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The Undoing of Arlo Knott
What if your life had an 'undo' button?
Arlo Knott develops the mysterious ability to reverse his last action. It makes him able to experience anything, to charm any woman and impress any friend. His is a life free of mistakes, a life without regret.
But second chances aren't all they're cracked up to be. As wonderful as his new life is, a mistake in Arlo's traumatic childhood still haunts him and the temptation to undo, undo and keep undoing could be too much to resist.
Mainstream crossover fiction for fans of Matt Haig, Gail Honeyman and Rowan Coleman, from the author of Everything About You.
Arlo Knott develops the mysterious ability to reverse his last action. It makes him able to experience anything, to charm any woman and impress any friend. His is a life free of mistakes, a life without regret.
But second chances aren't all they're cracked up to be. As wonderful as his new life is, a mistake in Arlo's traumatic childhood still haunts him and the temptation to undo, undo and keep undoing could be too much to resist.
Mainstream crossover fiction for fans of Matt Haig, Gail Honeyman and Rowan Coleman, from the author of Everything About You.
464 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2019
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438 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 23, 2019
When I read the blurb for this book it reminded me of an episode of one of my favourite TV shows growing up, Round the Twist. Paul Jennings was one of my favourite authors and I loved encountering the unexpected in his stories. He wrote the episode, Spaghetti Pig Out, where a main character finds a remote control that can pause, fast forward or rewind anything or anyone it’s aimed at. This coincides with a spaghetti eating competition and the school bully just so happens to find out about the remote before the competition begins. Naturally he decides to use the remote control to attempt to win the competition, with amusing and quite disgusting results. I loved that episode! Anyway, I digress.
I was intrigued by this book’s blurb. Arlo can reverse whatever he just did. Imagine the possibilities. The mistakes you could fix. The pain you could undo. Who hasn’t imagined what they’d do if they had their life to live all over again. If only …
This book begins at Part 6! I loved that! Given Arlo’s ability to reverse actions it was the perfect touch for me; simple but so smart. I also appreciated the simplicity of the chapter headings, guiding me through Arlo’s life by telling me the age he was during the events of each chapter.
I’m currently surrounded by a constellation of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews so am keenly aware that I’m an outlier where this book’s concerned. I absolutely adored the concept, which reminded me not only of the TV series you’ve probably never heard of but also The Butterfly Effect and Groundhog Day. I even thought I could detect small traces of Final Destination.
The first problem was that I really didn’t like Arlo from the beginning. At all. He was arrogant, self centred, immature and lacked empathy. I don’t generally mind not liking characters and I’m usually fairly enthusiastic about loving to hate certain characters, but when the main character is so obnoxious I find it harder to care what happens to them. Sure, Arlo does grow as a character, some of the things I hated about him aren’t as prominent as his story progresses and some positive attributes emerge, but he never became someone I’d want to have a conversation with.
When he begins using his ability, power, gift, curse, genetic abnormality or whatever else you may want to call it, I found myself fairly consistently pleading with him not to be a cliché and then rolling my eyes as he gambled, womanised or otherwise disappointed me. Thankfully he does eventually find more interesting and varied ways to manipulate people and circumstances but the majority of these manipulations are ego driven.
While I learned the facts of a number of characters’ lives I didn’t connect emotionally with anyone. I was definitely interested in finding out more about several but my interest never extended far enough for me to worry about their future or consider reaching for a tissue if their lives encountered anything resembling tragedy. Given my propensity to ugly cry while reading, I was surprised by my lack of emotion.
I found Arlo’s story too drawn out for my liking and found myself getting bored early on. By the end of Part 6 (remember, this was the first part in this novel) I would have abandoned it if I hadn’t committed to reviewing it and temporarily set it aside to read another book before picking it back up again. Had I not continued I would have missed out on the final part, which I found intriguing but predictable. As I was reading I kept thinking that there was only one possible way for this book to end. Nevertheless, I anticipated and hoped for a blindside, but it didn’t happen.
If you enjoy novels that are more character driven, where you experience the excitement and the mundane throughout the years with a flawed main character, you’ll probably really enjoy this book. I expect it will be a popular book club choice, given the questions of morality, philosophy and psychology that it raises. I’d encourage you to check out some ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews as well before deciding if this book is for you or not.
Content warnings include death by suicide.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group (UK), for the opportunity to read this book.
I was intrigued by this book’s blurb. Arlo can reverse whatever he just did. Imagine the possibilities. The mistakes you could fix. The pain you could undo. Who hasn’t imagined what they’d do if they had their life to live all over again. If only …
This book begins at Part 6! I loved that! Given Arlo’s ability to reverse actions it was the perfect touch for me; simple but so smart. I also appreciated the simplicity of the chapter headings, guiding me through Arlo’s life by telling me the age he was during the events of each chapter.
I’m currently surrounded by a constellation of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews so am keenly aware that I’m an outlier where this book’s concerned. I absolutely adored the concept, which reminded me not only of the TV series you’ve probably never heard of but also The Butterfly Effect and Groundhog Day. I even thought I could detect small traces of Final Destination.
The first problem was that I really didn’t like Arlo from the beginning. At all. He was arrogant, self centred, immature and lacked empathy. I don’t generally mind not liking characters and I’m usually fairly enthusiastic about loving to hate certain characters, but when the main character is so obnoxious I find it harder to care what happens to them. Sure, Arlo does grow as a character, some of the things I hated about him aren’t as prominent as his story progresses and some positive attributes emerge, but he never became someone I’d want to have a conversation with.
When he begins using his ability, power, gift, curse, genetic abnormality or whatever else you may want to call it, I found myself fairly consistently pleading with him not to be a cliché and then rolling my eyes as he gambled, womanised or otherwise disappointed me. Thankfully he does eventually find more interesting and varied ways to manipulate people and circumstances but the majority of these manipulations are ego driven.
While I learned the facts of a number of characters’ lives I didn’t connect emotionally with anyone. I was definitely interested in finding out more about several but my interest never extended far enough for me to worry about their future or consider reaching for a tissue if their lives encountered anything resembling tragedy. Given my propensity to ugly cry while reading, I was surprised by my lack of emotion.
I found Arlo’s story too drawn out for my liking and found myself getting bored early on. By the end of Part 6 (remember, this was the first part in this novel) I would have abandoned it if I hadn’t committed to reviewing it and temporarily set it aside to read another book before picking it back up again. Had I not continued I would have missed out on the final part, which I found intriguing but predictable. As I was reading I kept thinking that there was only one possible way for this book to end. Nevertheless, I anticipated and hoped for a blindside, but it didn’t happen.
