Dissolution is a mind-bending science fiction thriller, largely told through interviews and flashback, that's ultimately about love and memory.

It begins with Maggie Webb, an elderly woman whose ailing husband Stanley is struggling with memory loss. She's trapped in a room with a man called Hassan, who gives her a drug to remember specific moments of her own life - and then her husband's memory's too.

Because it turns out that Stanley isn't suffering from Alzheimer's - but rather, someone has been removing his memories on purpose. We dive into flashbacks from the past, unveiling Stanley's youth, the friends he made, the experiments they started...

This is a fun, twisty SF thriller that I think Blake Crouch fans would enjoy. The flashbacks of Stanley's school days vs Maggie being forced to cooperate with Hassan are doled out in a way that keep you rapidly turning the pages to find out more. It's a complex plot, with lots of different threads to keep in mind at once, but that's half the fun of it. And there's a lovely romance that emerges as the story unfolds.

If I could wish for any changes, I struggled a bit with hearing about Stanley's super complex early life, then trying to understand he must've had quite a calm couple of decades - or did he? Maybe I need to reread!

Would certainly read this author again.

After absolutely loving Ascension, I was stoked to receive an ARC of Dissolution through NetGalley. Nicholas Binge has a way of crafting thought-provoking, mind-bending sci-fi that lingers long after the final page, and I was eager to see where he would take things next.

The plotline of Dissolution completely hooked me. It’s the kind of high-concept sci-fi that explores profound philosophical ideas while keeping the tension and intrigue alive. Binge excels at weaving complex narratives with emotional depth, and this book is no exception. The questions it raises about humanity, technology, and the nature of existence are precisely the themes I love in sci-fi.

However, the method of storytelling didn’t entirely work for me. While I appreciated what Binge was trying to do, the execution occasionally pulled me out of the story rather than immersing me in it. That being said, I still found it fascinating, and his ability to create compelling, cerebral sci-fi remains impressive.

One of the standout aspects of the book for me was the relationship between Stanley and Maggie. Their dynamic added an emotional core to the story that balanced out the more cerebral elements. Their connection felt authentic, filled with love, regret, and the weight of past choices. It was one of those relationships that felt raw and real, and I found myself deeply invested in how their story unfolded.

Interestingly, in the same month, I also read Make It Stick, which delves into memory and learning theory—two themes that Dissolution explores uniquely. The overlap between the two books made for an even more intriguing reading experience, as both examine how we retain and process knowledge, though from very different angles.

This book is perfect for fans of Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, with its fast-paced thrills and mind-bending scientific concepts. It also has strong similarities with another of my favorite books (and its movie adaptation), but saying the title would be a massive spoiler, so I’ll leave that for readers to discover for themselves.

Even though Dissolution didn’t quite hit the same highs as Ascension for me, it’s still a book I’d recommend to fans of thought-provoking sci-fi. Nicholas Binge continues to be an author whose work I eagerly anticipate.

A brilliant speculative science fiction novel that I devoured!

Maggie and Stanley have shared a wonderful life together and it breaks Maggie’s heart to see Stanley’s dementia taking him from her, bit by bit.

When Maggie is approached by Hassan, a scientist, who claims that it isn’t dementia taking Stanley’s memories, but the care home he is living in, she agrees to break him out and work with Hassan to bring him back to her.

As Maggie digs into Stanley’s past memories, using them as a platform for time travel, she finds herself embroiled in a deadly game of chess, against a seemingly unbeatable opponent.

Maggie is a great character, and I loved travelling with her through the past and out of toilet block windows! The writing is immersive and the fast paced plot had me hooked. Fabulous!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley , Nicholas Binge and Harper Collins for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This book didn’t just grip me—it tore through me. From the first page, I was hooked, unraveling a story as intricate and fragile as memory itself. This isn’t just sci-fi … it’s a psychological labyrinth, a haunting exploration of identity, love, and the terrifying consequences of losing what makes us us.

“Because our identities are defined by our experiences, and our experiences are just a collection of our memories. In that sense, our memories—both conscious and subconscious—are what make us human. Without memory, we would be blank slates. We would be empty.”

That’s the terrifying heart of Dissolution. What happens when those memories—our very sense of self—are no longer ours?

The atmosphere? Absolutely electric. There’s this constant tension—a creeping, skin-prickling unease that builds with every page. Like Ascension, Binge masterfully blends cosmic horror with something deeply human, making every revelation feel like a punch to the gut. The pacing is relentless, twisting and turning in ways I never saw coming.

And Maggie. She’s unlike any protagonist I’ve read before—an octogenarian fighting for her husband, for her past, for the truth buried deep in his (and hers) fragmented memories. Her strength, her love, her sheer determination wrecked me. She’s the kind of character who lingers, whose pain feels real, whose story matters. Watching her piece together the impossible was exhilarating and heartbreaking all at once.

