I found this to be a fairly unique book, in that it combined "on the spectrum" with time travel. I loved that she was able to learn from each "rewind" and made friends with those she wasn't before.

Cassandra Dankworth keeps having a bad day. The same bad day. Over and over. And no matter how many times she relives it, she can’t seem to do the right thing.

The Cassandra Complex follows the title character’s self discovery following her realising she can time travel within a narrow timeframe (not quite Groundhog Day, more Groundhog month). Through Cassandra, Smale explores the importance of connection to yourself and to others.

I thought this book was really charming, funny and at times, sad. Think: The Switch by Beth O’Leary; Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman; The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion.

Pick up this book up if: you’re looking for an immensely enjoyable insight into an autistic woman’s self discovery through a fictional, time-travelling lens! (Or if you just want a good book)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I have read by Holly Smale and I just loved it. For me, it certainly was an eyeopener, and yet I find it hard to catergorise. The protagonist is Cassandra Dankworth, an autistic young woman, trying desperately to forge her way in the world while struggling to understand the social mores expected of her. Her life is bound by routine and familarity and her great love of the Greek classics, jumpsuits, her boyfriend Will. She discovers she has the power of time travel and this helps her repair her past mistakes as she begins to understand herself more and how she is perceived by others.
This is a fabulous book and gives an insight into what life is like for those on the autism spectrum. It is witty, sad and funny in equal measures.

Loved Cassandra and as an autistic woman can really relate to her (although it did feel very “stereotypical” in parts),

First book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed their style of writing.

I love Holly Smale! Both my daughters read her books. As a librarian, I took a group to students on a bookshop visit trip, and I have followed her diagnosis of autism through her Twitter account. My oldest daughter has autism and ADHD, so to me, it seemed obvious that she also did.

'The Cassandra Complex' follows the life and self- discovery of Cassasandra but has several layers of story. The main thread is about how she learns to understand the impact of her actions through the ability of time travel within narrow parameters, and in learning how to read the situation better change the outcome and also become more aware of how to react. Despite it being fairly obvious from the start, she's unaware of her diagnosis from the past, and only discovered this in the end.

A lovely book, which I've already discussed with the SEN teacher at our school, who is likely to ask a few of the older girls to read when published.

A wonderful read that is funny and emotional. I really liked Cassandra and the time travel aspect. I really recommend. Thanks to the publishers Century Books and Netgalley for the e-arc.

I loved Loved LOVED this book. Absolutely adored Cassandra for her brazeness and frankness. She was a breath of fresh air to read because the way she sees the world is so different. Everything is either black and white to her and so anything that is not a simple "good or bad", makes her confused. The literal ways she interprets a sentence can add a lot of light-hearted misunderstandings. My favourite being when Sal questioned if Cass meant she was giving her the dress right now, and Cass started to take her dress off thinking RIGHT NOW.

The way Cass goes through time travel again and again to dodge an awkward situation is so relatable to me (well, minus the going back in time to undo it part). I feel like I wouldn't have thought to try win the Lotto first either. Also, the way you can see her grow and try open up is amazing. You can see it through her own responses but also in the way the side characters respond to her too. For example, I didn't like Sal or Sophie because they didn't treat Cass well but when you see later (by fitting together puzzle pieces on why they are acting that way) that they are actually lovely people. I felt like we were literally in Cass' shoes and realising that "It's me, hi! Im the problem its me". Yes, I just quoted Taylor Swift.

Moving onto the romance, I thought it was really well written. It is seemingly the whole reason for the time travel because Cass wants to fix it. But it actually doesn't take over the whole story. I love how Cass grows aware that it might be a form of manipulation to keep rectifying mistakes in order for Will to like her. But it also helps her practice with opening up to people and being vulnerable. She gets that she is different but she doesn't know why. But she figures out that her differences shouldn't limit her and that people can still like her for who she is.

She also tries to do her job better but I like that her view of the job doesn't change. She still hates it but learns to deal with her boss and also fix her workplace relationships. She's resilient but also learns where to be flexible. She just grows SO MUCH and I was supporting her the whole way through. I loved Sophie and how we misread her at the start. She ended up being by favourite character in the end (along with Art and Sal).