If you enjoy novels that are more character driven, where you experience the excitement and the mundane throughout the years with a flawed main character, you’ll probably really enjoy this book. I expect it will be a popular book club choice, given the questions of morality, philosophy and psychology that it raises. I’d encourage you to check out some ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews as well before deciding if this book is for you or not.
Content warnings include death by suicide.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group (UK), for the opportunity to read this book.
July 27, 2019
This was an intriguing tale of physics and life. Arlo Knott had a rare ability, he could undo time-space continuum. He could go back in time and correct his mistakes. This started with a few seconds in the past until it moved on to greater lengths of time. And this was his life story as he learned how time and universes really worked. And the role he played in that.
Heather Child has written a thought provoking concept based on a single line - what if we could have an undo button? How would we use it? I liked how Arlo's character had developed over the pages. She showed me his abilities and his mind frame at every age starting from when he was 13, when he lost his mum.
Power is heady and when such a power made you rich and a savior, you bet it would be used for personal gains. Arlo did that, he was selfish and greedy. He gambled and womanized. He became a magician, the Great Arlo. But he soon joined the police and started saving people. But it was all done for personal glory.
Along with him, his psysicist sister Erin and her girlfriend Nina and his love Sabra had a monumental part to play in his character development and understanding the physics behind it. He was not a likable character, but down the pages, I liked how he grew up to understand the repercussion of his abilities. He tried to correct some of them. His main motto in life was Save Sabra, his love. But did he really save her?
Child's writing kept the story pretty gripping. With such an ability, I had to know the truth behind it and where Arlo's life would finally land. The book started with Part 6 to end in an explosive finale of part 1. And the end reveal just took my breath away. Past and future were the same, and and the way the author has weaved them in, you have to read this book to believe it! Brilliant!! Definitely a different story.
Heather Child has written a thought provoking concept based on a single line - what if we could have an undo button? How would we use it? I liked how Arlo's character had developed over the pages. She showed me his abilities and his mind frame at every age starting from when he was 13, when he lost his mum.
Power is heady and when such a power made you rich and a savior, you bet it would be used for personal gains. Arlo did that, he was selfish and greedy. He gambled and womanized. He became a magician, the Great Arlo. But he soon joined the police and started saving people. But it was all done for personal glory.
Along with him, his psysicist sister Erin and her girlfriend Nina and his love Sabra had a monumental part to play in his character development and understanding the physics behind it. He was not a likable character, but down the pages, I liked how he grew up to understand the repercussion of his abilities. He tried to correct some of them. His main motto in life was Save Sabra, his love. But did he really save her?
Child's writing kept the story pretty gripping. With such an ability, I had to know the truth behind it and where Arlo's life would finally land. The book started with Part 6 to end in an explosive finale of part 1. And the end reveal just took my breath away. Past and future were the same, and and the way the author has weaved them in, you have to read this book to believe it! Brilliant!! Definitely a different story.
July 31, 2019
This book is fabulous! It's a clever speculative thriller but it also explores quite deeply the worlds of family, friendships, responsibility and - that awful emotion - guilt. Arlo Knott is a fascinating character as he explores the many different ways in which undoing an act can take him and realises how dangerous and terrifying and whimsical life really is. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights.
December 25, 2019
Heather Child’s The Undoing of Arlo Knott is superb! It’s even better than her first book Everthing About You. I loved the way Arlo discovers the limits of his gift and the limitless ripples it sends out into the universe when he uses it, in ways great and small. How when you can just go back and undo and replay events, people in your life become like NPCs in a computer game and you can reload until you get the desired outcome; they don’t seem real anymore. There is so much grief in this book, but also genuine humour and love. If you are looking for a fun, yet thinky read, Arlo is your boy!
August 1, 2021
Some interesting ideas, but I just didn't care about the characters. As a whole, I never was on Arlo's side in anything, and his decisions continued to be poor; which may have been the point, but I didn't jive with it.
July 10, 2019
Check back in August for my blog tour review! Really enjoyed this one 😊
July 27, 2019
Hi and welcome to my review of The Undoing of Arlo Knott! First of all, I’d like to invite you to take a good look at that gorgeous cover, because it pretty much sums up the whole story, albeit in a way you don’t really realise until you’ve read it. Also, a note on the chaptering, which is a bit funny: it starts with part 6. A publisher note explains that this is meant to reflect the time-reversing aspects of the novel. While I don’t exactly see the added value in this, it doesn’t distract from the story, nor is it confusing at any time. The chapters in each part are not neatly numbered starting from 1 either: they reflect Arlo’s age. In that way there are multiple chapters with the same number. Again, not confusing at all, and I do see the added value in this, because his age does matter more than protagonists’ ages in other books.
Right, so, The Undoing of Arlo Knott starts with Arlo, aged thirteen. A tragic accident that he’s at least partially to blame for changes his life forever and soon after he realises he can do something no one else seems to be able to: he can undo actions or events by returning in time to just before they took place.
From that point in time onwards, we follow Arlo through life, as he goes forward in time like everybody else, but also back in time. His ability to time-travel, albeit very limitedly, makes him nonchalant and brazen on the one hand, and a bit of a freeloader on the other: as a student he needs money, what easier way than to go gambling, or buy scratch cards. All the possibilities are there, all the realities are for the taking, once he has seen one reality, one possibility, it becomes real, but he can return and let it play again, or change reality by doing or saying something else.
Arlo leads a fascinating life, all the while trying to figure out what his ability means, how it might be explained, and all the while trying to stretch it, going back just a minute more, just an hour more, honing his unique skill. For a while he’s a magician, the great ArlO, raking in the money, because what he can do is as close to real magic as one can get. But eventually tiring of freeloading and his own self-centredness, and realising his ability is what got him and possibly lost him the love of his life, he decides to use it for the greater good, to help people and he starts a new career. But can he really keep meddling with people’s lives like this, even if it is for the greater good, or is he messing with fate?
Arlo’s journey is a fascinating one. His character’s arc is incredible. You see him grow as a person throughout the story and although I didn’t really like him at first, he grew on me as he was growing as a person. Knowing how he started out, that rather selfish little boy, and how the novel ends, is just… wow. This is a thriller, a family drama, a love story, an episode of Black Mirror and a Blake Crouch novel all rolled up in one sublimely plotted novel with a gasp-inducing finale that must be added to your reading list this summer, or next winter, or whatever, just add it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I highly recommend it, especially to all the Black Mirror fans out there.
Massive thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for the free eARC! All opinions are my own and I was not paid to give them.
Right, so, The Undoing of Arlo Knott starts with Arlo, aged thirteen. A tragic accident that he’s at least partially to blame for changes his life forever and soon after he realises he can do something no one else seems to be able to: he can undo actions or events by returning in time to just before they took place.
