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A review by sphynxreads
The Sleepless by Victor Manibo
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What's that? A reader who generally does not enjoy sci-fi actually loves a sci-fi book? I thoroughly enjoyed The Sleepless from start to finish. Set in the not-too-distant future, this murder mystery that borders on being a thriller asks the question, what if there is a pandemic that makes about a quarter of the population unable and unneeding of sleep? What would the repercussions be in terms of public health, how big corporations would respond, how work-life balance would shift, and how the media would portray such a phenomenon?
Despite not being able to mentally keep track of all the characters, the fact that this story held my interest from start to finish says a lot about this book. The main character is a compelling narrator, not necessarily because he is an endearing character but because his thought process and the way he views his many different relationships were so interesting to follow. I also found the dialogue to be realistic and the themes that this story touches on to be thought-provoking. The pacing of the book was also nearly perfectly executed with each chapter unraveling the mystery just a little bit more without feeling like the reader is being forced to turn the pages the way most thrillers do. I honestly would love to see this book adapted as a film since reading this felt almost like watching a Jason Bourne movie, though less edge-of-your-seat.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future works from Victor Manibo. He's definitely an author to watch, especially in the speculative thriller scene.
What's that? A reader who generally does not enjoy sci-fi actually loves a sci-fi book? I thoroughly enjoyed The Sleepless from start to finish. Set in the not-too-distant future, this murder mystery that borders on being a thriller asks the question, what if there is a pandemic that makes about a quarter of the population unable and unneeding of sleep? What would the repercussions be in terms of public health, how big corporations would respond, how work-life balance would shift, and how the media would portray such a phenomenon?
Despite not being able to mentally keep track of all the characters, the fact that this story held my interest from start to finish says a lot about this book. The main character is a compelling narrator, not necessarily because he is an endearing character but because his thought process and the way he views his many different relationships were so interesting to follow. I also found the dialogue to be realistic and the themes that this story touches on to be thought-provoking. The pacing of the book was also nearly perfectly executed with each chapter unraveling the mystery just a little bit more without feeling like the reader is being forced to turn the pages the way most thrillers do. I honestly would love to see this book adapted as a film since reading this felt almost like watching a Jason Bourne movie, though less edge-of-your-seat.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future works from Victor Manibo. He's definitely an author to watch, especially in the speculative thriller scene.