Review: The States by Norah Woodsey
“I know I lost you. Please. Just let me go.”
The Basics
Title: The States
Author: Norah Woodsey
Published: 2024
Note: I received an ARC from Books Forward in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher: Norah Woodsey
Pages: 363
Format: Paperback, mass market
Genres: Fiction — Contemporary fiction, Magical realism, Romance, Contemporary romance
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Book Synopsis
Eight years ago, Tildy Sullivan heeded the advice of her family’s AI assistant and abandoned her dreams of moving to Ireland and starting a life with her first love, Aidan. In the intervening years, she has been plagued by regret and what-ifs, often wondering what her life would have been like had she followed her heart all those years ago. So, when she comes across an ad for a lucid dreaming study, she sees a remedy to her inner turmoil – she can build an alternate, dream state where she lives in Ireland. She’ll spend the day in New York, and at night, she’ll escape to a reality where she has no regrets. The plan works a little too well, and before long, she passes her days anticipating the night. Will she work up the courage to turn her dreams into reality, or will she lose her grip on reality instead?
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A laborious read plagued by plot, character, and writing issues.
When I learned that The States is a reimagining of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, my curiosity was immediately piqued. Persuasion is one of my favorite books, and I am always eager to read any story that pays homage to it. Regrettably, though, my excitement was short-lived, with my anticipation morphing into dread after only a few chapters. Reading The States became a chore; I had to force myself to sit down and read it. Were I not reviewing it, I would have shelved it and picked up something else, something that did not require every ounce of my willpower to finish.
One of the main things going against The States is its plot. While it is certainly an imaginative spin on the story of Persuasion, its novelty is more of a liability than an asset. As I drew near the end of the first chapter, I couldn’t help but think of that episode of Friends where Joey is starring in what appears to be a fairly run-of-the-mill play – that is until a ladder descends from a UFO hovering above him. The opening chapter of The States features a similarly bizarre turn of events. During an ostensibly normal family meeting of the Sullivans, we discover that this book’s version of Mrs. Russell, the character in Persuasion who convinces Anne to break off her engagement with Frederick, is an AI. Yes, you read that correctly: Mrs. Russell is an AI named Russell. When Russell was introduced, I found myself reflexively rolling my eyes and muttering “What?” in disbelief. What I had thought would be a story of a modern woman exploring her regrets through dreams had suddenly transformed into some pseudo-science fiction tale, but as I would soon learn, Russell was but the tip of the iceberg.
Once Tildy begins her lucid dreaming study, the book becomes a discordant mash-up of the movie Her and Persuasion. We see Tildy construct an elaborate dream world where she moves to Galway, develops a strong network of friends, and eventually, reunites with Aidan. Knowing that nothing was real kept me perpetually at arm’s length from the story. I never became invested in what was happening between Tildy and her friends or even Tildy and Aidan, because in the back of my mind, a voice was constantly reminding me that none of it was actually happening. That comedic moment with her friend? Not real. That sweet encounter with Aidan? Also, not real. I grew tired of Tildy’s incessant dreaming and wanted her to go forth into the real world and actually do things.
The characters, apart from Tildy, also leave a lot to be desired. Namely, they are underdeveloped. Jude is a particularly glaring example of this. He is supposed to be Tildy’s rival love interest, but he is given the barest of backstories. More about his past is revealed toward the end of the book, but at that point, it’s too little too late. Even with this additional information, he simply hasn’t been in the story enough to feel fleshed-out or lifelike. He is a wisp of a character who periodically materializes to lackadaisically advance a subplot. All of this serves to make him an unconvincing rival for Tildy’s affection. Although, if I’m being honest, Aidan is not that much better of a romantic interest, given that he primarily exists in Tildy’s imagination.
Underpinning – and exacerbating – everything is Woodsey’s writing style, including her choice of narrative structure and pacing. The story is lopsided, with the plot progressing at a snail’s pace until the final third of the book, at which point, things begin to happen too quickly. The flow is further hindered by an overabundance of mid-chapter breaks and the inclusion of Irish-language passages without any accompanying translations. While the gist of some of these sentences can be intuited, that is not the case for the vast majority of them. I often found myself having to set down The States in order to pull up a translating app on my phone, and these frequent disruptions prevented me from ever becoming fully immersed in the story. I like that Irish is included for authenticity; I just wish that translations were provided.
Lastly, The States leaves several questions unresolved at its conclusion. To not spoil anything, I will not specify what remains unanswered, but suffice it to say, I was left scratching my head about a few things when I turned the final page.
The good
Unlike the supporting characters, Tildy is fleshed-out and has a clear character arc. She grows over the course of the story, transforming into a more confident and fulfilled version of herself by the book’s end.
Another commendable aspect of The States is its setting, the western Irish coast. With its picturesque vistas, quaint villages, and cozy neighborhood pubs, it makes for a lovely backdrop (and makes me want to visit Ireland again).
Overall
While I applaud Woodsey for taking a risk and writing this speculative fiction spin on Persuasion, I cannot laud the story itself. The States falls short on numerous fronts, with the end result being a mediocre piece of literature.
Have you read The States? If so, let me know what you thought of it in the comments section below!