From that point in time onwards, we follow Arlo through life, as he goes forward in time like everybody else, but also back in time. His ability to time-travel, albeit very limitedly, makes him nonchalant and brazen on the one hand, and a bit of a freeloader on the other: as a student he needs money, what easier way than to go gambling, or buy scratch cards. All the possibilities are there, all the realities are for the taking, once he has seen one reality, one possibility, it becomes real, but he can return and let it play again, or change reality by doing or saying something else.
Arlo leads a fascinating life, all the while trying to figure out what his ability means, how it might be explained, and all the while trying to stretch it, going back just a minute more, just an hour more, honing his unique skill. For a while he’s a magician, the great ArlO, raking in the money, because what he can do is as close to real magic as one can get. But eventually tiring of freeloading and his own self-centredness, and realising his ability is what got him and possibly lost him the love of his life, he decides to use it for the greater good, to help people and he starts a new career. But can he really keep meddling with people’s lives like this, even if it is for the greater good, or is he messing with fate?
Arlo’s journey is a fascinating one. His character’s arc is incredible. You see him grow as a person throughout the story and although I didn’t really like him at first, he grew on me as he was growing as a person. Knowing how he started out, that rather selfish little boy, and how the novel ends, is just… wow. This is a thriller, a family drama, a love story, an episode of Black Mirror and a Blake Crouch novel all rolled up in one sublimely plotted novel with a gasp-inducing finale that must be added to your reading list this summer, or next winter, or whatever, just add it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I highly recommend it, especially to all the Black Mirror fans out there.
Massive thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for the free eARC! All opinions are my own and I was not paid to give them.
August 11, 2019
This starts with young Arlo helping his mum in the garden, he’s holding the ladder for her while she sands down some woodwork. He is then distracted by a slowworm and moves away from the ladder……..the tragedy that follows haunts him with guilt….could a slight boy have actually made a difference…?
Arlo then discovers he has a ‘gift’….he can jump back in time a few seconds….with practice this gets a little longer….at first he uses it to get himself out of situations, like eating his nans shortbread, or breaking something….but then he starts using it for his own gain, revenge on a bully, chatting to girls. Somehow just knowing what to say!
He becomes a selfish, self centred young man and takes advantage of many people…but then he falls in love with Sabra, a musician, who came into his life due to an accident that he had caused…….it changed her life plans forever.
While this all seems so lucky, Arlo is always tormented by his actions and never really satisfied with anything and this is a tale of sadness and a bit of melancholy….so many what if I’s?……his gift is a bit of a curse. Can Arlo come to realise his actions have far greater consequences…..? Or will this be his undoing?
I found this to be a captivating read, beautifully written and so thought provoking……who hasn’t had moments of regret and wondering….what if? I can thoroughly recommend it and this will be a must read for Book clubs everywhere.
Thank you to The publishers, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Arlo then discovers he has a ‘gift’….he can jump back in time a few seconds….with practice this gets a little longer….at first he uses it to get himself out of situations, like eating his nans shortbread, or breaking something….but then he starts using it for his own gain, revenge on a bully, chatting to girls. Somehow just knowing what to say!
He becomes a selfish, self centred young man and takes advantage of many people…but then he falls in love with Sabra, a musician, who came into his life due to an accident that he had caused…….it changed her life plans forever.
While this all seems so lucky, Arlo is always tormented by his actions and never really satisfied with anything and this is a tale of sadness and a bit of melancholy….so many what if I’s?……his gift is a bit of a curse. Can Arlo come to realise his actions have far greater consequences…..? Or will this be his undoing?
I found this to be a captivating read, beautifully written and so thought provoking……who hasn’t had moments of regret and wondering….what if? I can thoroughly recommend it and this will be a must read for Book clubs everywhere.
Thank you to The publishers, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
March 10, 2022
The Undoing of Arlo Knott put me in a reading slump. Arlo was irritating and I wasn’t invested in what happened to him - I almost gave up without finishing. However, about halfway through, I became more immersed in the story. It’s a simple plot idea but explored in an interesting way that demonstrated character development throughout, i.e. he becomes less annoying. Unfortunately, the ending felt quite abrupt and rushed (considering the middle of the book was rather lengthy) and lacked the intended impact. Overall, a middle of the road book for me.
July 15, 2019
The Undoing of Arlo Knott is unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s a book that grows in its power: it starts off like a single recorder being played out of tune but quickly builds up to a crashing crescendo with a show-stopping finale.
After a traumatic childhood incident, Arlo Knott discovers he can rewind time. He can undo any mistake, make uncanny predictions, impress friends and strangers, and chat up girls. But this temptation to undo and erase his mistakes isn’t the gift he initially thinks it is.
Sounds like fantasy, right? Click your fingers and go back in time – correct all the bad things that happen and stop awful things from happening in the future. But it doesn’t feel like fantasy. Child includes an impressive level of physics – through Arlo’s sister Erin and her girlfriend Nina – and the science behind Arlo’s gift is eventually unwound. You learn a lot about psychology too.
There’s romance: Arlo’s love is the driver behind much of the plot. And there’s action in the form of landmine detection, foreign hostage negotiation and life as a copper. Arlo Knott packs a lot in, yet it doesn’t feel contrived or hard to follow. Just like Arlo’s heavily edited, perfect life, this book makes no mistakes.
The plot sounds a little crazy, and the amount you go through with Arlo gave me a serious book hangover. But Child has tight control over this and never once slips up. Every action, every move, every relationship makes perfect sense.
Child’s main gift is character building. I hated Arlo to start with. Like, I really did not like the kid. But I couldn’t help myself from investing in him and his story. It takes a gifted writer and storyteller to create such a character while making you want more.
The way Child develops Arlo’s character is genius. He remains flawed, yet he shows real growth. Not just in his attitude to his gift, but in how he treats people. He starts thinking about the consequences and effects on others, and whether he has done more good or more bad. This book really makes you question your ethics, morality and what it means to be mortal.
We all say that hindsight is wonderful – but what if you could act on it? This is less Bernard's Watch – and more like Black Mirror, with a healthy dose of The Butterfly Effect too. The twist in Arlo Knott took my breath away. I’m sure I strained my eyes finishing it: once you get to that point, there’s no going back. I won’t give away the ending. But I will give you my thought process as I read (and re-read, and re-read, and re-read) the last three pages: “Ah, got it. Right. Poor Arlo. Err. What? Hang on – HANG ON. REALLY? Is this –? Did that –? Oh my. Oh.”