But what truly broke me was Stanley and Maggie’s relationship. Their love—the kind that endures beyond time, beyond memory—felt like the beating heart of this book. It was almost a love letter to love itself. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, even when I wasn’t reading. It’s rare to find a book that makes your mind reel while also making your heart ache, but Dissolution did both. It brought tears to my eyes and left me feeling utterly hollowed out in the best way.

“Stanley stared at her—this crazy, wonderful, fantastic woman—and could think of only one more question to ask. ‘Is it worth it?’
‘Oh, Stan, there’s never been anything more worth it in the entire world.’” 😭

I’ve always been obsessed with time travel stories, and while this isn’t traditional time travel, it plays with time in ways that felt just as exhilarating. The way memory fractures and shifts, the nonlinear unraveling of truth—it gave me that same thrill I love in time-bending narratives. The past isn’t just something remembered here; it’s something fought for, manipulated, and slipping through grasping fingers. And at the heart of it all, there’s love—enduring, aching, refusing to be erased.

Binge’s writing is razor-sharp, immersive, and deeply unsettling. He doesn’t just craft a story—he burrows into your mind, forcing you to question everything. About memory. About truth. About the terrifying fragility of our own existence.

Dissolution isn’t just a book you read—it’s a book that reads you. Brutal, breathtaking, romantic, and utterly unforgettable.

This was an incredible book! I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so that you to the author and the publisher.

This was such a fascinating and high stakes exploration of memory. I was utterly gripped. We meet our octogenarian MC Maggie when she’s being interviewed in what seems to be an empty swimming pool, feeing completely disoriented and having very little understanding of what’s happening. Maggie will be forced to delve into the memories held by her and her husband to save them from a menacing threat.

I absolutely am loving the recent trend of older female main characters. I’ve read many of these lately and it’s fantastic. The characters have so much life experience and a different perspective, their choices informed by their wisdom. Indeed, this book could never have worked so well with a younger protagonist because it’s the richness of Maggie’s history with her husband that create so many breadcrumbs for her to follow, and so much motivation to rescue him.

This was such a clever book. I loved how it unfurled with the memories timeline and the recollecting timeline intertwining, with things building and making more sense as you uncover how they connect. Throughout all of the story there is a real sense of a race against time and an incredible tension as Maggie learns more about what’s happening, who the players are and how she and her husband fit into what’s at stake.

This was a tense, fascinating, intelligently written book which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Nicholas Binge is an auto buy author for me now. After his first book I had high hopes and was not disappointed. Dissolution is mind bending in the best way, absolutely absorbing and brilliant. I loved that the main character is older and her personality really defined. All the characters are amazing in their own ways but she shone throughout. Definitely a woman to be reckoned with.
The whole sci-fi element is cool and refreshing to read. The way the novel is written creates tension and mystery as we go between interrogation sessions and the past. The plot slowly unravels, going through some twists and turns along the way.
Despite the sci-fi backdrop there is such a human connection and emotion throughout the whole book, this really is a love letter to love and those enduring relationships. Loneliness and grief are also at the forefront, hard emotions to write about with energy but this book had that through its pacing and intrigue.
I basically couldn’t put this down and if anyone likes thrillers/sci-fi then I cannot see them not enjoying this.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Really very good. I started off doubting I would finish the book but I soon found I couldn't put it down. It's definitely a mind bender - if you change someones memory do you also change reality? A combination of 'genius is next to madness' and 'the end justifies the means'. I would class the story as intelligent sci-fi. It is due to the skill of Binge that he makes it into an enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next one.

I really loved this authors debut book Ascension, but Dissolution absolutely blew my mind.

There’s a lot of excellent well written fast paced tech thrillers out there but Binge just adds so many layers to his stories with depth and emotion. That combination is one of my absolute favourite forms of storytelling and Binge is up there with Blake Crouch and Justin Cronin for me.

This is very much a puzzle box book. You’re thrown in blind and need to slowly figure out the clues along with the characters to try and build up a picture of what’s happening. The journey is the destination and the reading experience is incredibly satisfying.

I absolutely adored Maggie and Stanley. They were every elderly family member I’ve ever loved and lost. Maggie especially was such a refreshing and unique protagonist, I felt such a strong connection to her all the way through.

This story manages to be disturbing, heart wrenching, violent and romantic. Every moment I wasn’t reading I was thinking about it and every time I picked it up I made sure I was paying attention to every word, not wanting to miss a thing.

Cannot wait to see what Binge does next.

