What is your opinion?
Nothing Like This Concept Anywhere!
"Although it's anathema for writers who don't want to confuse their readers with POV switches, I love the idea of literal head-hopping. And in this story, it's done right! Haven't we all wanted to slip into someone else's shoes and REALLY know what life is like for them? As a woman, wouldn't it be interesting to know what it's like to be a man? What sort of trouble would we get into? Would we be kind to someone else's body? Or brutal? The situations that come about in this story are absolutely mind-blowing (especially the sex scenes). I find myself picking up my jaw over and over again. The characters are complex and surprising. I cringe often but am glued to the story. This is like nothing I've ever read before. My suggestion would be to have the published book set up with watermarks or some way for the reader to always know who is in whose head. The headings are helpful. Keeping to one head-hop per chapter is good, too. That said, this story is amazingly clear for all the separate timelines and sub-plots! The writing is especially clean."
Twist upon riveting twist in a psychological nightmare tale
"Cynthia Hilston is a young, energetic, and amazingly talented writer I would strongly encourage you to follow. Like many literary geniuses, she has written in several genres, (you can check out her website), but she seems to get better with each and I love what she does with horror. It's fashionable, and I think helpful, to compare a work by a rising star who is relatively unknown, by mentioning "if you like." Sort of like, "If you like Stephen King, you'll like--" So here goes: "If you liked" Octavia Butler's KINDRED, David Levithan's EVERY DAY, or the movie THE MEPHISTO WALTZ, you'll be wowed by MURDER: IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD. Other writers have explored the idea of possession, of a personality so strong that it can leap into another's body and drive it like a race car, but Hilston puts an astonishing--and scary--new spin on this theme. MURDER: IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD is a tour de force. The main character (who possesses the frightening ability to swap bodies at will, displacing the original owner) is deep and complex. You learn to pity her, to fear her, and ultimately to understand her. She's not a simple villain, but an immortal character starved for love--as well as drama and sex. The other main character is a victim, but also a girl who uses her mind to get above nightmare the she's been dropped into. And there's more: the other characters are deep with an emotionality that I found gripping. The transitions from one character's mind is diverting, and the ironies and nuances are well worth your careful read--and maybe reread! And they are what makes this novel such an imaginative leap. As I mentioned, Hilston is a young writer, and I am astonished at the narrative power she possesses, and her imaginative gift. I'm going to be watching Hilston; she's got it going!"
