The story was interesting and the writing was good but I struggled to keep reading to the end, just not a book for me sadly. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it.

Yrsa Daley-Wards inaugural fiction has taken me on a wild ride! This text is lyrical, poetic, emotional and confusing- in the best ways. Part literary fiction, magical realism, fantasy, sci-fi and in some ways a horror novel. How a horror? It’s scary to consider that women (Black women in particular) are failed by almost everyone (including ourselves) and most systems. The decisions that have to be made to secure what Clifton calls “a kind of life” come at her own expense.

Serene and the twins story reminds me of Beloved (Morrison) in that the decisions of a mother end up haunting her and her children who are the only ones who can ultimately decide if the actions were justified or not. 

I enjoyed this journey —even the moments where I was confused or angry because Serene, Clara and, Dempsey are so beautifully human and reminded me of my own fragile humanity. 

 Thanks @netgalley for this e-arc. Pub date 06/25.

Reading The Catch felt like waking up from a dream—beautiful, confusing, and emotional all at once. This story follows twin sisters, Clara and Dempsey, who have lived very different lives. When Clara says she found their birth mother—who they believed was dead—Dempsey doesn’t believe her. But the woman, Serene, looks and acts just like their mom.

The book is told from many points of view, which makes you question what’s real and who you can trust. The writing is poetic and powerful, like Yrsa’s past work. Some parts may feel confusing to readers who struggle with abstractions, but at its core, this is a story about two sisters trying to understand their past and grow into who they are - despite their mother wound getting in the way.

If you like dreamy, emotional stories about family, identity, and searching for love, The Catch is worth the read.

very psychedelic and incredibly confusing (even more than most other novels like this, because there's no sense of stability anywhere). but really poetically writen, awesome chars, and great story. 4 stars. tysm for thea rc.

It’s always risky picking up such an esoteric book – I am 100% certain that some people will have this on their “best of the year” lists, but for me personally it didn’t quite connect.

This is an autofiction book about estranged twin sisters, Dempsey and Clara, one of whom believes she has seen her mother (who was presumed dead) in some sort of time warp where she is still young (or, in Depmsey’s opinion, a con woman). Clara also happens to be a celebrity author who writes an autofiction book about twin sisters, one of whom meets her mother in some sort of time warp where she is still young.

What this book has that worked well for me: Weird! I love books with a weird, dreamlike quality, where you aren’t quite sure what’s going on but trust the author to take you on a journey. I also am a fan of an unreliable narrator, and that was definitely well done here.

Things that aren’t my jam, but would appeal to the right readers: Unhinged women. I know this has become more and more popular in recent years, but books about sad and/or unhinged women just don’t really appeal to me. From there, the writing also didn’t quite pull me in; I’m not 100% sure how to articulate why, but I think it had to do with the way I struggled to connect with the characters. It was very high-concept, which can sometimes work for me but I think kept me at an arm’s length in this case.

Here lies the ultimate display of the unreliable narrator(s).

The Catch is a surreal and poetic examination of the blessings and, at times, curses we receive from our parents. We begin the book with Clara, a writer experiencing success with her new novel. The book's attention gives her free reign to access her darker impulses, relatively unchecked. Clara's novel tells a story remarkably similar to her own life, two twins whose mother died when the girls were quite young. In real life, Clara has a sister who is three minutes younger but worlds different from herself named Dempsey. Their mother abandoned them as babies and presumably drowned in the river Thames. No one really knows, because only her clothes were found. 

Dempsey and Clara are separated when they go through the foster care system. As a result, they lead incredibly different lives — while Dempsey is obsessed with her own journey of self acceptance, seeking healers with varied levels of qualification. The two sisters' relationship is contentious at best. 

All of this changes when Clara is sure that she has seen her mother, somehow also 30 (the same age as Clara and Dempsey), pocket a watch in a department store. Faced with a psychedelic possibility that their mother is alive, their age, and also really cool, Clara starts to spiral. She and Dempsey have to grapple with their own reality, trying to parse out the fraud amongst the three of them. 

It's a circular, meta-narrative. We're reading from Clara and Dempsey's perspectives, with chapters of Clara's novel, Evidence, sparsed throughout. By the time I finished this one, I was reminded of David Lynch's Lost Highway, a film that ends just about where it began. The Catch will have you constantly wondering if you have finally figured it out, or if there's still some catch waiting on the next page.

After finishing this book I’m not sure how to feel about it. Honestly, while it was confusing at times, it still managed to keep my attention once I got into the story. It was a slow start but picked up and kept my interest. At times it was hard to decipher what was real and what was imaginary. It didn’t help that the narrators were not really reliable. They both seemed to have some things going on with them that would cloud their judgment and skew their POV so it was hard to really trust the narrative I was being fed at times. With that being said, I’m thinking that might just be an artistic voice meant to enhance the story and if that’s the case, it was done very well. Even though there were times where it was hard to follow, this book was still very interesting! I have no idea what was actually happening but somehow it still made sense!

The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward was totally different from what I expected—but in a good way (I think!) This poetic novel follows twin sisters Clara and Dempsey, both struggling with addiction and trauma, whose lives are thrown into confusion when their mother, who died 30 years ago, seems to come back from the dead.

The story was unsettling because it constantly blurred the line between reality and imagination. Surprisingly, this uncertainty worked for me and kept me engaged throughout. Recommended for readers who enjoy literary fiction that's both psychologically intriguing and a bit fantastical.

