Member Review
Review by
Michael B, Reviewer
Shhh…
Irish journalist Anthony Fennell is disconnected, grappling with alcoholism and a lack of direction. When his editor assigns him a story about ships that repair underwater cable breaks, he hesitates. However, the allure of sailing out to sea and evading the pressures of his life ashore ultimately compels him to accept the assignment.
“What I needed was a story about connection, about grace, about repair.” *
Undersea fiber-optic cables are vital for global communication. In "Twist," massive underwater avalanches of plants, trees, and garbage, triggered by the Congo River's response to environmental abuse, sever the cables connecting Africa to the rest of the world, and cause a major communication crisis.
The novel follows a very “Gatsby-esque” path, as Fennell's focus shifts from documenting the repair mission to his growing fascination with Conway, the mission's leader, and Zanele, Conway's lover. Initially presented as a reliable figure, Conway's behavior takes an unexpected and erratic twist, throwing Fennell off balance. Despite the intention to avoid a personality-driven narrative, Fennell’s obsession with Conway overshadows the repair mission and ultimately takes center stage.
The breakdown of communication, both societally and personally, is central to the story. There is a mysterious disruption of mass communication, while a man in midlife crisis struggles to reconnect with his ex-wife and estranged son. The overabundance of information in the world hasn't prevented the deterioration of human relationships.
“Everything gets fixed, and we all stay broken.” *
“You can ache for years and not even know that you’ve been aching. The ache has gone so deep that it seems to come from another life, one now even remembered anymore.” *
The captivating story of the Conway saga and the charismatic, mysterious captain was more developed than the narrator’s inner conflict. McCann's prose is brilliant, but the merging of the two storylines felt forced. The passages on our reliance on undersea cables were also fascinating.
Thank you to the Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #Twist #NetGalley
*Quotes are taken from an uncorrected proof. Publishing March 25, 2025
Irish journalist Anthony Fennell is disconnected, grappling with alcoholism and a lack of direction. When his editor assigns him a story about ships that repair underwater cable breaks, he hesitates. However, the allure of sailing out to sea and evading the pressures of his life ashore ultimately compels him to accept the assignment.
“What I needed was a story about connection, about grace, about repair.” *
Undersea fiber-optic cables are vital for global communication. In "Twist," massive underwater avalanches of plants, trees, and garbage, triggered by the Congo River's response to environmental abuse, sever the cables connecting Africa to the rest of the world, and cause a major communication crisis.
The novel follows a very “Gatsby-esque” path, as Fennell's focus shifts from documenting the repair mission to his growing fascination with Conway, the mission's leader, and Zanele, Conway's lover. Initially presented as a reliable figure, Conway's behavior takes an unexpected and erratic twist, throwing Fennell off balance. Despite the intention to avoid a personality-driven narrative, Fennell’s obsession with Conway overshadows the repair mission and ultimately takes center stage.
The breakdown of communication, both societally and personally, is central to the story. There is a mysterious disruption of mass communication, while a man in midlife crisis struggles to reconnect with his ex-wife and estranged son. The overabundance of information in the world hasn't prevented the deterioration of human relationships.
“Everything gets fixed, and we all stay broken.” *
“You can ache for years and not even know that you’ve been aching. The ache has gone so deep that it seems to come from another life, one now even remembered anymore.” *
The captivating story of the Conway saga and the charismatic, mysterious captain was more developed than the narrator’s inner conflict. McCann's prose is brilliant, but the merging of the two storylines felt forced. The passages on our reliance on undersea cables were also fascinating.
Thank you to the Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #Twist #NetGalley
*Quotes are taken from an uncorrected proof. Publishing March 25, 2025
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