The Other Side of Night is the best kind of reading experience you can ask for. Dive into the book with very little information about the plot and be prepared to be completely blown away by the beauty of Adam Hamdy’s thought-provoking prose.
The narrative begins with a harrowing question; what would you sacrifice for love? This question is the underlying theme of the book. We are introduced to Harriet Kealty, a cop who comes across a plea for help scrawled in a library book, presumably by the person who had last borrowed the book. Her dogged investigation unveils a connection to her former lover with a mysterious agenda involving a young child that will have drastic repercussions for her and life as she knows it.
Rarely have I connected so strongly with a book on such an existential discourse. Adam Hamdy crafts magnificent and charismatic characters which beckon your complete emotional investment from the beginning. The emotions feel so raw that you begin to wonder whether this is a factual account cleverly disguised as a fictional thriller. By some unexplainable yet undeniable attraction, you are drawn to the book with a burning desire to know more about the characters and their underlying motivations. Adam Hamdy shrouds the big picture in a wonderful enigma, revealing clues here and there but holding off on the big gut punch until the opportune moment for mind-blowing reveals that will stun you for a good few minutes as you try to digest the shocking twists and turns.
There’s something beautifully poetic about the discussions of the different aspects of life we don’t always think too much about. Rather than a simple monologue, these insights and subtle commentaries flow through characters and impactful dialogues that rival the best in all genres. You’ll find yourself highlighting the passages for deeper contemplation as if it would be a grave sin to not absorb them completely.
It’s a fascinating crime thriller, with a healthy blend of procedural and grounded roots yet it is so much more in ways that would only spoil the full experience if I listed them. So, I will simply say this, The Other Side of Night is poised to be in the top contenders for Book of the Year.
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