An engaging exploration of what it might be like to experience locked-in syndrome. The story is interesting and moves along at a reasonable pace. Keeps the reader wondering where it's headed, but ultimately ends rather weakly. ( )

This was on course to get an average rating for an okayish if implausible story line. But it dragged on well beyond where the story should have finished (I didn’t even bother to read the whole of the last page-long chapter because of its total irrelevance) and as a result lost marks. ( )

An easy to read who dunnit ( )

If I Die Before I Wake sounded like a book with a really unusual and unique angle. Alex Jackson is our narrator and he's telling the story of a climbing accident that he had, what led up to it and what's happened since. So far so normal, right? Except Alex is in a coma and has been since the day of the accident. He's locked in, able to hear everything and see some things, he can feel pain, he can cry, yet he can't let anybody know all these things and even tests don't show that he's not in a vegetative state.

So there's the unique slant on the story and it could have gone either way. It could have been amazing but I'm sorry to say that I found this book to be quite a disappointment. There were times when I got excited thinking something was going to happen only to be brought crashing back down to earth very quickly.

Alex is aware that for the first time in two years (that's how long he's been in a coma!) things are happening in his extended world. His girlfriend, Bea, is possibly moving on, discussions are being made about ending his life and something's just not right about one of his visitors. This did cause a bit of tension and, like I say, a little excitement, but somehow the tension wasn't followed through and each high was met with a low. I had high hopes for the ending too but again, I felt it was lacking.

I think Emily Koch is a good writer, and perhaps for me the story needed another angle, perhaps one seen from one of the other characters, or maybe a genuine wow moment would have made it better for me. Either way, whilst this book didn't work for me I would still consider reading another of Koch's books in the future as I think there is potential there. ( )

Very well executed debut novel. Utterly engaging mystery and the ending was just perfect.
Full review to follow ... ( )