Sarah Gailey’s The Echo Wife is “a trippy domestic thriller which takes the extramarital affair trope in some intriguingly weird new directions.”–Entertainment WeeklyI’m embarrassed, still, by how long it took me to notice. Everything was right there in the open, right there in front of me, but it still took me so long to see the person I had married.It took me so long to hate him.Martine is a … took me so long to hate him.
Martine is a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell’s award-winning research. She’s patient and gentle and obedient. She’s everything Evelyn swore she’d never be.
And she’s having an affair with Evelyn’s husband.
Now, the cheating bastard is dead, and both Caldwell wives have a mess to clean up.
Good thing Evelyn Caldwell is used to getting her hands dirty.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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Well this was quite a trip!!!
Ethan has cloned his wife, using much of her scientific breakthroughs and research, and been cheating on her with the clone who is how pregnant.
While it starts off a tad slowly, pretty sun you are on one wild ride of pure craziness.
Things are uncovered that you never see coming!!
I read the blurb on this and decided I would give it a try even though it’s not quite the genre I like to read, but it’s pretty darn close. I went into this book expecting much more than I got, and the ending was a little anti-climactic. So, why the four stars? It’s still an interesting read about nature vs. nurture and how we behave being tied up in that. The MC is Evelyn who grew up to try not to be her mother or her father, and Martine is the clone of her which I think in the end becomes Evelyn’s salvation to a point. There is a lot of science thrown in, but that can be mostly ignored, and we spend a lot of time in Evelyn’s head; she isn’t exactly a great person. Don’t expect from this book’s blurb what it says. Instead expect a book on how we are so much more different than we think we are, and so much the same. This character-driven book is an interesting one. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.
The Echo Wife
by Sarah Gailey
By Macmillan-Tor/Forge Publishing
Coming February 16, 2021
This is a book I requested from NetGalley and the publisher and the review is voluntary.
I was very excited to see Sarah Gailey had a new book out, I loved all her hippo riding books! Fantastic! This one was fantastic also but in a totally different direction.
This book deals with clones, cloning, and ethics involved with it in a distant way. Evelyn is our gal of the story. She is a brilliant scientist who is an award winner in cloning. Her husband left her, after having a long affair. Come to find out the affair was with the clone he made of her! He programmed the clone to be submissive. Evelyn is a bit hot headed.
The book bounces around so we can see how bad Evelyn life was growing up. It also shows life married to Nathan.
Now, her clone wants to meet her. Reluctantly she agrees. She really is evil to the clone. But she is also use to thinking of clones as waste, something like trash and not a person. Evelyn has euthanized clones before. It’s not in her mindset to think of this clone as a person.
But things get traumatic. Very scary and dire. The clone and Evelyn have to work together to survive.
Gailey already started the book on a deary note and now it felt so oppressive! The science is not detailed but enough is given to make you believe in the process. The characters are so real (and cloned ), dialogue natural, and actions what you would expect from real people. High tension, suspense, and it rarely lets up!
The solution is unexpected and perfect! Finally I could breathe! This was a terrific sci-fi book that dealt with many issues in subtle ways.
The witchy main character really grew as the story progressed. Lots of layers to this great book! Recommend even to those who don’t like sci-fi.
Evelyn Caldwell has dedicated her adult life to studying the utilization of clones in our everyday lives. Her ex-husband, Nathan, would say this is the thing that led to the dissolution of their marriage. Regardless, Nathan has moved on with Martine, a clone of Evelyn programmed with the patient, docile, and obedient domesticity that he finds lacking in Evelyn herself.
When Nathan winds up dead, Evelyn finds herself working with Martine to clean up the mess he created. But neither of them realize how far reaching that mess will be.
Sarah Gailey has quickly become an auto-read author for me. I’ve found all their stories to be extremely readable and engrossing. Taking subjects in which we have certain formed ideas about and kind of turning those ideas on their heads a little bit.
