Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this novel. This was an engaging story of a psychiatric patient and her doctor, as told from each of their points of view over the course of a few months in NYC in 2018. The roots and causes of the patient's condition are thoroughly explored by both patient and doctor, and both of their lives are excavated to try to understand the point to which they each have come. The writing style is unique and engaging because the doctor's POV is provided via case notes, and the patient's POV is provided via a journal. This book reminded me of Sea of Tranquility because it was a literary exploration of a concept that is more commonly explored in science fiction. Because I read a lot of science fiction, the arc of the story became fairly obvious at some point, and the concept not as thoroughly explored as has been done in sci fi. However, I was interested until the end, and the uniqueness of the format definitely helped to keep me engaged. It is a quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC.

This book is different than I anticipated and parts of it were really intriguing and others felt a bit too much. I don't know how to fully rate it or describe it.

Told in the first person by a psychiatrist narrator, this is the story of his patient Jane who is troubled by unexplained happenings that leave her bewildered and disoriented. His interest in her case becomes an obsession, as he tries to help her sort out her reality from her visions. Readers of speculative fiction may figure out the situation before the narrator himself. Sounding much like a case study, this is not a novel that is likely to stay with me.

Thank you to Netgalley for an early read of this book, I absolutely ATE through this one! This review may contains spoilers.
4.5/5

I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, the style of writing is so well-done - it's intriguing, well-paced and supports the plot. I wish the narrators had a more distinct style or personalities. The build-up was really good and super realistic but I was still keenly aware that I reading something fictional, in part because of the many disconnected real-world facts scattered through the plot. They served a purpose, but it wasn't strongly associated with the story so it ended up being a repeated reminder that that's the real world (I assume it is real, I didn't fact check) and the author just picked through semi-random news to include... Moreover, it wasn't clear why Jane paid attention to those particular mundane details but got bored by e.g. science (goes back to lack of clearly established personality). The other parts were that some aspects of the characters were too cooked up, attempted to make realistic by again listing things and knick knacks, which also served another purpose but were largely irrelevant, so it again didn't work well. To me, there were also loose threads in condition of Jane O. wherein, certain things that she should have forgotten she did not forget, which is too obvious but not addressed. Because of these minor hiccups, the miraculous clicking of things in place that happens in the real world, well-done fantasy or comedic callbacks, simply did not happen for me. Eventually, the end which indulged sci-fi theories even further, did not strike me quite as impactful or leave me feeling wonderous, because it never felt as real which I think was the intention. Luckily, the majority of the book is such an experience that this doesn't take much away from it. I loved so many of the reveals, because I did not see them coming! There may be similar books written, but I haven't read any of them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this genre mash-up of a slow burn mystery/psychological thriller/speculative fiction.

Similar to The Dreamers and The Age of Miracles, the writing felt ethereal and surreal, as if you’re in a dream state, which I just loved.

I decided to go into this story completely blind, which I’m so glad I did. I was immediately hooked right from the start, but each turn of events and each revelation only kept me turning the pages faster. While I felt like the conclusion was as satisfying as it could be, I was definitely left wanting and needing more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC.

4.5 I really loved this case study of the mysterious Jane. Jane seeks out a psychiatrist in search of answers to feelings and issues she’s been having. Under his care, her episodes worsen. Told in alternating POV’s - the Dr’s and Jane’s in letters to her son, we learn and speculate about what is going on during these episodes.

I liked the clinical feel from the Dr.’s POV. He frequently brings up cases of similar studied episodes which was interesting. There was still humanity in his POV as we lead about his family and history.

Jane was a super interesting character to follow and I loved how her POV was written in letters to her son.

The conclusion and explanation we come to learn was both satisfying and something that will leave me thinking.

On the topic of memory, (a major theme in the book) I remember the last time I read a Karen Thompson Walker book was the day we bought our house over 5 years ago. I remember staying up too late reading and having to start moving things the next day. Funny how you can remember specific times and events by what you were reading.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a mystery that unravels bit by bit, but a mystery that hooked me from the beginning. The alternating narration between a psychiatrist and his perplexing patient, Jane O., draws out the mystery in a pleasing way. The events of the story are not reveled quickly - instead, the reader must dive into who the protagonists are and what drives them.

The clinical voice of the psychiatrist, Dr. Byrd comes off as authentic, and the reader will have an intimate understanding of who this character is. Dr. Byrd’s observations drive the narrative and keeps the reader intrigued. Jane’s narration, comparatively, is unreliable. I won’t go into more detail for fear of spoiling the plot, but I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy speculative fiction and thinking about the world in different ways.

