if there were technical issues. The next section is Richard writing a letter to Evie. These letters tell the story of being on a Greek island during a terrible storm. This chapter ends abruptly. The next section talks about the sleepwalkers but then switches to a transcript. The letter/chapter continues. Maybe I’m really missing something but this story needs to be reworked. It doesn’t answer the main questions who are the sleepwalkers and what really happened to Richard and Evie. The characters were not likable and very superficial. Thank you NetGallery and Simon and Schuster for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and the author for an eARC.

3.75/5 ✧

The Sleepwalkers is described as 'Patricia Highsmith meets White Lotus' and I would endorse that description. The strongest parts were definitely those that really leaned into the same eerie atmosphere of White Lotus. Atmospherically, I might describe it more as 'White Lotus meets Rebecca.'

I really appreciated the story being told in mixed media (letters, audio transcript, etc) and how the "found-footage" format gave it a very cinematic reading experience.

None of these characters were good people but Evelyn & Richard were complex and compelling nonetheless. Some of the reveals were truly jaw-dropping here.

The last chapter/letter was the weakest part of the book. By this time, we've gotten a lot of the big reveals done and are just tying up loose-ends. Unfortunately, it does read as if we're just tying up loose-ends and we lose a lot of the suspense that carried us to this point. If the last bit was tightened up, I think this would've been a really fantastic thriller. However, I'm sure there are people who will really appreciate the sense of closure that they get from the lengthy conclusion.

A missing woman. A pattern of sleepwalking. A search party combs the woods, her husband flies home and her daugher, Lianna, is looking for clues everywhere. Did she fall into the Gale? Is she dead?

The detective, Gavin, keeps looking. After everyone else believes she is dead, he is still coming around.

Strange. Unsettling. Unusual. And very, very confusing for me.

Netgalley/ Simon and Schuster April 09, 2024