The Echo Wife is another such book in the same vein. It’s so full of varying layers I almost don’t know where to start. On the surface you have a book dealing with marriage and relationships. On one hand you have Evelyn and Nathan’s marriage – and the dissolution thereof – but you also have the echo of the marriage between Evelyn’s parents and her rather traumatic childhood. A childhood that has undoubtedly had far reaching effects upon her marriage.
But then you add in Martine who is a copy of Evelyn, but tailored to what Nathan actually wants in his wife and you get some really interesting commentary about the male/female dynamic in the household. The kind of old-time thought that women are for taking care of the house and having the children and men are for earning the money.
Breaking away from this you have the interactions between Evelyn and Martine. Martine who is, at first, almost spoken of, and to, as though she’s this thing. Not real, not human. Not made for critical thinking beyond what she’s programmed with upon conception. There’s some wonderful rumination that occurs about what makes us human and how much actually living through our experiences inform who we are as a person.
It’s so subtle and such a slow-burn of a book, but really packs a punch when all is said and done. I went back and forth with my feelings towards both Evelyn and Martine. I felt bad for Evelyn who clearly loved Nathan very much (at least in the beginning of their marriage). To literally come face to face with your replacement (and that replacement is a replica of yourself) is heartbreaking. Believing that you were only good enough on certain levels for your significant other. Evelyn is a seemingly difficult character to like. She had strict standards she adheres to – why she has trouble keeping a lab assistant – she’s unforgiving if someone makes a mistake. She’s so driven and focused (not necessarily bad things on their own) that she loses sight of everything else around her that doesn’t pertain to her work including her husband. But then you begin to understand, through past reflection, why she carries herself the way that she does, and you begin to see the complexities that make up the individual.
On the other side of that you have Martine who was made to be subservient. She’s not made to have her own thought processes or opinions. When she find herself without the person who has been guiding her throughout her short-lived existence, while we’re often conditioned to not like the “other women”, I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic even though Martine, in Evelyn’s scientific-thinking terms, is technically not real. Which brings up the ethicality of the things we do in the name of science.
Sarah Gailey deftly weaves all these elements together in such a seamless way. It’s a truly impressive work, and this is only me maintaining a close-to-surface level review in order to avoid spoilers. If you’re a fan of contemplative, not-so-speculative fiction you’ll really enjoy the Echo Wife.
It seems like whenever I assume a concept has been beaten to death, that there’s no more original ideas in the world regarding it, an author always comes along to prove me wrong. The Echo Wife is about cloning, about the humanity of these clones and what it truly means to be human, narrowed down to one intimate story about a woman and her family. Original and intimate, this book takes a concept that revolutionized the world and instead chose to focus on the effect of one single clone, giving us brilliant layers of characterization, family and romantic dynamics, and a poignant discussion of women in the workplace and the choices they are forced to make. While the ending doesn’t quite tie everything up in the way I was looking forward to, the journey to get there is more than worth it.
Evelyn Caldwell is the woman who was supposed to have it all. Highly driven and intelligent, she’s revolutionized the science of cloning, made herself a famous name in the industry, and ultimately has achieved all her dreams and more. What should’ve culminated in a fabulous, wealthy, and personally fulfilling life has been soured by the departure of her husband, Nathan. While Evelyn and Nathan’s relationship was ultimately toxic on both ends, it was Nathan who cinched the end of their relationship by stealing Evelyn’s work and building a clone of his own: another Evelyn, this one sweeter, more obedient, and willing to give him a baby to start a family. This illegal clone, Martine, is unlike others. Clones are supposed to be sterile, yet she’s pregnant. It’s one of the cornerstones of cloning, and if the secret got out, Evelyn’s career would be ruined. So when Martine calls Evelyn in a frenzy, with the news that she’s gone and bucked her programming and became violent, Evelyn has to help her conceal her existence as a clone, her pregnancy, and now, the death of the husband they shared.