The Undoing of Arlo Knott is a masterpiece. It ticks all of my boxes: fallible, human characters; an unpredictable plot; vivid descriptions and an effortless writing style; and thought-provoking scenes and issues. I finished it almost a week ago, but the moral and ethical dilemmas it raises still linger in my mind. I’m almost tempted to dock it a star for the serious book hangover it’s given me, but no…
5*
Thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group (UK) and Heather Child for a copy of this ARC, in exchange for an honest and open review.
After a traumatic childhood incident, Arlo Knott discovers he can rewind time. He can undo any mistake, make uncanny predictions, impress friends and strangers, and chat up girls. But this temptation to undo and erase his mistakes isn’t the gift he initially thinks it is.
Sounds like fantasy, right? Click your fingers and go back in time – correct all the bad things that happen and stop awful things from happening in the future. But it doesn’t feel like fantasy. Child includes an impressive level of physics – through Arlo’s sister Erin and her girlfriend Nina – and the science behind Arlo’s gift is eventually unwound. You learn a lot about psychology too.
There’s romance: Arlo’s love is the driver behind much of the plot. And there’s action in the form of landmine detection, foreign hostage negotiation and life as a copper. Arlo Knott packs a lot in, yet it doesn’t feel contrived or hard to follow. Just like Arlo’s heavily edited, perfect life, this book makes no mistakes.
The plot sounds a little crazy, and the amount you go through with Arlo gave me a serious book hangover. But Child has tight control over this and never once slips up. Every action, every move, every relationship makes perfect sense.
Child’s main gift is character building. I hated Arlo to start with. Like, I really did not like the kid. But I couldn’t help myself from investing in him and his story. It takes a gifted writer and storyteller to create such a character while making you want more.
The way Child develops Arlo’s character is genius. He remains flawed, yet he shows real growth. Not just in his attitude to his gift, but in how he treats people. He starts thinking about the consequences and effects on others, and whether he has done more good or more bad. This book really makes you question your ethics, morality and what it means to be mortal.
We all say that hindsight is wonderful – but what if you could act on it? This is less Bernard's Watch – and more like Black Mirror, with a healthy dose of The Butterfly Effect too. The twist in Arlo Knott took my breath away. I’m sure I strained my eyes finishing it: once you get to that point, there’s no going back. I won’t give away the ending. But I will give you my thought process as I read (and re-read, and re-read, and re-read) the last three pages: “Ah, got it. Right. Poor Arlo. Err. What? Hang on – HANG ON. REALLY? Is this –? Did that –? Oh my. Oh.”
The Undoing of Arlo Knott is a masterpiece. It ticks all of my boxes: fallible, human characters; an unpredictable plot; vivid descriptions and an effortless writing style; and thought-provoking scenes and issues. I finished it almost a week ago, but the moral and ethical dilemmas it raises still linger in my mind. I’m almost tempted to dock it a star for the serious book hangover it’s given me, but no…
5*
Thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group (UK) and Heather Child for a copy of this ARC, in exchange for an honest and open review.
July 29, 2019
I enjoyed Everything About You when I read it last year so was quite intrigued to see what the author would serve up for this, her second book. And, the verdict; I blooming loved it!
Arlo Knott suffers a devastating loss as a child and has felt guilty ever since. One day, he finds that he can "rewind time" initially only going back a minute or two, but long enough for him to erase mistakes, take back things he's said, or find out information he can manipulate people/situations with. Sadly, he can't go back far enough to "undo" the biggest regret of his life but he can make the life he has more bearable. But, as we all know, actions have consequences, even ones that are undone. How far will Arlo go to keep his life on track and will he ever be able to go back far enough to make a real difference?
You know how many times I've wished to be able to "undo" stupid things I've said in the heat of the moment, or rewind to before I went out last night. Luckily, I did most of my stupid stuff before the age of the internet and social media so evidence is few and far between. Even so, there's still a bunch of "off the cuff" comments that I really should have left as "things you think", and more than a few "wake up in shock" moments at what may have happened when I was a bit drunk. I quite fancy giving a few people a gentle slap and taking it back too! But I'm no Arlo Knott and I also guess that maybe, if I was, the temptation to "undo" would get a bit out of control.
Arlo is a complex character. Probably due to his many "rewind and redo" moments, you never quite see the real person behind all that manipulation. He also seems to have an air of self-importance and can be arrogant at times. This all makes him a bit unlikable, especially when the majority of the things he rewinds only really help him, he's kinda selfish in that regard. But he does have the odd redeeming characteristic so I was able to connect to him in some way as the story progressed.
I can't say too much about it but I really enjoyed both the way the book was set out and the way the timey-wimey elements came together at the end (and you may well have to re-read the last few pages - I did!). Oh and more importantly, yes, it starts at part 6, no need for panic!
This is one of the rare books that I have now added to my to be re-read pile. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Arlo Knott suffers a devastating loss as a child and has felt guilty ever since. One day, he finds that he can "rewind time" initially only going back a minute or two, but long enough for him to erase mistakes, take back things he's said, or find out information he can manipulate people/situations with. Sadly, he can't go back far enough to "undo" the biggest regret of his life but he can make the life he has more bearable. But, as we all know, actions have consequences, even ones that are undone. How far will Arlo go to keep his life on track and will he ever be able to go back far enough to make a real difference?
You know how many times I've wished to be able to "undo" stupid things I've said in the heat of the moment, or rewind to before I went out last night. Luckily, I did most of my stupid stuff before the age of the internet and social media so evidence is few and far between. Even so, there's still a bunch of "off the cuff" comments that I really should have left as "things you think", and more than a few "wake up in shock" moments at what may have happened when I was a bit drunk. I quite fancy giving a few people a gentle slap and taking it back too! But I'm no Arlo Knott and I also guess that maybe, if I was, the temptation to "undo" would get a bit out of control.
Arlo is a complex character. Probably due to his many "rewind and redo" moments, you never quite see the real person behind all that manipulation. He also seems to have an air of self-importance and can be arrogant at times. This all makes him a bit unlikable, especially when the majority of the things he rewinds only really help him, he's kinda selfish in that regard. But he does have the odd redeeming characteristic so I was able to connect to him in some way as the story progressed.
I can't say too much about it but I really enjoyed both the way the book was set out and the way the timey-wimey elements came together at the end (and you may well have to re-read the last few pages - I did!). Oh and more importantly, yes, it starts at part 6, no need for panic!
This is one of the rare books that I have now added to my to be re-read pile. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
July 24, 2019
It’s difficult to know where to start with reviewing this, as it’s so unlike anything I’ve read recently. I can’t call to mind an ‘if you loved X, you will love Arlo Knott’ comparison. It’s hard to even place the genre. Science fiction? Fantasy? General fiction with a magical twist? It's a book that rather defies categorisation.
