5/5

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this.
"Do you know what you do when you sleep?"
Anna Ogilvy has been asleep for four years, since she was found with a knife and two of her friends stabbed to death. It's now time to try and wake her up to get to the truth.
Wow what a read this was. A psychological thriller that really has an air of suspense all the way through. Its not a fast paced thriller it is has a psychological atmosphere that keeps you drawn into the story. It has twists along the way and keeps you guessing how it will turn out to the end. I can see why this was eagerly snapped up by publishers it was well written and not like anything I've read before. I think it will be a hit when it comes out next year. If you get a chance to get an early read of this one snatch it up.

This was so absorbing, I reluctantly put this down just once because it hurt to keep my eyes open. I thought the mystery was cleverly written with well placed clues and twists. I was almost gaslit into thinking my (correct!) theory was wrong. I will say that this was not a thriller that made me afraid for my life, unlike others I've read, but this did not impact my enjoyment whatsoever.

There were a couple of things I didn't like, including the excessive Harry Potter references, as well as the diary entries that absolutely did not read like diary entries. Also, I'm not a big fan of reading from the POV of a middle-aged cishet man - purely a personal preference.

The book description is insanely compelling, but if you're like me and you really need to know what the book is about before you read it, here's the basic gist:

The main POV, Dr Benjamin Prince, is a sleep specialist who receives a mysterious call from his boss. He is the government's last resort to wake up Anna O, who has been in a deep sleep for four years, ever since she was found asleep, bloodied knife in hand, her two best friends stabbed to death.

I think that's all you need to know, though I did read up on resignation syndrome and the original case of Anna O midway through the book which I found helpful, again a personal preference.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Review posted on Goodreads on 15/07/2023.

Anna O is a multi-faceted novel that combines a whodunnit with deep psychological themes and compelling characters. With elements of philosophy, history and psychology mixed together, the reader is challenged to look beyond the obvious and find the truth.

Anna Ogilvie is thought guilty of killing two friends four years ago. But she has never stood trial - because she has been unconscious for four years. Diagnosed with resignation syndrome, a rare disorder causing the subject to fall into a coma. Anna O becomes a social media sensation, with debates on her guilt or otherwise.

Psychologist Ben Prince is a Harley Street sleep expert who thinks he can wake Anna. Can he? And what will she tell the world if he succeeds?

The novel is long and told from multiple points of view, giving real insight into the characters, There are several sub plots and mysteries before the final, shocking, revelation.

Snap this one up ASAP! Could not put it down. Housework was not done, kids were not fed… Fantastic writing, kept me gripped all the way through! Wow! This book was SO. DAMN. FABULOUS!…

With a description below being all that was provided on Netgalley, I didn't really know what to expect from this book!

"THE WORLD WILL KNOW HER NAME
*The instant global phenomenon.
*Publishing in over 30 territories.
*The thriller that will wake up the nation.
This is the story of Anna O.
Coming 2024 . . ."

But the story turned out to be a fascinating read, with some decidedly meta aspects.

Sleep and dreams involve mysterious processes for most of us, even though these are processes that we undertake - quite literally - on a daily basis. Most of the time, we shrug off nightmares and are grateful to get a few hours of good sleep.

Anna Ogilvy - better known as Anna O - is not so lucky. A promising young writer, she inexplicably stabs two people one night, whilst apparently sleepwalking. And after that, she does not wake up at all.

Everyone is puzzled by the killings - not least because of the lack of apparent motive. Nor can Anna enlighten them, because she is not able to tell anyone anything, even if she were so inclined.

It seems that Anna has a rare disorder. But her situation does of course raise ethical questions. For example, about whether she can be held responsible for her actions - even while unconscious.

Enter Dr Benedict Prince, an expert in sleep-related homicides (who knew that that was a thing?) He is believed to be the last resort when it comes to solving the mystery of Anna's case. Mind you, Dr Prince has his own secrets to protect, so there's no telling how this situation will ultimately play out...

Outstanding..
The story of Anna O. Where does it start and where will it end? Hailed by the media as the crime of the century, an inexplicable and horrific double murder and a suspect who sleeps - and continues to sleep four years later. With a deft pen the author draws the reader in with beautifully crafted prose, an intriguing plot populated with a well defined and wholly credible cast and a compellingly immersive narrative. Lines between fact and fiction may well blur as the reader becomes completely invested in this tale of murder, mystery, science, justice and true crime. A one sit read, impossible to put down until that final awakening when the truth dawns.