Okay, so I ended up loving this and I did not think I would when I started. Here are five things I loved about this 5⭐️ read:

1) The structure - the way the doctor’s notes are juxtaposed with the Jane’s recollections are so interesting because this story only works if you see it from both sides

2) When things start clicking THEY START CLICK. ING. I had a hard time getting into this because I was very confused but once I figured out what was going on I FLEW to the end

3) The premise is BONKERS but was executed incredibly smoothly. That’s all I’ll say to avoid spoilers but I was amazed how it all connected by the end

4) I really enjoyed Thompson Walker’s prose style - it was simple but direct, and I especially appreciated how she altered it for each character

5) It’s been awhile since I read something that genuinely shocked me. I read the last 50% on the treadmill at the gym and I literally could not stop (also it made me work out extra that day so thanks for that!)

I don’t know what else to say other than this book is *chef’s kiss* and I’m just very happy I read it!

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC. The Strange Case of Jane O. is out 2/25!

Karen Thompson Walker writes quietly dreamy stressful books--they're like no one else's, books that seem calm on the surface but are devastating just beneath, where whatever is happening keeps sliding away from the reader just when you think you have figured out the rules. The Strange Case of Jane O. definitely fits into this genre. Librarian Jane visits a psychiatrist because things don't feel quite lined up in her world; three days later she's discovered unconscious in the park, having not shown up to pick up her adored infant son at daycare. She has no memory of those missing hours, but it seems she has been continuing to move through the world for at least some of them. Her psychiatrist's increasingly speculative notes, along with letters Jane writes for her son to read when he is older, form most of the novel. What sounds like a distancing tactic is instead a way of pulling us close and engaging directly with what each character knows and is choosing or not choosing to tell us. You may think you know where this plot is going, but, trust me, you do not (there were multiple places in the novel where I thought I knew where we were headed, and I was wrong each time). It's an astonishing, sometimes heartbreaking, read. I loved it.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

This novel was so well done. I love how the author always weaves a bit of magical realism into her work—it’s always just believable enough and deepens the story. This will be wonderful for mystery/thriller and literary fiction readers. Perfect for this time of year!

Phew, this book was a wild ride! Jane is a young single mother living in NYC. One random day, she encounters a man she knows to have been dead 20+ years. Not only that, but she proceeds to have a conversation with him where he gives her an ominous warning. Later she finds herself wondering if she hallucinated the entire experience. Thus enters psychiatrist, Dr. Byrd, who is just as unsettled—and also fascinated—by Jane’s recollections. As time goes on and things continue to get stranger, Dr. Byrd is forced to confront his own reality in an attempt to help his troubled patient.

Phew, this was a wild ride! Blending psychological thriller with sci-fi allows this book to break all of the rules, so that I had no hope of guessing what was around the next corner. It wasn’t fast-paced, but it was so mind-bending that I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed the dual POVs of Jane and Dr. Byrd, the latter being written in the form of medical encounter notes.

My only hang up is I wish there had been more explanation at the end, as it felt a bit rushed. Overall, this was a thoroughly unique and gripping read that I won’t soon be forgetting. I can’t wait to read more from Karen Thompson!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the gifted eARC!

Any story involving a character with a neurological or psychological problem will be right up in my alley. And Karen Thompson Walker likes her diseases! The problem Jane was having in this story was not clearly defined. Was it neurological or was it psychological? Was it some sort of postpartum depression like issue or was it her brain shutting down once in awhile to strip away everything Jane knows?

Jane wanted to talk to a psychiatrist about her problems. The doctor started to go through his resources and accumulated knowledge to figure out what was Jane dealing with only to find her missing shortly. Next day she was found in Prospect Park in the middle of a field not remembering what happened to her. As they were progressing, Jane went missing again and this time it was not a one day event and her child might be in danger too.

What I loved about this story was how lines between reality and imagination was blurred just because of Jane’s memories or lack thereof. It seemed like it did not matter how stable we thought we were or how clear our memories were, we could still be influenced easily to think otherwise. As crazy as the story was I think ending was much more punchy. I will look for more from Karen Thompson Walker for sure.

The Strange Case of Jane O. is a difficult book to review, because while I felt compelled to keep reading, I also kept wanting more. I'm not sure that's a strike against it. The book had a sort of Murakami quality to it, a sense that there's something beyond the world we're living in and that these characters are just grasping at the edge of it. I loved the way it ended, and I loved the way it never really answered the questions it posed, but I felt almost like I was grasping at the edge of something the whole time I was reading it, and I'm not sure I was ultimately satisfied.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this novel.

