Critical Praise

"A superb first novel... Everything is other than it appears to be in Galchen’s assured debut --- an intricate puzzle powered by an urgently beating heart."

—Kirkus Reviews

"This dense, brilliant novel should be much in demand, especially for book groups eager for the challenge of dissecting and reconstructing the clues in a search for the solution."

—Library Journal (starred review)

"[A] funny, sad, and ingenious first novel... Witty, tender, and conceptually dazzling, Galchen’s metaphysical tale of longing, grief, love, and the volatility of the self gracefully charts the tempestuous weather of the human psyche."

—Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review)

"Enthralling... Don’t be surprised if this gives you a Crying of Lot 49 nostalgia hit."

—Publishers Weekly (starred review)