Having had the opportunity to read Nicholas Binge's previous book Ascension, and absolutely loving it, I was so happy to see an e-mail inviting me to read his new release! This time, we are following Maggie who is trying to save her husband from someone who seems to be actively removing his memories to keep a secret, with the help of a certain Hassan.

This was such an interesting concept, and though I did predict who Hassan would turn out to be quite early on, it didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I loved the science behind everything. Another part I also enjoyed was the after-school club which gave me some academia vibes. Even though some parts were predictable, the book still had a lot of twists and turns, and you definitely won't see those coming. I don't usually like stories with older people as main characters, just because I can't relate to them. But this time, it was done extremely well and it felt sort of like a coming of age story, because we were following Stanley and his friends throughout their teens, 20s, and later life. It was so well written, and I believe it will make an amazing movie!

I can't see what Nicholas Binge has in store next, because right now it's 2/2 for me and I'm so excited to read more!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Dissolution is an absolutely mind-bending, emotionally devastating, and intellectually thrilling novel that left me in awe. Nicholas Binge masterfully blends sci-fi, philosophy, and psychological depth to create a story that is as thought-provoking as it is haunting.

The novel’s premise is gripping from the start, and Binge’s writing is both elegant and immersive. The way he explores existential questions, time, identity, and the nature of reality feels effortless yet deeply profound. The narrative structure keeps you hooked, unraveling its mysteries with perfect pacing and a growing sense of unease.

Beyond the high-concept ideas, the novel also delivers raw, emotional depth. The characters feel real, their struggles and relationships grounding the more abstract, cosmic horror elements in something deeply human. The ending is breathtaking, the kind that leaves you staring at the last page in stunned silence.

Dissolution is a rare novel that challenges the mind while breaking the heart. Fans of literary sci-fi, psychological horror, and philosophical fiction will find this an unforgettable read. Easily 5 stars.

When I got sent a copy of Dissolution to read and review, it brightened a bit of a tough day and as it happened it did the same for the next six days of reading.

As with his previous book Ascension, this is a speculative sci-fi thriller and it happens to tick all the boxes for me. It has a deepness that many books from the genre tend to lack. I guess you could say that it's a love story buried within a sci-fi framework which manages to pull me deeper and deeper into the story. It's also nice that the story doesn't get lost behind all of the science involved within this novel. It's extremely accessable for science lovers or those that have no interest in science at all.
As for the storytelling, it's exemplary. You'll be thinking you've sussed things out and then, bam! The story twists and turns, feeding you little hints here and there, pulling you along with it.

I've purposely not revealed any of the themes within due to not wanting to spoil this for anyone, but if you love a good thriller or science fiction novel then I'd suggest giving this a go.
Exemplary work for Nicholas Binge yet again.

There are a lot of sci-fi books out there with cool ideas but poor writing or one-dimensional characters.

Happily, Dissolution backs up its cool ideas with a very readable story and strong characters.

This is my second Nicholas Binge book, after Ascension, and he's 2 for 2 now for me. This one improves on Ascension by virtue of the main characters, an octogenarian couple whose life together is tenderly drawn. I won't give away any plot points but there's lots of fun sci-fi concepts, set alongside the more mundane settings of old folks homes and after-school clubs for Maths nerds at Uni.

The ending didn't pan out exactly as I might have liked, but such is life!

Highly recommended. I'll look out some other Binge books this coming year.

An elderly woman must dive into her husband's deteriorating memories to find a potential cure in Nicholas Binge's new novel. This book is hard to describe without giving things away, but readers should know it's clever, creative and beautiful with a unique take on memory, ambition and love. This will be his breakout - an incredible read.

We start pretty much at the end. In a rather interesting way. Maggie is recounting her story to Hassan, who is also part of said story. It tells how they met and what happened next. As she details caring for her devoted husband, Stanley, how together they try to "save" him, his memories, which are being stolen from him. Erased.
As well as this, we also go back in time to follow Stanley's childhood. How he attended a boarding school and found solace in an exclusive club headed by a rather eccentric teacher. We also follow the early days of his relationship with a young Maggie...
And that's all you need to know. In fact, the less you know, the better the book will be for you. Yes you will probably spend a while in confusion, and yes, it does start off a wee bit slow. But like the chess games in the book, there are openings, there are pieces to set up, before we can start the endgame. But once all the groundwork has been covered, it really does get on with itself very nicely indeed, culminating in a wholly satisfying conclusion.
One of the things that really stood out for me was the relationship between Stanley and Maggie. It added an emotional level to what could have been too cerebral a story. Meaning that the whole was balanced.
And the concept surrounding memory and what it can be used for really did intrigue me and, for me anyway, was a wholly new thing. Which did keep me thinking long after I turned the final page.
This is my first book by this author but, on the back of what I just read, I have added his previous books to my ever bulging TBR. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.