I really loved this story. The writing was quiet but powerful, and it pulled me in immediately. The idea of parallel universes has always intrigued me, and I loved how it showed the way grief and trauma can change us. I feel like it’s just part of the human experience to think “what if…?” This was a really interesting and thought-provoking read and I highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley, Karen Thompson Walker, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can't say I enjoyed this as much as I was intrigued. The format kept my attention, though there was little connection to the characters. I'm not a big fan of endings with questions, but it will be an acceptable ending for some.

Karen Thompson Walker successfully crafts a unique adventure for readers in her 2025 speculative fiction release, The Strange Case of Jane O., and strange is the perfect adjective to describe the characters developed in this novel.

Divided into six sections separating our narrators' perspectives, the novel follows the mental deterioration of both Jane O. and her psychiatrist, Dr. Byrd. Written in the style of clinical notes and journal entries, much of the writing feels dry and academic, which I felt was perfect for the development of our characters.
While the story develops at a slow pace, it remains engaging all the way through. The story spans several months, and so much yet so little actually happens. I found myself drawn to both Jane and Byrd immediately, craving a happy ending for these endearing characters. 288 pages is not much time to develop such complex characters or allow the reader to become so attached, but Thompson Walker achieves both in strides.

Easy 5/5 for this strange story.

Thanks to Netgalley & Random House for the ARC!

This novel is about a woman named Jane, who wakes up in a park one morning with no memory of the previous 24 hours in which she failed to pick up her baby son from daycare - oh, and Jane otherwise has a condition where she has perfect recall of everything that’s ever happened to her. The book is told in alternating segments from the notes of Dr. Byrd, a psychiatrist who is treating Jane, and a sort of journal in letters Jane writes to her son each day over the next few months. Did Jane experience some kind of dissociative fugue state, is she faking it, or is something else going on?

And that’s about all I want to tell you about this book, because anything else would be a spoiler, as this is one best seeing unfold without any idea of where it is going. Which means that even though I have a lot of thoughts about this one that I would love to discuss with somebody, I can’t really say anything more about it!

What I will say is the writing is just mesmerizing, sort of puts you into the world of the book in this dreamlike surreal state reading it, and I seriously could not put it down and tore through it in 24 hours! This is the third book I’ve read by Karen Thompson Walker, and they’re always just so interesting and unique!

I really liked this book! Studying Neuroscience and Psychology in college made this read super fascinating. This book follows a patient named Jane who goes to see a psychiatrist named Dr. Byrd. Jane has been slowly losing touch with reality and we follow how Dr. Byrd tries to diagnose Jane. Without giving too much away, Jane has an exquisite mind and she's able to recall anything that happens on any given day. However, she's having hallucinations (ex. seeing an old friend who died 20 years ago) and a few blackouts where she has no idea what happened to her/what she did.

This book is in the POV of a psychiatrist-- with some excerpts from Jane's journal entries, so if you're not intrigued by the mind and how it works this book might not be for you. Sometimes this book gets technical with explaining different diagnoses and I felt like I was in school studying but it was still really enjoyable to learn with Dr. Byrd.

I wish there were more entries from Jane because I would've loved reading more in the mind of a patient. The ending fell a bit flat for me like it wasn't supposed to be done and the little segment where they both shared that they kind of liked each other just seemed unnecessary to me. Overall, 3 stars for this book! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

"The Strange Case of Jane O" by Karen Thompson Walker is a captivating and evocative novel that grips readers from the first page. Walker skillfully weaves a tale of mystery and suspense that keeps you guessing until the very end. The protagonist, Jane O, is a complex and intriguing character whose journey of self-discovery and unraveling secrets is both compelling and deeply moving.

Walker's prose is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions that bring the setting to life and enrich the narrative. The plot unfolds with a perfect balance of pacing, allowing for both introspective moments and heart-pounding action. The author’s ability to create an atmosphere of tension and unease is commendable, drawing readers into Jane’s world and keeping them engaged.

A long time Karen Thompson Walker reader, I was thrilled to see her latest book, and The Strange Case of Jane O. did not disappoint.

From the first page, Walker masterfully builds an atmosphere of tension and intrigue. A psychiatrist is meeting with a patient that has been losing her memory and finding herself missing chunks of time. The narrative is split between the psychiatrist and the journal entries of the patient. The dual perspectives add depth, revealing new information while deepening the mystery. Just when you think you have a grasp on what's happening, the narrative twists in an unexpected direction, keeping you hooked until the end.

Karen Thompson Walker does it again! Not my favorite by the author, but a solid book!