The Undoing Of Arlo Knott is the story of a man with the ability to go back in time a very short amount. He can undo the previous few moments, take back a badly landed pickup line, change an accident to a near miss, say or do whatever he wants, only to reverse it, as if it never happened. It’s the story of what he does with that power, which, as you can probably imagine, is to thoroughly abuse it for personal gain.
There is some exploration of why he has the ability, the physics involved, but largely the story is focused on what he does with it. And it's not always easy going. Arlo is selfish, using his ability to live a charmed life, without thought of the consequences, because his life has no real consequences. He can just undo anything bad as long as he does it quickly. He's a very difficult character to like - even as he tries to engage in heroism, joining the police or clearing landmines, he does so with only personal glory in mind.
And, of course, it's difficult to talk about his development as a character without ruining the story. All I really want to say is that there is development, and the reasons behind it are beautifully imagined and brilliantly executed. In fact, when I reached the end of the book, I had to stop, turn back five or six pages and read it again, just to be sure I'd fully understood. It left me a little breathless, and I found myself thinking about the ending over and over for a few days after I put the book down.
So, a difficult book to describe, but utterly worth picking up if you enjoy thoughtful explorations of human nature with a twist of the magical to provide an anchor point, a focus, for the narrative. Despite Arlo being a largely vile character, you can't help but be behind him, root for him, and the revelations towards the end of the book will leave you wanting to go back to the beginning and experience the whole thing again. Highly recommended.
The Undoing Of Arlo Knott is the story of a man with the ability to go back in time a very short amount. He can undo the previous few moments, take back a badly landed pickup line, change an accident to a near miss, say or do whatever he wants, only to reverse it, as if it never happened. It’s the story of what he does with that power, which, as you can probably imagine, is to thoroughly abuse it for personal gain.
There is some exploration of why he has the ability, the physics involved, but largely the story is focused on what he does with it. And it's not always easy going. Arlo is selfish, using his ability to live a charmed life, without thought of the consequences, because his life has no real consequences. He can just undo anything bad as long as he does it quickly. He's a very difficult character to like - even as he tries to engage in heroism, joining the police or clearing landmines, he does so with only personal glory in mind.
And, of course, it's difficult to talk about his development as a character without ruining the story. All I really want to say is that there is development, and the reasons behind it are beautifully imagined and brilliantly executed. In fact, when I reached the end of the book, I had to stop, turn back five or six pages and read it again, just to be sure I'd fully understood. It left me a little breathless, and I found myself thinking about the ending over and over for a few days after I put the book down.
So, a difficult book to describe, but utterly worth picking up if you enjoy thoughtful explorations of human nature with a twist of the magical to provide an anchor point, a focus, for the narrative. Despite Arlo being a largely vile character, you can't help but be behind him, root for him, and the revelations towards the end of the book will leave you wanting to go back to the beginning and experience the whole thing again. Highly recommended.
July 28, 2019
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What if your life had an 'undo' button?
At thirteen, among pain and regret for his mother's passing, Arlo Knott realizes that he has an extraordinary ability: he can reverse his most recent action. His power, at this point, comes with limitations: he has to remember exactly what was done in order to reverse it, and it must be the most recent happening. But it's still a tremendous ability. Is this his free pass card into a life with no serious mistakes or dangers? Or can this lead to repercussions?
Soon enough, Arlo will realize that for every choice, there's a price to pay. Even for him, and even as, while getting older, his ability seems to be growing. You can't leave skeletons in your closet forever, and Arlo will have to understand that sooner or later. Meanwhile, strange results of his ability will come to haunt him.
The Undoing of Arlo Knott is a beautiful, hard-breaking, mind-shattering story of a person that holds an unthinkable, for today's standards, power: to undo the actions that didn't turn out well, while living the what-ifs that the rest of humanity can only ponder about. Arlo himself is a peculiar character, driven by intelligence as much as by grief. Not always making the right choices (even with the power he holds in his hands), he goes through a life that's equally intriguing and tragic, with small spots of sunshine in between. Arlo shows us what the human mind (and soul) are capable of: both in a positive and a negative scope. And his story doesn't cease to amaze, from the beginning to the very last page.
Heather Child has carefully constructed a true masterpiece. I would gladly read this story over and over without ceasing to be absorbed by its details. This is a book you'll want on your 2019 list - in fact, why not read it exactly once it's out? This is a choice you will not regret.
What if your life had an 'undo' button?
At thirteen, among pain and regret for his mother's passing, Arlo Knott realizes that he has an extraordinary ability: he can reverse his most recent action. His power, at this point, comes with limitations: he has to remember exactly what was done in order to reverse it, and it must be the most recent happening. But it's still a tremendous ability. Is this his free pass card into a life with no serious mistakes or dangers? Or can this lead to repercussions?
Soon enough, Arlo will realize that for every choice, there's a price to pay. Even for him, and even as, while getting older, his ability seems to be growing. You can't leave skeletons in your closet forever, and Arlo will have to understand that sooner or later. Meanwhile, strange results of his ability will come to haunt him.
The Undoing of Arlo Knott is a beautiful, hard-breaking, mind-shattering story of a person that holds an unthinkable, for today's standards, power: to undo the actions that didn't turn out well, while living the what-ifs that the rest of humanity can only ponder about. Arlo himself is a peculiar character, driven by intelligence as much as by grief. Not always making the right choices (even with the power he holds in his hands), he goes through a life that's equally intriguing and tragic, with small spots of sunshine in between. Arlo shows us what the human mind (and soul) are capable of: both in a positive and a negative scope. And his story doesn't cease to amaze, from the beginning to the very last page.
Heather Child has carefully constructed a true masterpiece. I would gladly read this story over and over without ceasing to be absorbed by its details. This is a book you'll want on your 2019 list - in fact, why not read it exactly once it's out? This is a choice you will not regret.
September 30, 2019
The Undoing Of Arlo Knott is a time travel contemporary fantasy.
Arlo Knott has the ability to go back in time so that he could change an outcome of an event. He first discovered this ability as a teenager, when he moved time during a school class. With practice he learns how to 'unknot' time for longer periods.
The story follows Arlo between the ages of thirteen and thirty-six. As he sought ways to feel adored and appreciated, his 'undoing' was not used for the most altruistic of purpose, and it wasn’t until later in life that he used it to help others when he joined the police force.
Haunting Arlo throughout all this is the universe with its cause and effect principles, and every ripple that Arlo causes in time begins to nibble at the edges of reality. See here for full review https://wp.me/p2Eu3u-f12
Arlo Knott has the ability to go back in time so that he could change an outcome of an event. He first discovered this ability as a teenager, when he moved time during a school class. With practice he learns how to 'unknot' time for longer periods.