Speaking of Art, I know it was suggested that Cass could have tried to save lives but I think Cass still did save lives in her own way! Sal decided to believe Cass over that trash boyfriend, Sophie got better recognition and (intentional or not) helped Art find her perfect match.

(I also loved how Art believed Cass immediately, no questions asked)

The only thing I have a small issue with is the ending...I feel like the trajectory she was on was the perfect way to move forward but I also think the other path makes sense too. I just hope that she is able to get it back while changing a major plot point.

Well that was a surprise. I really thought after the first chapter or so that I was really going to get irritated or Cassandra was going to get on my nerves but instead I quit trying to read it a bit at a time and read the last half in one go. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

The story is that Cassandra has been dumped but after the dumping she ends up reliving the same day. It's a miracle. She can time travel. Not quite back to where she wants to be bit at least she can not get fired, not get dumped, not get made homeless - again.

But it's not as easy to control time as she first thinks and through a series of time re-runs we discover Cassandra's history, her odd personality traits and who the woman she is trying to avoid at all costs is.

It's a very readable book. There's quote a lot of Greek myth references but they're interesting rather than distracting. Its not a re-telling by any stretch of the imagination. Its simply the story of a woman who has struggled to be heard, to fit in, to be accepted her whole life.

Holly Smale has done an excellent job with this adult debut and I'd highly recommend it but do be prepared to ignore the housework for several hours once you've got into it. Just remind yourself that dust can only get so thick before the bottom layer breaks down. You'll be fine.

Wow talk about groundhog day! If you could time travel what would you do first? Use it to fix issues in your life? Fix Climate change and the rest of the world?

Our main female protagonist Cassandra is neurodivergent [ unknown to her ] finds people challenging, dislikes her job and can't quite believe she's dating hot guy Will. However one day not only does she lose her job, her relationship ends and the day begins to repeat itself.

This was such a fun read with a large amount of humour and wit. Its very quirky and hard to fit into a specific genre - its not romance per se or Sci fi but has a little bit of both with an added bit of history.

I appreciated that the boom shows us that even with second chances that things don't always work out as somethings really do only happen for a reason. I also thought it was great to see what life can be like for someone on the spectrum however I know everyone's experience is different.

It was a super busy story and will take some concentrating but I thoroughly enjoyed it and think it's well worth a read.

Wow, I was not expecting this. I have read a few time-centric books recently and this was a unique take. While the blurb gives you a little glimpse, this is not the time travel book you might think it is. Cassandra has a hugely terrible day - she's dumped by her boyfriend, her boss has fired her, her flatmates are about to toss her out, and she's had a very public meltdown. She crawls under the covers and awakens with the power to time travel and get a "re-do." This is the ultimate Mulligan. Cassandra learns that she can slip back in time and re-experience or re-do moments. She takes after her Greek mythology namesake, doomed to know the future but not be believed. I recommend that you brush up on the Greek myths as they are all over the place, but it was not heavy-handed and for me added to the story. I was thinking this was going to center on the romance with Will - getting it right - but that was only a part of a larger story. Cass sees the world differently. She experiences emotions as colors and is hugely sensitive to sensory inputs like noises and touch. Her ability to go back and try again with foreknowledge of events is used to put many parts of her life to right - her job, her relationships. This is book that will have you cheering - and groaning - with Cassandra. Can she get it right or is she doomed to her fate(s)? Read this one and find out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this amazing ARC!

Quotes I loved:

Time is strange: it moves so quickly and so quietly that sometimes it feels like it hasn't moved at all.

Memories are time travel, and so are regrets, hopes, and daydreams. When we die, the people we love carry us forward into it

I am Cassandra: the future was always in me.

Cassandra is such a fascinating character and was really well written, in a way that felt very true to people with ASD. It was beautiful to see her work on making connections with people, and heart wrenching to see how exhausting it was for her to repeat moments in time over and over again in her quest to “get it right”. I definitely didn’t guess who the author of the letters was so that felt like a great twist and I’m glad it happened early enough to then be a key part of the plot. A fab story!

