Oof this book was not my cup of tea. Extremely disjointed, horrible characters, and a confusing plot - I just didn't mesh with it at all.

It has a great premise of an awkward honeymoon after a mysterious event happens at the wedding. Most of the novel is structured as the newlyweds writing letters to each other, which is certainly a unique plot device, but gets a little tiresome after a while. The book is filled with unreliable narrators, but not the fun kind, and the promise of secrets and twists, though they are all pretty depressing.

It's a bold swing, but completely missed for me.

The way this story was told through different media such as letters and notes made it very interesting, but I had a hard time staying focused on the story. The long chapters also deterred me from being heavily invested in the story.

"The Sleepwalkers" by Scarlett Thomas gives off serious "White Lotus" vibes until it takes a turn I did not see coming. I loved the atmosphere the author creates; it is foreboding and claustrophobic. I also thought the unusual construction of the story, told through letters and audio transcripts, was perfect and added to the mystery. The interesting plot kept me turning the pages and I wavered between believing Evelyn's version of the events and thinking she was imagining everything-things did not become clear to me until almost the very end! This is a very well-written, multilayered, thriller that kept me guessing. The tension builds and threatens to explode, much as the impending storm in the novel did. The characters are difficult to like, but they are well crafted and complex. I didn't know who to trust, so I did not trust anyone, making for a very suspenseful read.

This was the perfect book to read straight through on a chilly, rainy day and I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

I found this to be a very interesting read from the start. The first few pages make it clear that something very bad has happened. Written in letters between characters, the story doesn’t always move in a straight line. There are little snippets & recollections that seem like puzzle pieces. Pieces that need to be assembled so the reader can see the whole picture. Each introduction to a new character, who I assumed would prove important later, has a certain mysterious weirdness. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters as I read, but I was very curious about how things came to be. So many secrets, marital mismatches, & misunderstandings. Who to believe? What a wild ride!
The description of the island setting is richly detailed. Having visited a Greek island during the windy off-season, I could easily picture the locals closing shop & heading to the mainland as the tourists left. Thankfully, we were stranded by wind in a charming spot instead of an ominous place run by a creepy hotelier…
Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy via NetGalley.

I do love a gothic tale and this modern take had me gripped. For a couple in love it hardly gave off that lovey dovey honeymoon feel in idyllic Greece. The resentment and the familial trauma was thick. Do/did Evelyn and Richard even love each other and what secrets lie between them. I had so many questions and was waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole time. I was fully entertained!

If you love drama, soap operas, and eclectic stories, I recommend picking this up!

Usually I like to start these reviews with a persuasive first paragraph that summarizes the book. But to be honest, I really don’t know what I would even write if I tried to do that for The Sleepwalkers.

I was really looking forward to reading this book based off the premise, but I was sadly very disappointed. The first 42% of the book, which happens to be Evelyn’s first letter, felt like a never ending run-on sentence with no beginning, middle, or end. While the heart of the plot and present day storyline were promising, it was impossible to actually get into the story with Evelyn’s constant need to take the reader on random tangents down memory lane. One moment you’re reading about what’s going on in the present moment on Evelyn and Richard's honeymoon and the next you’re listening to Evelyn’s internal dialogue, reminiscing about birdwatching with her father-in-law. I found it nearly impossible to get into the story as a whole with Evelyn’s scattered brain telling almost the first half of the story. As soon as I thought something interesting was starting to happen, the momentum and excitement of the moment was killed by some seemingly inconsequential memory. I think this is honestly the whole point of the writing style, but if I am going to read a mystery/thriller, as this book is categorized, then I usually expect a plot that is much more cohesive and faster paced than this novel. At 25% into the book, I went back and reread the synopsis and was shocked to realize practically nothing had happened yet that related to what the summary of the book promised. So, I kept reading because I hoped eventually the plot would start to pick up. Unfortunately, Evelyn continued to write her letter in a way that had the story pin-balling all over the place. I just know the author was breaking the forth wall when Evelyn so appropriately wrote, “one should never write freestyle… you can end up lost in your own sentences, like pythons wrapping around you.” Later she she asked, “Am I boring you?” and the answer was yes Evelyn, you really are. And so I read, and I read, and I read, and I read, and yet I still felt like nothing was happening. One of the most frustrating aspects of the writing style was that when something important actually did happen or was revealed, I either almost missed it or didn’t care because I was so uninterested by the meandering flashbacks it was sandwiched between. When she said “I hope you’re following this, with all my jumps in time? Perhaps not,” I felt like she could read my mind regarding how I was feeling. I’m assuming that was the point and I have to give the author credit for at least being self aware. But still, I continued to hold out hope. Then Richard’s letter came along and it’s no wonder Evelyn and Richard had problems because together they are two of the worst communicators I’ve ever encountered. Granted, their problems go way, way, way beyond just poor communication. While the second half of the book had more plot, by that point I really didn’t care and just wanted to get to end. Now I fear Evelyn and Richard’s writing styles have rubbed off on me as I realize I’ve rambled on and on in this review. At least I had more fun writing this review than reading the book. My sincerest apologies to anyone who truly enjoyed this book and as I said before, it is possible that the entire point of the book went over my head. Clearly, I was not the target audience, but I still gave it 1.5 stars (rounded up to 2) because I did finish it and I weirdly enjoyed the experience of continuing to read, just waiting for something to actually happen, even though I saw no point in it at all. Lastly, if you do still decide to read this book, please check trigger warnings as there are certain themes that are discussed that could be upsetting.