This is a slim novel that packs a punch. Evelyn Caldwell herself stood out as one of the best complicated female characters I’ve read in a long time. She is intelligent, viciously so, and has no patience for those who simper at her from the shadows or don’t hold themselves to her impossible standards. Her relationship with Nathan was a masterclass in toxicity; while Nathan ultimately crosses the line in a multitude of ways, the buildup from their initial love to the crash into cruelty is mutual. Nathan is concerned with building a nuclear family (read: he wants Evelyn to get pregnant) and getting his name out there, not necessarily with furthering the world of science or even building a life for himself. Evelyn holds her career as the most important thing in her life and is unwilling to take the break motherhood would require. Nathan’s neediness to her, the way he relies on her and seems unable to live a life without her isn’t perceived as romantic by Evelyn and instead breeds contempt. I thought that this relationship was a perfect example of how either person could’ve had a completely healthy relationship and avoided basically the entire novel if only they had chosen different partners. Nathan’s relationship to Evelyn eventually grows so toxic and filled with disgust that he clones and programs a simpering, docile version of her, one who is physically incapable of being as cruel as Evelyn is. Nathan’s disregard for his marriage and the impositions he programs Martine with solidify him as the bad guy, but the relationship he had with the original Evelyn was so fascinating and sorrowful to watch devolve.
As mentioned earlier, this is ultimately a novel about humanity: what makes it, can we acquire it, can we build it? These themes feel familiar; a lot of science fiction about clones or robots or androids focuses on them, but The Echo Wife feels unique in Evelyn’s approach to it and relationship with the clones of the novel. Martine is, after all, a clone of Evelyn, but she could not be any more different. Martine enjoys gardening, being a housewife, and the idea of being a mother, all things that repulse Evelyn. And Martine finds Evelyn’s work on cloning terrifying, even if she doesn’t ever come right out and say it. She’s not programmed to argue, after all. This novel is less about whether or not Martine wants to live a life like Evelyn’s and more about whether or not Martine can live a life for herself, even if that life does coincide with her programming. She’s been programmed to be the perfect domestic wife and that’s what she wants to be. But on her own terms. If we clone a criminal, can we hold that clone accountable for the original? Can we assume that the clone would make the same criminal choice, or be the same cruel person if given the chance? This novel blends the programming process behind cloning with the individualism that comes with being alive in complicated and unusual ways. Evelyn and Martine’s relationship was so unique, as diametrically opposed as they were, both obsessed and disgusted by the other. I really loved all the character dynamics in this novel so much.
The plotting in this novel is a bit simple, simply because so much of the focus is on the character dynamics and relationships. I didn’t mind it one bit until the ending. The book is filled with questions of ethics and complicated scientific theorems, enough to keep me thoroughly engrossed when the plotting slows down, but the ending will feel perhaps more simple or easy than the rest of the novel. Not quite a letdown, but not quite the thought-provoking finale that I expected considering the caliber of the rest.
Ultimately, The Echo Wife is absolutely worth it. Small enough that you could finish it in a single sitting, but with so much packed into it, it truly was one of the better straight-up sci-fi novels I’ve read in a long time. Evelyn Caldwell and her dysfunctions will enthrall any reader looking for a more morally ambiguous protagonist who is seeking her own humanity alongside her own clone. Thought-provoking, densely scientific, and original, this novel really set a new standard for science fiction media that concerns itself with questions of humanity.
The Echo Wife will be available for purchase February 16, 2021 from Tor Books.
review blog
I was very impressed with The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey. I could see a book club getting into a great discussion over it with all the ideas about ethics, cloning, feminism, and more. Or it can just be read for enjoyment as a fast paced thriller, and I really hope they turn The Echo Wife into a movie!
I can’t go into details because spoilers would start right away. It is one crazy thing after another, and Evelyn handles most of it pretty well. I would be a basket case if it happened to me… but I’m not a scientist with an analytical mind. Even with all the far out scenarios it never felt like a soap opera to me, and the science that is intertwined throughout the book is explained so well that I don’t think anyone would have problems understanding it.
So you may be wondering why I didn’t give this excellent book five stars… and there are two reasons, both of which happened more towards the end of the book.