The Cassandra Complex by Holly Smale

Cassandra Dankworth is having the worst day - dumped by her boyfriend, sacked from her job and asked to leave the flat she shares with a couple - when she discovers she can time travel. Cassie experiments with going back and changing how things in her life, big and small, have turned out, with surprising results!

I absolutely loved this book! Cassie made my laugh and cry - hard relate to many of her views and behaviours. I cheered her on through the whole book and the story of her relationship with her sister Artemis was beautifully done. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Next up on my reading list was a new author for me with their upcoming debut adult novel, due to be released in May.

‘The Cassandra Complex’ introduces us to Cassandra Penelope Dankworth who lives her life struggling to deal with each day, whether it’s other people existing, the latest career disaster or her love life, she prefers things her way and struggles with change. When she ends up being dumped by her boyfriend and losing her job on the same day she retreats back home, only to be completely confused when her ex turns up on her doorstep that evening, no recollection of dumping her earlier that day. Confused but happy he is back Cassie finds some similar aspects to their conversation and then wakes the next day realising she’s living yesterday all over again…

After reading a few books lately that have an element of time travel in them I was unsure at first whether another would work but it does within this title, very cleverly intertwined to provide the different paths the main character could take in her life. I liked the fact that going back in time doesn’t always provide the second chances you want and the realisation that sometimes things happen for a reason resonates throughout. All mixed with a comical tone, there are some perfect lines in this book that you will make you laugh out loud, I did feel the Greek references were a little overdone though.

You’d imagine the opportunity to have infinite chances to do things over would be perfect but it highlights that sometimes you could be best with what life dealt you. A really good read and would recommend.

Brilliant concept, beautifully pulled off. Cassandra was a fascinating protagonist to follow and the complex plot whipped along, never once becoming confusing or repetitive. I want to open a restaurant called “if it ain’t baroque” now.

This is a compelling book for anyone with autism, or who wants to know more about autism - but do read the author note at the back as I found Cassandra seems to have 'all' autistic characteristics in dramatically large quantities, perhaps inflated for the purposes of the plot. However ...
... once you get past that, this is a funny, heartwrenching novel about family and never quite fitting in and is well worth a read for that as well as the plot which twists and turns unexpectedly at many points during the book, aided by the time travel element which Smales uses brilliantly to throw out anything that you might expect from a more standard novel! Well worth a read.

Time travel can be hard to get your head round in a book and this took some time to get used to especially as it was such small 'travel' and did make it confusing as to what had happened and what hadn't and what was somewhere in between!
I did enjoy the book but wasn't my favourite read of late.

Oh my goodness!! Holly Smale is talent like no other.
Cassandra Penelope Dankworth is a phenomenal force of personality. As an autistic myself, Cassandra is greatly relatable.
Like Cassandra, I tend to listen to music on repeat; my choice has been David Bowie’s album Young Americans as my constant companion when devouring this book so greedily. It actually is the best use of my eyes and time.!
If I could give Holly Smale the entirety of the constellations- I surely would:: that’s how many stars I wish I could give it. I can’t wait for everyone else to #MeetCassie

The cassandra complex was a joy to read from start to finish. I was really rooting for Cassandra throughout her story and I grew to really like her as a person. I read books to experience times and places and also to see different perspectives and personality types. It was so interesting and insightful to get inside the mind of somebody like Cassandra and the time travelling was great fun. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and I really didn't know where the story was going. Excellent.

After finishing this book I just wanted to run around telling everyone to buy it because it's incredible.
I adored Cassie and though at the beginning I was wondering what on earth was happening as the chapters went on it clicked and I adored every second of Cassie's adventures with challenging each decision, error and all the unexpected consequences of her actions.
To me, Cassie was such a relatable character and I clicked with so many of the things she finds intolerable and comforting. I don't want to create any spoilers but this representation is so important and my heart ached as the true nature of her missions unfolded and I realised that instead of erasing each unwanted outcome it was actually about erasing everything that she is. The acceptance and love that blossoms, in multicolour, as each step slots in to place for her was the most wonderful thing to experience.

Found this book difficult to read and didn't engage with it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.