The story follows Arlo between the ages of thirteen and thirty-six. As he sought ways to feel adored and appreciated, his 'undoing' was not used for the most altruistic of purpose, and it wasn’t until later in life that he used it to help others when he joined the police force.
Haunting Arlo throughout all this is the universe with its cause and effect principles, and every ripple that Arlo causes in time begins to nibble at the edges of reality. See here for full review https://wp.me/p2Eu3u-f12
February 19, 2021
"I let the container fall, then regretted it back to the work surface, again and again. I lived in that instant for who knows how long, until it seemed my eyes were two thistle-shot globes of white, smashing and re-forming with the jar"
IL TRUCCO È SALVARE LA PARTITA
Che occasione sprecata! Ma la colpa è mia perché, appena vengo a sapere che un libro contiene il concept del time loop, mi ci fiondo senza informami meglio. Infatti, nonostante io continui a trovare brillante questo espediente narrativo sul piano teorico, la maggior parte di questi romanzi si sono rivelati deludenti nella pratica. "The Undoing of Arlo Knott" non fa purtroppo eccezione, infatti il lato fantascientifico della storia viene relegato in un angolino per dar spazio alla narrativa di formazione e al romance.
E dire che il romanzo partita con una buona premessa. All'inizio vediamo un Arlo ragazzino che, in un momento di distrazione, diventa in parte causa dell'incidente in cui la madre perde la vita; poco dopo, il protagonista si scopre in grado di annullare le azioni passate, in pratica cambiando il corso del tempo e creando delle realtà parallele in cui i suoi errori vengono sempre evitati. Una capacità che Arlo migliora molto nel corso degli anni e, almeno fino all'epilogo, mantiene una sua logica di fondo.
La trama si limita a questo spunto: non aspettatevi grandi svolte o un intreccio complesso, anzi! una buona parte delle sottotrame introdotte vengono poi abbandonate a se stesse, mentre nella parte finale abbiamo uno sviluppo potenzialmente interessante di cui però non vediamo l'evoluzione, dal momento che l'autrice ha optato per una conclusione molto rapida e vagamente paracula. La sensazione è quella di partecipare al gioco da tavolo ideato dal padre di Arlo, in cui non esiste uno scopo se non andare avanti sul tabellone.
Questo è solo uno degli innumerevoli riferimenti ai giochi da tavolo che troviamo disseminati nel romanzo, tra citazioni sfacciate e parallelismi interessanti. Un esempio lampante è il collegamento a Scale e serpenti, con il ripetersi degli sbagli commessi da Arlo, cosa che rende il protagonista ancor più fastidioso di quanto già non sia di suo. Da questo punto di vista, la narrazione in prima persona non aiuta sicuramente: il lettore è imprigionato nel POV di Arlo e si trova costretto ad assistere alle vicende attraverso gli occhi di un uomo egoista e -grazie al suo potere- scriteriato; anche quando gli eventi riguardano gli altri personaggi, Arlo si interessa solo a ciò che lui prova o a come lui si sentirebbe in una certa situazione. Ne consegue che il resto del cast ha una caratterizzazione molto blanda, nonostante alcuni avessero un buon potenziale; nella pratica compaiono in scena solo quando il protagonista li vuole vicino: l'esempio migliore è dato da Tim, in teoria migliore amico di Arlo, che vedremo forse quattro volte in tutta la storia.
Anche lo stile non mi ha particolarmente convinta, specie nella prima parte in cui si ha l'impressione che gli avvenimenti vengano narrati con distacco e molto frettolosamente, anziché mostrati;questo anche perché viene favorita la descrizione al dialogo tra i personaggi. Non trovo buona neppure la scelta di anticipare molti sviluppi all'inizio di un capitolo, ma i due elementi che più mi hanno delusa solo la scena del "salvataggio" di Biancaneve (e metto lo virgolette perché, se qualcuno intende suicidarsi, non stai salvando nessuno!) e la tempistica di alcune scene. Se da un lato vediamo il caro Arlo diventare esperto individuatore di mine antiuomo nell'arco di una pagina, altri sviluppi impiegano inspiegabilmente anni per concretizzarsi.
IL TRUCCO È SALVARE LA PARTITA
Che occasione sprecata! Ma la colpa è mia perché, appena vengo a sapere che un libro contiene il concept del time loop, mi ci fiondo senza informami meglio. Infatti, nonostante io continui a trovare brillante questo espediente narrativo sul piano teorico, la maggior parte di questi romanzi si sono rivelati deludenti nella pratica. "The Undoing of Arlo Knott" non fa purtroppo eccezione, infatti il lato fantascientifico della storia viene relegato in un angolino per dar spazio alla narrativa di formazione e al romance.
E dire che il romanzo partita con una buona premessa. All'inizio vediamo un Arlo ragazzino che, in un momento di distrazione, diventa in parte causa dell'incidente in cui la madre perde la vita; poco dopo, il protagonista si scopre in grado di annullare le azioni passate, in pratica cambiando il corso del tempo e creando delle realtà parallele in cui i suoi errori vengono sempre evitati. Una capacità che Arlo migliora molto nel corso degli anni e, almeno fino all'epilogo, mantiene una sua logica di fondo.
La trama si limita a questo spunto: non aspettatevi grandi svolte o un intreccio complesso, anzi! una buona parte delle sottotrame introdotte vengono poi abbandonate a se stesse, mentre nella parte finale abbiamo uno sviluppo potenzialmente interessante di cui però non vediamo l'evoluzione, dal momento che l'autrice ha optato per una conclusione molto rapida e vagamente paracula. La sensazione è quella di partecipare al gioco da tavolo ideato dal padre di Arlo, in cui non esiste uno scopo se non andare avanti sul tabellone.
Questo è solo uno degli innumerevoli riferimenti ai giochi da tavolo che troviamo disseminati nel romanzo, tra citazioni sfacciate e parallelismi interessanti. Un esempio lampante è il collegamento a Scale e serpenti, con il ripetersi degli sbagli commessi da Arlo, cosa che rende il protagonista ancor più fastidioso di quanto già non sia di suo. Da questo punto di vista, la narrazione in prima persona non aiuta sicuramente: il lettore è imprigionato nel POV di Arlo e si trova costretto ad assistere alle vicende attraverso gli occhi di un uomo egoista e -grazie al suo potere- scriteriato; anche quando gli eventi riguardano gli altri personaggi, Arlo si interessa solo a ciò che lui prova o a come lui si sentirebbe in una certa situazione. Ne consegue che il resto del cast ha una caratterizzazione molto blanda, nonostante alcuni avessero un buon potenziale; nella pratica compaiono in scena solo quando il protagonista li vuole vicino: l'esempio migliore è dato da Tim, in teoria migliore amico di Arlo, che vedremo forse quattro volte in tutta la storia.
