***This review contains spoilers.***
Nine Perfect Strangers by Laine Moriarty is a well-woven story of nine perfect strangers hoping to recharge on a health retreat. Oh boy though, they are in for a surprise! Masha, the owner of the secluded health resort, has a new program in store for her guests - one that should require a lot more permission than her guests give her, but rather than seeking permission she microdoses her guests with LSD.
The first five days of the retreat are spent in silence and we are given glimpses into the dark side of winning the lottery with Ben and Jessica, the grief of a suicide from the Macroni family, Frances's end of writing romance novels career, Tony the has-been football player, and Lars's epiphany that maybe he could be a dad with his partner. Each guest is struggling with something and the retreat is meant to re-energize themselves.
The premeditation of executing the first retreat of this type - where the guests are locked in a dungeon meditation and yoga studio - and forced to work together to figure out their escape is meticulously planned out. Masha is a character that is hard to feel much compassion for, but when we discover that her hardness began with the death of a child, she has a small redeeming quality to her.
I found this book a great read. It was well-orchestrated and I am in awe of the way that the book wove together with seamless perfection, as that is no easy task for an author.
If you're looking for an engaging read, filled with lots of struggles from all characters, this is a book for you.
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