The Echo Wife

The Echo Wife is a dark sci-fi thriller full of twists that is a must-read for 2021! This book shocked me with its twists and out of all the directions I imagined it to go, I did not expect the one it took. The writing is great and Sarah Gailey spins and intriguing and original tale full of suspense. The book was exciting and fresh and written in a way that draws readers in and makes them not want to put down the book. I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between Evelyn Caldwell and Martine, her genetic identical clone, with whom her husband was having an affair. While the story does have a science fiction aspect, its much more of a thriller and will leave you guessing until the finish. This book is also about Evelyn finding herself after being cheated on(with a "better, more obedient" version of her self and it was interesting to see her growth throughout the story. People have been comparing it to Killing Eve and Big Little Lies, Westworld, etc., but I see a much more original story that is reminiscent of a dark thrill ride.

Evelyn Caldwell's award-winning research led to Martine, a genetically cloned replica who is everything Evelyn swore she'd never be - gentle, patient, and obedient. She's also having an affair with Evelyn's husband. Now, Evelyn's cheating husband is dead and both Evelyn and Martine are left to clean up the mess. It's a good thing that Evelyn is used to getting her hands dirty. The synopsis of this one sounded so interesting and I was so excited to read it! Once I started, I could not put it down. I honestly had no idea how the storyline was going to go and I loved it. I honestly thought it was going to end a certain way and I ended up being way off. It got a little boring in the middle but was still a great book! I'm not usually one to read science fiction novels so I was a little nervous when I started it but I was happily surprised to really enjoy it.

The Echo Wife is set in the near future when the science of human cloning has advanced, and the laws surrounding it have changed. Evelyn Caldwell is a brilliant, driven, award-winning scientist who has pioneered advancements in human cloning. She knows what she wants and is clear about it. Evelyn's ex-husband Nathan has used her techniques to make a more docile, agreeable version of her called Martine. The story starts with Nathan's murder. I won't describe the plot more so as to avoid spoilers. The science in this book is absolutely fascinating and the story is well-written, riveting and compelling. I was unable to put it down. The characters are morally grey at the very least and the story raises many ethical issues regarding human cloning. Evelyn's character is well-developed and she grows throughout the story as she learns to become more empathetic. The Echo wife is clever, dark, unsettling and calibrated for maximum squirm. I loved it.