"How do you convey a person's realization that they have been so wrong, and their whole life has pivoted as the result of a single mistake?"

"How you can open one story using a totally different one..."

First it was more than a single mistake, second the start of this story in no way prepared me for the WTF did I just read at the 70 percent mark. The genre defying can't stop thinking about psychological mystery thriller, The Sleepwalkers, by one of the most unique plotting writers, Scarlett Thomas, left me with brain freeze and in a bit of awe.

Evelyn and Richard are on a Greek island resort for their honeymoon. There's a sense of something being off. Just like the uneven cover, things are not lining up. Evelyn sees glimpses of "beautiful people" on boats, cliffs, the beach but then they're gone. The resort owner Isabella flirts with Richard, ignoring Evelyn, and Richard is more than fine with it. But Isabella is distracted by movie producers interested in the story of the sleepwalkers; a couple who died at the resort. It seems the husband sleepwalked into the sea and his wife tried to save him. They both drowned.

But here's the twist. None of it matters when explaining the reason for all the animosity immediately felt between Evelyn and Richard. From the start I kept asking why did these two get married? Were they ever in love? What happened between the wedding and the honeymoon? Nothing, and I mean nothing, prepared me for the truth about their relationship, the language used to explain it or the repercussions from it.

Using letters, transcribed secret recordings and creative photographs this writer tells a story in a way that leaves you a bit dumbfounded, impressed and gut punched with how it all ends...well sort of ends!

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Simon and Schuster via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

. This is the dark story of honeymooners Evelyn and Richard in the Greek isle. The story is somewhat hard to follow due to the writing style. I found myself lost, confused and disinterested. There are no chapters or breaks, as the story is told in letters. There is a lot going on that will come out in the end, but there will also be unanswered questions. The premise is good but the story didn’t work for me but others have loved it.

This one was very tense with a completely unexpected ending. The atmosphere was so thick, it felt like another character. I really enjoyed this.

The Sleepwalkers by Scarlett Thomas is a compelling suspenseful modern gothic story.
Right from the first chapter I was hooked and I needed to keep turning the pages.
I raced through this book and read it in a day in a half.
I loved the character development and I thought it was very well written.
Honestly this was a surprising read for me.
I was hooked and thought it was an enjoyable story.
I can't wait to read her next book.

Thank You NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is a very somber novel. None of the characters are likable not even Evelyn. It doesn't even make sense why she and Richard would be together based on their past history.

The format of the book makes it hard to get through as well. It is only one long chapter with occasional changes of point of view which makes it hard to tell what is happening when. Even after reading the whole book, not everything that happened in it is completely clear. All in all, it is confusing and hard to follow.

For starters, I am not sure if the digital version of this was out of sync or something but there were incomplete sections and sentences that just ended without a complete thought. This was extremely frustrating trying to read on my kindle. For the story itself, it was an engaging enough read at first. I was drawn into this mysterious Greek villa vibe and the feuding newlyweds encountering the strange owner and other characters. But the characters overall all felt unrealistic and kind of like caricatures. My major issue is really just how convoluted and nonsensical the mystery at the center of the story becomes. I am writing this review right after finishing and feel like I couldn’t really give a synopsis of how things wrapped up. It was confusing to the point of absurdity which left me feeling very negative towards this book. My other major issue is with a really horrific plot device of something that happened in the past to the female main character that felt just thrown in for a twist and didn’t feel like it was fleshed out enough to warrant such a triggering event thrown in for what seems like shock value only.

💤Book Review💤
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Mini Summary: Still reeling from the chaos of their wedding, Evelyn and Richard arrive on a tiny Greek island for their honeymoon. It’s the end of the season and a storm is imminent. Determined to make the best of it, they check into the sun-soaked doors of the Villa Rosa. Already feeling insecure after seeing the “beautiful people,” the seemingly endless number of young models and musicians lounging along the Mediterranean, Evelyn is wary of the hotel’s owner, Isabella, who seems to only have eyes for Richard.
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts: happy pub day to this fantastic book! Thank you @simonbooks for the advanced copy !! I posted a mini summary because the regular one gives the entire plot away, so be sure to go in blind to this one! It is such a fun and wacky story, super short even though the chapters are long! It’s told through letters to each spouse, transcripts, and other super unique formats. I’ve never quite read a book like this and this is one you will surely have some thoughts about!
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QOTD- does the length of a chapter bother you ? What’s the perfect size chapter for you in a book? Mine is no more than 20 pages lol!
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#thesleepwalkers #scarlettthomas #simonbooksbuddy #simonbooks #simonandschuster #bookreview #pubday #bookrecommendation #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofig #booksofinsta #bibliophile #bookobsessed #bookworm #booknerd #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #readmorebooks #readersofig

A story told in letters, The Sleepwalkers kept me up late trying to figure out what the heck was happening on the Greek Island of Kathos.