Anche lo stile non mi ha particolarmente convinta, specie nella prima parte in cui si ha l'impressione che gli avvenimenti vengano narrati con distacco e molto frettolosamente, anziché mostrati;questo anche perché viene favorita la descrizione al dialogo tra i personaggi. Non trovo buona neppure la scelta di anticipare molti sviluppi all'inizio di un capitolo, ma i due elementi che più mi hanno delusa solo la scena del "salvataggio" di Biancaneve (e metto lo virgolette perché, se qualcuno intende suicidarsi, non stai salvando nessuno!) e la tempistica di alcune scene. Se da un lato vediamo il caro Arlo diventare esperto individuatore di mine antiuomo nell'arco di una pagina, altri sviluppi impiegano inspiegabilmente anni per concretizzarsi.
August 5, 2019
https://lynns-books.com/2019/08/05/th...
The undoing of Arlo Knott was a captivating and thought provoking tale that literally made me think – ‘be careful what you wish for’.
The story gets off to a really strong start. We meet Arlow as a young boy, gauche and awkward, a self confessed ‘mummy’s boy’ and in fact he is indeed helping his mum as she undertakes some DIY on their cosy little house. It’s simply one of those scenes that you know, like you sometimes know it’s going to thunder, that things are going to go horribly wrong – and of course, they do. This is a day that will have a massive impact on both Arlo and his sister. A day of ‘what ifs’. But, in real life there are no ‘what ifs’. You make your choice and take your chance and that’s that. And yet, Arlo discovers, too late to have any impact on that disastrous summer day where one moment of carefree behaviour led to a tragic accident, that he in fact can reverse time. Maybe only little snippets at first, but eventually having a far more reaching effect – although never quite enough to go back and prevent that one big life changing moment.
Now, when Arlo discovers this special ability he’s a young boy really and so of course he uses it for all types of petty revenge not to mention abusing it to chat up girls. He can’t say anything wrong if he can keep rewinding until he gets things right after all! The problem is that Arlo becomes lazy. As he experiments more and more with his special ability and understands the freedom which it brings he really, well, for a time, becomes quite easy to dislike. If he says the wrong thing he can simply rewind it which in turn means he has very little thought in his head for anyone else or their feelings. To an extent, his ability actually has a negative impact on him. He never takes that heedless rush at things, experiments or takes chances, because everything he does comes with a ‘time back’ guarantee. Does he really have friends or a partner that know him? And that’s what I mean by ‘be careful what you wish for’. We have all had moments where we’ve thought ‘If I’d only…’ but having the power to rewind those moments in some way steals the real impact and the true life lessons that those moments teach us It’s like he never really experiences anything – or at least, he does, but in ten different ways which means he never really learns anything – he knows he doesn’t have to because he can rewind.
On the face of it Arlo seems impossibly lucky. He gets to change his career repeatedly and quite unrealistically and always becomes good at what he does. He’s like the golden child. His sister, who is actually incredibly intelligent and a well respected physicist has a lot less easy time of things in spite of really striving to achieve. There is the sense of ‘unfairness’ to it all but I’m sure we’ve all had friends or colleagues who seem unbelievably lucky and Arlo comes across as one of those. Maybe we all know an ‘Arlo’?
At the start of the story I can’t say I really liked Arlo. He was incredibly self centred but, he really does have an incredible story arc eventually coming to the realisation that he isn’t really experiencing life the way things currently stands – which coincidentally almost clashes with another character unexpectedly wanting to manipulate his talents.
So, criticisms. Well, there is very little, ergo none at all, explanations here. In some ways I respect that. This is a story of fantasy after all. Nobody expects the existence of dragons to be explained when they pick up The Hobbit so why can’t Arlo knott and his special abilities simply exist in a modern contemporary setting? He can, of course, but the only issue for me was that I had other little niggles. Everytime Arlo turned back time I couldn’t help but wonder – does that affect everyone in the world? It surely must – but then that seems such a big deal that it practically blew my mind. Also, there is an underlying theme of sadness – so you do need to be in the right mood for this – which isn’t to say this book won’t grab you and hold you from the get go – because it will – but just be prepared that this isn’t necessarily a rosy tale of happyness. And, I reached a certain point in the read where it started to feel monotonous with Arlo repeating, rewinding, and repeating mistakes – that is until things change.
This is a difficult book to review in that I don’t want to give away spoilers, which is why I’ve not gone into the plot at all. What I will say is that this is a strange tale of a young man trying to change things, who falls in love and realises that he doesn’t always need to change things – until he realises that his own constant mini-rewinds have more of an impact than he ever realised.
I enjoyed this, I was hooked, I had a blip of ‘sameness’ at a certain point but I was never not intrigued enough to continue reading and the more I reflect upon it the more I appreciate just how clever it really is.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
The undoing of Arlo Knott was a captivating and thought provoking tale that literally made me think – ‘be careful what you wish for’.
The story gets off to a really strong start. We meet Arlow as a young boy, gauche and awkward, a self confessed ‘mummy’s boy’ and in fact he is indeed helping his mum as she undertakes some DIY on their cosy little house. It’s simply one of those scenes that you know, like you sometimes know it’s going to thunder, that things are going to go horribly wrong – and of course, they do. This is a day that will have a massive impact on both Arlo and his sister. A day of ‘what ifs’. But, in real life there are no ‘what ifs’. You make your choice and take your chance and that’s that. And yet, Arlo discovers, too late to have any impact on that disastrous summer day where one moment of carefree behaviour led to a tragic accident, that he in fact can reverse time. Maybe only little snippets at first, but eventually having a far more reaching effect – although never quite enough to go back and prevent that one big life changing moment.
Now, when Arlo discovers this special ability he’s a young boy really and so of course he uses it for all types of petty revenge not to mention abusing it to chat up girls. He can’t say anything wrong if he can keep rewinding until he gets things right after all! The problem is that Arlo becomes lazy. As he experiments more and more with his special ability and understands the freedom which it brings he really, well, for a time, becomes quite easy to dislike. If he says the wrong thing he can simply rewind it which in turn means he has very little thought in his head for anyone else or their feelings. To an extent, his ability actually has a negative impact on him. He never takes that heedless rush at things, experiments or takes chances, because everything he does comes with a ‘time back’ guarantee. Does he really have friends or a partner that know him? And that’s what I mean by ‘be careful what you wish for’. We have all had moments where we’ve thought ‘If I’d only…’ but having the power to rewind those moments in some way steals the real impact and the true life lessons that those moments teach us It’s like he never really experiences anything – or at least, he does, but in ten different ways which means he never really learns anything – he knows he doesn’t have to because he can rewind.
