The Choice by Gillian McAllisterMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
What makes someone good, or a "proper person?" Are you allowed to love yourself if you've done something bad? Who would stick by you if they knew what you were capable of?
I was totally surprised by how much I loved this book. The reveal/conceal concept could've been corny, but it was great. Right up there with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Run Lola Run, Slumdog Millionaire, and other meditations on fate and decisions.
JoAnna beats herself up for "only being" a librarian after graduating from Oxford, and never really following through with anything or owning her decisions. This all comes to a head as she accidentally commits a crime and can't decide what to do about it. The chapters split to compare the outcomes depending on what decision she makes.
This book is so much more than a typical thriller! I was on the edge of my seat as JoAnna became more and more paranoid, and was enthralled by the narrative of her relationships with her husband, friend Laura, coworker Ed, and brother, and how they're affected by what she decides to do on either path. I was in tears at many parts, especially the conceal chapters.
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
