The New York Times Book Review - N. K. Jemisin
…Claire North…has established a reputation for tense, dense, science fiction/fantasy-inflected thrillers that defy facile expectations…[The Sudden Appearance of Hope] is simultaneously a tense conspiracy caper, a haunting meditation on loneliness and a brutally cynical examination of modern media. With so many layers to juggle, it would be easy for North to fumble her way into a multifaceted mess. Instead, all the layers float, separate yet supporting one another, in a well-paced, brilliant and balanced whole.
From the Publisher
"Beautifully written, with a protagonist who is both tragic and heroic, the novel is remarkably powerful and deeply memorable, the latest in a string of terrific books from this newly emerged star in the genre-blending universe."
—Booklist (starred review)
"The experience of sitting with it, sinking into it, aching along with Hope as her loneliness shapes and breaks her, was wonderful, painful and moving."
—NPR
"North has established a reputation for tense, dense, science fiction/fantasy-inflected thrillers that defy facile explanations... Simultaneously a tense conspiracy caper, a haunting meditation on loneliness and a brutally cynical examination of modern media... Well-paced, brilliant and balanced."—New York Times
"[T]his is an inquiry into modern human existence. Philosophical questions are threaded through the electrifying plot. Even the protagonist's darkness alias is "why." Reminiscent of William Gibson's best work, North leads us into a brilliant world of elite but mindless humans, and shines a sharp light on what a rare gift it is to be able to think for oneself and what the consequences of it are."—RT Book Reviews
"Startlingly original"—Independent (UK)
"North isn't here to lecture you or rehash tired debates. Instead, she's produced something that feels at the same time absent and necessary: Smart, compelling fiction about this future that asks us to outsource ever-larger chunks of our selves to the cloud."
—Tech Insider
"This is a book which is incredibly compelling, and incredibly heartbreaking at times. I could not put it down."
—The Forest of Books
Library Journal
12/01/2015
Since age 16, Hope Arden has been fading into anonymity, with her friends failing to recognize her and her mother setting the table for three, not four. Those are the perfect conditions for committing a crime; with a 50,000-copy first printing.
SEPTEMBER 2016 - AudioFile
Hope is one of those chameleon women who are absolutely forgettable—which makes her dangerous. But Gillian Burke’s performance is unforgettable. It’s smooth, polished, and oh so graceful. Her voice shifts with the action and adjusts to Hope’s emotions, which range from stoic to frustrated, amazed to angry. Hope, a jewel thief, is drawn into the world of Perfection, a computer program that manipulates every part of the subscriber’s life from diet to exercise, from appearance to abode. Perfection is insidious and addictive, stealing personality as it drives the user to the pinnacle of society. Burke’s fluid narration draws the listener into the chilling world of Perfection and Hope’s drive to destroy its ever-growing power. Burke’s performance is as addictive as the story itself. M.B.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