The first is I found myself skimming because Evelyn kept going off on tangents about her feelings. This fit with the book, but I didn’t have empathy for her since she is such a cold, but excellently written character. I wanted to find out what was going to happen next and her emotions were dragging the story down. But other readers may really enjoy it.
The second, was a couple of scenarios that happened, and Gailey just had the character say, “I didn’t think of this, even though I should have.” To me it felt like a bit of a cop-out and that Gailey just didn’t have a strong way to fix it so just wanted to let it slide by. The rest of the story was so well written that this really stood out to me.
Those two little quirks shouldn’t stop you from reading The Echo Wife though, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The Echo Wife is set in the near future when the science of cloning human has advanced, and the laws surrounding it have changed. Evelyn Caldwell is a brilliant, driven, award-winning scientist who has pioneered advancements in human cloning. She knows what she wants and is clear about it. Evelyn’s ex-husband Nathan has used her techniques to make a more docile, agreeable version of her called Martine. The story starts with Nathan’s murder. I won’t describe the plot more so as to avoid spoilers. The science in this book is absolutely fascinating and the story is well-written, riveting and compelling. I was unable to put it down. The characters are morally grey at the very least and the story raises many ethical issues regarding human cloning. Evelyn’s character is well-developed and she grows throughout the story as she learns to become more empathetic. The Echo wife is clever, dark, unsettling and calibrated for maximum squirm. I loved it.
The cover and premise is perfect, it is so intriguing. Martine is a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell’s award-winning research. She is patient, gentle, and obedient basically she is perfect! Martine is also having an affair with Evelyn’s husband! Nathan feels neglected by Evelyn because she lives in her lab working all the time. Evelyn’s husband, Nathan, is killed. Well good riddance, who cheats on his wife with her clone?! And Martine is pregnant, what we’ll how?! Crazy! This was a slow start but it becomes a crazy thrill ride, you don’t want to mess with Evelyn or her clone! Martine and Evelyn work together to dispose of Nathan’s body and then to clone him. Crazy! It is a creepy page turner with a few twists to keep you guessing. It is an original concept and I loved it. The genre would be science fiction and thriller – domestic suspense.
: ℎ ℎ
: ℎ
: 254 ()
: Sci-fi Thriller
: 02/16/2021
: (4 stars)
This is the first book I have read from this author. Thank you Tor books for my gifted copy.
In this book we follow Martine a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell’s award-winning research. She is patient and gentle and obedient. She’s everything Evelyn wanted to be, but she’s having an affair with Evelyn’s husband.
I thought this was a fast-paced thrill Ride reminiscent of big little lies. I definitely had a blast reading this book. I am definitely a fan of sci-fi thrillers, and this one did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah’s writing style which for a shorter novel packed a punch and sent me on a ride. This book comes out on February 16th, 2021 so be sure to pre-order a copy today!!!
The Echo Wife is an original and entertaining domestic thriller with some very interesting twists. It starts with Evelyn, a research scientist, at a gathering receiving an award for her unique scientific advancements. Her husband, Nathan, is having an affair and by the way, it’s with a clone that looks exactly like. He has “programed het to respond the way he wants and wants her to be the mother of his child even though clones can’t have children. I really enjoyed the originality and various unfoldings of the story. I also liked delving into the dilemma of cloning and clones’ rights which left me me wondering if venturing into that realm is worth it. The science was a little hard to fathom but if you suspend your disbelief and just run with the story it’s a great read.
I read this as a domestic thriller. Not being a sci-fi reader and definitely not interested in AI beings infiltrating our lives I didn’t let that effect my decision to read it. AND WOW WHAT A MESSED up ride.
Can you imagine your husband taking a second wife RIGHT under your nose and the worst part is you created her and she is you. the best version of you. Now Martine has killed Nathan. Who does she call, his first wife Evelyn, her creator. When Nathan becomes a crime that needs solved what is Evelyn to do when the murder is an illegal being???
So many twist and turns, Sarah Gailey is the 2021’s Blake Crouch