Evelyn and Richard are on their honeymoon, it's the end of the tourist season, they're kind of enjoying themselves at the cheap hotel before relocating to the fancy villa Richard's mother gifted them as a wedding present. Things are dark. They're fighting a lot. The fancy place, not so fancy. There's a mystery about the couple who walked into the sea one year prior.

So a page turner and a head scratcher.

Remember this is told in letters? Well, Evelyn's letter to Richard was over 1/3 of the whole book. Written in one sitting. That's over 100 pages! I kept waiting for the break. It never came until

Oh, if you like paragraphs that end like that, you'll like this, because that's how transitions occur in The Sleepwalkers.

The perspective shift when we get to Richard's letter changes the prose style slightly, Richard calls out Evelyn's ability to "extend a metaphor over months", but her skill with the simile is beyond compare:

"It had stopped raining, but the wind still flapped around like an invisible lost bird, fluffing things up, fluttering".

"My tongue felt massive in my mouth, and twisted , like one of the tulip stems".

"So everyone is fluffing each other all the time, like walruses at the circus".

I will stop now, but Evelyn used about eighteen of these on every page (of her 100+ page letter).

The book is described as funny. "My hand hurts from all this writing" made me laugh out loud but I don't think that's the type of funny being advertised.

At one point when they're arguing (in her letter Evelyn recalls every conversation verbatim) I noted "they're so tiresome". They're supposed to be on their honeymoon!

I haven't even talked about the twists and turns and reveals. They are there. I guess the logistics, the interrupted storytelling, the overly flowery prose, the convoluted zigging and zagging, finding them as a couple so hard to fathom - it all got in the way of suspending disbelief and really getting into the mystery, and the ending fell flat.

I thought this would be a neutral review but can't see giving it more than two stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Thank you Simon Books for my #gifted copy of The Sleepwalkers! #SimonBooksBuddy

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

The Sleepwalkers is a very unique novel with some BIG twists. I always enjoy when novels are told using journal entries, transcripts, and letters, and I definitely think using this format added a lot to the plot.

The author really had me work for this one! I definitely appreciated it and I did not guess any of the twists. There were some characters that I did not care for, and I also did not enjoy the gaslighting aspect. Overall, there were so many secrets and this was an enjoyable book that will definitely keep you guessing and in shock as twists are uncovered!

Posted on Goodreads on April 7, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- April 8, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on April 9, 2024
**-will post on designated date

Evelyn and ROBERT were married against his family‘s wishes despite that his mother books them A honeymoon on an Italian island Evelyn has a bad feeling and it starts even before the hostess Isabell totally either ignores her or brings her something less than what she ordered and the whole time gives goo goo eyes to her husband ROBERT. She’s riding all this in a letter that will ramp up to eventually be a windfall I really didn’t see this book going where it went and for the most part I totally love that especially when Evelyn would mention something I would be like OMG that’s what that was I love books like that but I think the whole kerfuffle with the movie deal I DK I think it took it off the rails a bit but having said that I still finished it and would still recommend it because it is a good book you can tell the author has a massive amount of talent I would think it’s not easy writing a book that’s mostly letters and I do believe she did a pretty good job. I want to thank Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I want to start off by saying that I really love unlikeable characters when they have ANY sort of redeeming quality - I mean, just give me SOMETHING. However, every character in this book was a menace and I hated them all.
This story is told in fragmented letters, often cut short - which was definitely the authors choice and one that made me sigh on multiple occasions. (Not a sigh of relief, mind you, one of pure dissatisfaction.)
Evelyn and Richard are newlyweds on their honeymoon on a little Greek island. They are staying at a hotel and everyone is a little bit… off. Especially the proprietor, Isabella. What seems to be eccentricity quickly devolves into a weird convoluted story of murder (maybe), cheating, sleepwalkers. I really don’t know. I’m seriously still trying to understand and process what I read, but I simply cannot. And for the description of the book to call it, “funny” is a joke in and of itself. This book was dark, weird, and jumbled.
The author truly has a gift for storytelling. The setting of the island jumped off of the page and I felt like I was there bathing in the sun and weathering the storm alongside our cast of characters, but that couldn’t save the story. I wanted to DNF this so many times, but kept reading and reading and reading… and now, I am tired. Thank god I don’t sleepwalk.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did not enjoy this book. Personally the writing style and plot just did not work for me. I found the pacing too slow and I tend to enjoy more fast paced suspense/thrillers.

While I praise the writer for her ingenuity in writing this book, I also decry the writing style. This book did not have the flow that I like in a book, which in turn made me have to think a lot. I read for pleasure, which for me, translates to an easy ability to drop into the life of a story. This book did not allow me to do that. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. This review is my own. Two stars because I was impressed by the writer's creativity.

This was not for me. It was very confusing for a majority of the book. The main characters were unlikable. The reveal at the end was satisfying but seemed out of left field.