Trigger Warning: Talks of abuse
The Origins of Iris contains a compelling storyline that goes were few other stories will go. Through Iris we get an unflinching portrayal of physical and emotional abuse and what it can do to a victim. We get to see her relationship when it was good and passionate, and because of the way in which the author writes the beginnings of their relationship, I actually had to remind myself I wasn’t reading a romance novel, and I wasn’t supposed to be rooting for their relationship. This act of actually having to remind myself also adds a scaringly realistic aspect to the book. Very often in real life relationships don’t start out as abusive and though they sometimes do, the inclusion of these good beginnings adds to the psychological thriller aspect of the book. The author also masterfully weaves in these moments in the beginning of their relationship that points to paradise not being as wonderful as it maybe should be. Once you see the relationship take a turn, it isn’t abrupt and explosively violent as many would assume it would be, but it instead make sense with their relationship dynamic already present. All this adds up to a hauntingly accurate portrayal of how relationships can turn abusive. Most importantly though, as the abuse continued and the relationship progressed it never felt as if the author was using the abuse for shock value or for the sake of pushing forward the narrative of the story, it felt real. Personally part of what made me love this book as much as I do was the authors respect for victims of abuse that shines through with her portrayal of it in the book.
The Characters
Iris:
Now Iris is not by any means a main character that is easy to like. Because, as is obvious, her story is not an easy one. However, I personally think the author did a fabulous job showing how abuse not only damages a person, but also how in some instances can cause victims to themselves become abusers. It was tough to read, but in my opinion, important. The author masterfully weaves this protagonist in a complex and unflinching way. Reading about the different people Iris would be had things in her life turned out one way instead of the other was fascinating. Though she wasn’t around for long, other Iris was one of the most important characters in the book. Because of the way she is able to hold a differing mirror of Iris’s life had she only made different decisions. Other Iris, though she is not necessarily her own character, stands out as such, and this is not something easy to do. Therefore, it also stands as one of the strongest pieces of evidence to attest to the brilliant writing Beth Lewis puts forth in this book. Iris has had a complicated life which makes her an equally complicated character.
Claude:
Now Claude was one of the most difficult characters to read about. This is mainly because you can’t hate her, or at least I couldn’t. When reading about her I found it splendid when analyzing the writing how the author made sure to never broad strokes her character. Yes, she was abusive. Yes, she didn’t treat Iris well in their relationship. But the author made sure to leave her human. Because that’s reality, and this for me made her character feel even more sinister. Abusers in real life are almost never one thing or the other, they are usually multiple things as are all humans. Personally, Claude’s characterization was some of the most brilliant writing in the book.
Now when it comes to the whole sci-fi esque 2 alternative timelines plot, I will admit I was extremely skeptical when I first read about it in the synopsis. However, after actually reading the book I think it was brilliantly done. The way it was written not only made sense for the story, but it also gave brilliant insight, into Iris for me as a reader. Because of the way in which the differing versions of Iris had vastly different lives based on the decisions they made. Decisions that are presented clearly as differing to each other at the beginning of the book. Seeing the ways those decisions played out in opposition to each other and seeing the pros & cons of both? Absolutely brilliant.
Overall, I was enthralled from the very first chapter and finished the book in one sitting. The ending for me was one of the most impactful moments in the book and perfectly concluded the story. I have chosen not to say much in this review because this story needs to be read blind and I refuse to rob anyone of its masterful plotlines. The Origins of Iris is one of the most intriguing and compelling books I’ve read in a while. Beth Lewis is definitely an author I will be looking out for in the future.