I’m very excited to be apart of yet another book tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources, this time for The Night Has Seen Your Mind by Simon Kearns.
*I did receive a copy of this book for the blog tour, however this in no way affected or influenced my ratings or review.
Title: The Night Has Seen Your Mind
Author: Simon Kearns
Genres: Science Fiction, Psychological Thriller
Pages: 336
Where to Buy: Elsewhen Press Amazon UK Amazon US
~ Teaser ~
- Slow burn creep factor
- Guessing until the very end
- Multiple POV
Tech billionaire, Mattias Goff, has invited five creative professionals – programmer, pianist, writer, actor, and photographer – for a monthlong residency at Crystal Falls, his Arctic retreat.
Researching brain waves, and especially the enigmatic gamma wave, Goff asks his guests to wear a kind of EEG cap in order to record the electrical activity in their brains while they engage with their respective disciplines. Although they will be paid $5million each for the experience, they all start their sojourn a little wary – some more than others.
Cut off from the outside world in the stunningly beautiful, if stark, Alaskan winter landscape they immerse themselves in their work. Soon, though, reality seems to be shifting. What is Goff really researching? Are his guests only being observed, or manipulated?
My first impressions and speculation on how this would all play out were somehow both met and wonderfully thrown out the window. I struggle to list all the things I like without giving away spoilers. Loneliness, trauma, and what it means to be human are all wrapped up in this gory psychological thriller. There were a few times that I had to reread because I got a bit confused but overall this was a gripping read.
Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The book is set almost completely in Mattias Goff’s artic home in the winter. The first bit of the book has our MC’s traveling to this location. There wasn’t much set up in the outside world and but the isolated Crystal Falls is well described and at some point the location plays a role in the plot.
World Building/Setting ⭐⭐⭐
The book cycles between the POV of Goff’s 5 guests. They are Chris, Jenny, Sarah, Patrick, and Cassian. First impressions I thought that Chris would be my favorite and that Cassian would be my least. As the book progressed I turned out to be half right. Sarah ended up being my fav and I hated Cassian. Each POV felt unique to the character, they were all distinct with their own views and ways of thinking that really come out well executed.
Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing was well done over all, at the end I had trouble navigating the technical jargon. Be prepared to look up a few of the words as you read, but hey learning something new is rarely a bad thing. The unsettling feeling creeped up a a slow pace which I love. Thigs get pretty crazy but it ramps up so gradually that is was easy to suspend disbelief.
Writing Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personal Enjoyment ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall Rating 4/5
My Star Rating System
1 ⭐Absolutely awful
2 ⭐Not great, could be worse
3 ⭐Neutral, not bad but not great either
4 ⭐Good but some issues that keep it from a full score
5 ⭐Amazing, perfect, or some of the best I’ve encountered
About the Author:
Simon Kearns was born in London in 1972 and grew up in Northern Ireland. In his teens he returned to London to study philosophy. At the end of 2004 he moved to the south of France where he lives with his partner and two children. His debut, Virtual Assassin, (Revenge Ink, 2010), explores personal responsibility in a corrupt society. It was followed by Dark Waves, (Blood Bound Books, 2014), about a powerful haunting and the scientist determined to debunk it. His stories have appeared in publications such as The Future Fire, Litro, The Honest Ulsterman, and on numerous websites. He revels in etymology, guitar, gaming, and the science of superstition.
Social Media
Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour to see what others had to say.
Life of a Nocturnal Bookworm 