I was immediately pulled into this book—eyes glued to the page! Daley-Ward is a phenomenal writer and gets at complex subjects in such a digestible way. This is one of those books I’m gonna be thinking about for years to come. As someone who has grown through unconventional family dynamics, this book just pulls at a certain heartstring. If you love literary fiction, books about sisters, mental-health, generational cycles, the complexities of motherhood, self-actualization, identity, and a little bit of mind-bending—THIS IS FOR YOU!

3.75
This book is about Dempsey and Clara (unlikely twins) who got taken into foster care as kids after their mother disappeared.
Or did they?
Or did she?

I will admit that for a lot of this novel I had no idea what was going on, but also I was okay with that.
Because it is magical, and deep and a mind trip but maybe that doesn't matter.
Maybe it's just a well written book that will make you think a lot about what you know, how we perceive ourselves and alternative lives.

I struggled with the narrative lacking depth and empathy - so while Daley-Ward appears to plumb depths of thought, magical realism and possibility, the actual story was very superficial. Nor did I really care for any of the characters, who read more like caricatures, and this meant there didn't seem to be any 'pay off'. Daley-Ward's idea and ambition is compelling though and I think for many this will be an enjoyable read.

Another concern I do have is how some reviewers have latched on to the single mention of Borderline Personality Disorder in the book, and calling the characterisation representation as a result... Considering the narrative plays heavily with delusion and the romanticisation of abandonment and drug use, this seems somewhat harmful... And I do hope that wasn't the intention behind the mention of BPD. Although the story really didn't need the stray mention, so for me it does do people who live with BPD a disservice in that regard.

"The Catch" by Yrsa Daley-Ward has a beautiful, poetic writing style that really makes certain moments shine. I appreciated the themes of love and self-discovery, but I struggled to fully connect with the characters and their journeys. While there were some powerful, introspective moments, the pacing felt uneven, and parts of the story didn’t quite land for me. That said, if you enjoy lyrical storytelling, it’s still worth a read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Liveright for the opportunity to read and review this book in advance of its publication.
I was pretty thrilled with the writing and characterizations (real growth, delicately and thoughtfully portrayed…) On the other hand, the overall vibe felt a little mistifying. Like other reviewers have said (ha-ha), l too felt the need to read reviews before composing my own (thanks be to ye who come before me). Reading this book feels very close; like I’m so close to the character that it’s impossible to get any perspective outside of her. Kind of like leaving one’s own mind and experience and just fully assuming another’s. It feels precarious, like I there isn’t room to have thoughts that are my own. This is good writing, but I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as a pleasurable experience.
With all the buzz surrounding it, even 6 months out from publication, I expect The Catch will gain immediate popularity, which is lucky for me because I’m interested to hear what almost everyone thinks of this book. I’m still not sure if I liked it, but there’s no questioning its craft.

Borderline Personality Disorder representation!!!

Wow, this book was kinda crazy. I'll be honest, I didn't like the beginning. It felt way too cheesy and overdramatic, especially with that main character's book quote from a man with who she had slept. The introduction of the heroine through the "one-night stand" scene has been done too many times, and I rolled my eyes a few times.

However, I continued reading and very soon found myself really enjoying the book. With each new chapter, the plot got crazier and crazier, but slowly, with little details. I was amazed at how the author plays with the reality and delusions of the sisters. I was genuinely confused about what was real and what wasn't, but that kept me captivated until the end. The epilogue was an interesting choice - so many variations. It felt experimental, but I can't say I disliked it.

I also enjoyed the character studies. While not so many people may understand the plot, we can't deny that the characters' work was top-tier. The sisters were completely different in their traits and had unique perspectives. They were real, and I understood exactly why they had so much trauma and how it affected them both individually. They shared the same trauma - the abandonment of their mother - but it influenced them in different ways. I enjoyed how the sisters went from "we didn't even grow up together" to accepting each other. But the best was, that the author didn't tell us that, they showed.

Overall, I think this book has a pretty good chance of becoming a booktok's literary darling because it's a fresh and unusual exploration of growing up without a mother. However, I am afraid it will receive a lot of controversial reviews, and many readers might not understand and appreciate it. I personally had a great time with this book and I want to thank the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an arc.

When I finished this book I had to look up some reviews right away. Turns out I’m not the only one who unsure of what to think of this story.

Right from the start I wasn’t sure what to think of the writing style. The author writes lyrically and it turns out that’s because she’s a poet. Nothing wrong with that, in fact it makes the read interesting and unique.

My issue is that neither of the main characters was trustworthy so I was never sure what to believe and what to distrust. There’s a time travel element that I couldn’t quite decipher if it was truly happening or a product of mental illness.

I don’t want to over analyze the story for fear of running potential readers off. All I can say is that if you are interested you should give it a try.

A compelling magical realist story of two adult twins and the enigmatic woman they believe could be their resurrected dead mother. A strange and beautiful story which blends the boundaries of the surreal to make the impossible feel plausible. Rich, poetic prose and well-written characters.

I don’t know what I just read?? The writing was intoxicating but I had no idea what was happening at any point. I did enjoy Clara and Dempsey as main characters, but by the end I had no idea what was real and what was fake. There was a bit of fourth wall breaking, which only added to my confusion! But I still enjoyed this for the most part, despite my confusion.

With apologies to the author, I made it halfway through and just couldn’t summon the interest to continue..

If this is your year of choosing yourself and digging into your shadow self, this book is for you. The characters force themselves and each other to hold up the mirror and interrogate their desires. I’ve heard the girls talk about “timeline jumping,” but this takes it literally. The whole time I was reading, I waited for “The Catch.” I’m still thinking about it…

this story was good! It was interesting and made you wonder about the characters and lies (or possible truths) they were told. I think the writing style was good, it kept me engaged throughout the whole read!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!