Cassandra in Reverse

Why did I trust Reese Witherspoon? There is nothing hilarious or original about this book - the plot is basically Eleanor Oliphant does Groundhog Day, with a lot of smug Madeline Miller-esque references to classical mythology wielded like brickbats. And the author's portrayal of autism is far from subtle - Cassandra's aversion to every physical sensation and her inability to parse basic language makes her more of a checklist than a believable character. And yes, she is deeply unlikeable, but the chick lit element of the story means that naturally everybody comes to love and cherish her in the end. Also, come on - anyone with Cassandra's issues would probably be aware that they were neurodivergent, but she needs a blast from the past show more about her mother? I understand and applaud the message of the book, but I found the whole narrative clunky and forced. show less

Cassandra Dankworth is not exactly having the best day. She has been sacked from her job, her boyfriend has dumped her and the cafe has run out of her beloved banana muffins. So when she discovers that she can go back in time and change things, she takes the opportunity. Soon she finds herself doing it all the time in an effort to keep Will, said boyfriend, from leaving her, and to try and hold onto her job. But it raises the question of whether just because she can change things, does it mean she should? Meantime, Cassandra is autistic and suffers with anxiety. She finds it hard to understand others motivations and actions, but as she goes back and does things differently, she finds that she does start to understand better.

I really show more enjoyed this book; it was funny in parts but also very poignant. I liked Cassandra but I also found her exasperating at times, and she reminded me a lot of Eleanor Olyphant from Eleanor Olyphant is Absolutely Fine. What I did find slightly hard to believe is that NOBODY seemed to question whether or not Cassandra was autistic; they all just thought she was slightly ‘odd’ and difficult to get along with. I don’t claim to be any expert in autism, but it was clear that she was on the spectrum and I feel sure that someone at some point may have raised this. Or maybe that Cassandra herself might have considered it.

The characters are interesting and Cassandra is mostly likable – at the least, I found myself rooting for her. The time travel aspect is never explained but it doesn’t need to be. The book is very readable and despite the constant references to Greek mythology (which Cassandra is passionate about), also undemanding. It isn’t necessarily one that will stick with me for a long time, but I liked it and would definitely read more by this author. show less

As I've stated before, I'm a sucker for a time-travel novel!
This is a romantic, funny, quirky one, with lots in interesting references to Greek mythology!
And potential multi-verses, but not too science-y.

Cassandra in Cassandra in Reverse reminds me a lot of Eleanor in Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine with her social awkwardness. You just cheer her on and want her to succeed.

There are themes in here dealing with past trauma surrounding Cassandra's parents untimely death 10 year prior which I found to be just heartbreaking when everything comes to light.

An interesting take on the time travel/live your life again trope, with Cassandra discovering the ability to rewind parts of her life to do again. Cassandra is a great character, and I immediately sympathized with her and rooted for her. But, I had a couple of issues with this book:

1) The title is misleading. Cassandra is not actually living her life in reverse. Rather, she has the ability to turn back time and relive certain parts of her life. Cassandra Rewinds might have been a better choice.
2) Are we seriously expected to believe that no-one in Cassandra's life understood that she's on the autism spectrum? It's books like this that make me wish I were an editor. If I'd seen the manuscript, I would have suggested some seriously show more reworking of this point. To be clear, I'm not objecting to Cassandra being on the autism spectrum, but rather that a major piece of the plot seems to hinge on neither she nor anyone in her life recognizing it. I would have advised making it part of the plot from the beginning, rather than a mystery that has to be solved for Cassandra's life to make sense. show less

"Time is the invisible thread that weaves our stories together.
And sixty seconds can change everything."

Absolutely fantastic! This was a wonderfully surprising read! I love that it didn't have the typical "then" and "now" POV even though it had wiggly time stuff in the plot. The story flowed well and Cassandra was easy to enjoy as a character, even if her social anxiety was hard to read at times. I loved the ways she'd learned to cope - her matching day-of-the-week jumpers, her sound-canceling headphones, her social earplugs and comfort banana muffins. They were all so endearing but also insight in to how much of a struggle some of her day-to-day interactions were.

I loved the growth in the story and finally realizing the insight in to show more those around her. I loved the connections in the story and the overall appreciation for the differences in people I felt by the end of the story. I will definitely look for more from this author! show less

Cassandra in Reverse is a fun, funny, heart-wrenching, heart-warming - and yes, I will say it: educational - novel. The protagonist is a quirky young woman, and the reader hears whispers of 'on the spectrum.' I have somewhat limited experience with autism, but I would agree. I have more experience with generalized anxiety and panic disorders and see those as possible in Cassandra as well.
It is difficult to say much about the book without revealing more than should be. The above descriptions gave me pause, but Cassandra's personality is shown quickly.
The main storyline is that Cassandra can time travel, specifically go back within the confines of her already-lived life. This ability can and does produce problems of its own, in addition show more to some escapades. Author Holly Smale does an extraordinary job of characterization. The reader is transported into Cassandra's life, causing great empathy with her. Despite not having what would usually be defined as an adventuresome existence, Cassandra's experiences hold the reader's attention. I loved the book and have found myself exploring other of Holly Smale's novels. Smale's superb characterization makes the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA publishing for the ARC of the book. show less

Cassandra is odd and on one terrible day finds she can time travel. Much of the book centers around her going back and trying to fix the things that went wrong. I found that interesting in that Cassandra really doesn't understand other people (her autism in action) but re-doing things gives her insight into what those other people are thinking. As a story of becoming more self-aware I think it succeeds.