If, Then

This character study looks at four neighbors who are having visions of alternate realities. The premise is interesting and it is a quick read, but the story feels very episodic. The rapid conclusion leads to interpretation, but also feels incomplete.

The title comes back to choices, and some of the alternate realities seem to connect to that. One of the characters was writing a dissertation in the philosophy of multiverses before taking time off for a baby. There are other themes worth discussing, and this could be a book club selection. A volcano and seismic events also make up a large part of the plot - but is the volcano the cause or the symptom of the visions?

In an interview, Kate Hope Day stated that the novel came from having her first child, and thinking about the person you were before and after. Some of these scenes made it into the book also, which was written during nap times. Day is also an associate producer at HBO. Whether or not it was her original intention, the story has been picked up for TV, and should be interesting to watch. I just hope they keep it in muddy, foggy Oregon.

In summary, this is an interesting first novel, but felt a little rough around the edges. 2½ stars.