On the face of it Arlo seems impossibly lucky. He gets to change his career repeatedly and quite unrealistically and always becomes good at what he does. He’s like the golden child. His sister, who is actually incredibly intelligent and a well respected physicist has a lot less easy time of things in spite of really striving to achieve. There is the sense of ‘unfairness’ to it all but I’m sure we’ve all had friends or colleagues who seem unbelievably lucky and Arlo comes across as one of those. Maybe we all know an ‘Arlo’?
At the start of the story I can’t say I really liked Arlo. He was incredibly self centred but, he really does have an incredible story arc eventually coming to the realisation that he isn’t really experiencing life the way things currently stands – which coincidentally almost clashes with another character unexpectedly wanting to manipulate his talents.
So, criticisms. Well, there is very little, ergo none at all, explanations here. In some ways I respect that. This is a story of fantasy after all. Nobody expects the existence of dragons to be explained when they pick up The Hobbit so why can’t Arlo knott and his special abilities simply exist in a modern contemporary setting? He can, of course, but the only issue for me was that I had other little niggles. Everytime Arlo turned back time I couldn’t help but wonder – does that affect everyone in the world? It surely must – but then that seems such a big deal that it practically blew my mind. Also, there is an underlying theme of sadness – so you do need to be in the right mood for this – which isn’t to say this book won’t grab you and hold you from the get go – because it will – but just be prepared that this isn’t necessarily a rosy tale of happyness. And, I reached a certain point in the read where it started to feel monotonous with Arlo repeating, rewinding, and repeating mistakes – that is until things change.
This is a difficult book to review in that I don’t want to give away spoilers, which is why I’ve not gone into the plot at all. What I will say is that this is a strange tale of a young man trying to change things, who falls in love and realises that he doesn’t always need to change things – until he realises that his own constant mini-rewinds have more of an impact than he ever realised.
I enjoyed this, I was hooked, I had a blip of ‘sameness’ at a certain point but I was never not intrigued enough to continue reading and the more I reflect upon it the more I appreciate just how clever it really is.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
June 29, 2024
Claire North fans will enjoy this. Arlo Knott can undo time, skip backwards to erase mistakes. But he’s haunted by the fact he can’t go back far enough to change his biggest mistake, when he was 13. It’s an interesting concept, well written and insightful into human nature. But the ending needed a finale, something ambitious that provides a definitive answer or a neat comeuppance. To me the story should have been told as a tragedy, but the author seemed to shy away from that. I would happily read her first book but I was dismayed to find out she hasn’t published since this, in 2019.
February 7, 2021
This was intelligently written, with the basic premise of the book being explored fully throughout, but the way the author chose to explore the concept wasn’t what I was hoping for; the book is essentially a wistful love story with an unlikeable character at the centre of it....the last 100 pages were good though...and it had a poignant ending.
August 5, 2019
Soon after his mother suffers a terrible accident, 13 year old Arlo Knott discovers that he has the ability to jump back in time, only for a short time - enough to undo the punches he has just inflicted on his sister, but, unfortunately, not enough to save his mum. Always a mummy’s boy, already abandoned by his father, Arlo initially uses his ability to fit in, to try out approaches to conversations, to relationships, taking back ‘errors’, seemingly always saying or doing the perfect thing. But, self-centred as he is, Arlo uses his trial and error gift for his own benefit, trying multiple lottery scratch cards until he finds a winner, building a name as a mind reading magician. Even his desire to use his gift for good is motivated by how others will see him. He craves the recognition and reward he once got from his mother. And Arlo’s decisions become increasingly careless and even unethical...
In truth, ‘The Undoing of Arlo Knott’ crept up on me. Heather Child is a very talented writer who has that rare gift of deceptively simple prose, a writer who disappears and lets the story tell itself. What started and a pleasant novel with an intriguing concept completely drew me in. I became invested in Arlo, who narrates his own tale. Child made him sympathetic even as I questioned his choices and then, too late to go back, I realised where she was going with this, and it is devastating.
I had never read Heather Child before but am really glad I did. ‘The Undoing of Arlo Knott’ is a thought provoking and moving book. I am still thinking about it days, and weeks, later. Thanks to Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers for the invitation to take part in the BlogTour and to Orbit Books for the review copy.
Follow the author @Heatherika
In truth, ‘The Undoing of Arlo Knott’ crept up on me. Heather Child is a very talented writer who has that rare gift of deceptively simple prose, a writer who disappears and lets the story tell itself. What started and a pleasant novel with an intriguing concept completely drew me in. I became invested in Arlo, who narrates his own tale. Child made him sympathetic even as I questioned his choices and then, too late to go back, I realised where she was going with this, and it is devastating.
I had never read Heather Child before but am really glad I did. ‘The Undoing of Arlo Knott’ is a thought provoking and moving book. I am still thinking about it days, and weeks, later. Thanks to Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers for the invitation to take part in the BlogTour and to Orbit Books for the review copy.
Follow the author @Heatherika
August 25, 2019
The idea of having the ability to undo time is super interesting and ultimately the question that drives the whole plot. Having the opportunity to undo mistakes sounds like the perfect way to live, however I liked that Arlo’s life, his ability to undo are not easy, regardless of this ‘power’, with the text exploring some difficult themes including death, physical and mental illness, relationship and coming of age to name a few.
One of things that I like in a book is when the story is gripping even if the characters aren’t particularly likeable and this was definitely true in this case; Arlo is a fantastic character with many flaws but also very easy to dislike due to his natural ability to be incredibly selfish. A positive aspect was that the writing wasn’t hard to follow, the flow was relatively good throughout and there weren’t any parts where I felt confused or needed to reread, which considering the nature of near constant reversal of time was both surprising and good.
Overall I did enjoying reading this book, but there was something missing for me; the text kept my interest well but it just felt a little too long and there were moments where I just wanted to speed up the plot a bit, but in contrast the ending felt too abrupt, like something could’ve been added to round it up but it was a really thought provoking read, with the idea of undoing decisions a really good plot device, however it just wasn’t quite enough for me, it still felt like there was something missing, although the character developments were brilliantly executed. I would recommend it, regardless of the issues I found in it as it’s unlike anything I’ve read recently.
*with thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
One of things that I like in a book is when the story is gripping even if the characters aren’t particularly likeable and this was definitely true in this case; Arlo is a fantastic character with many flaws but also very easy to dislike due to his natural ability to be incredibly selfish. A positive aspect was that the writing wasn’t hard to follow, the flow was relatively good throughout and there weren’t any parts where I felt confused or needed to reread, which considering the nature of near constant reversal of time was both surprising and good.
Overall I did enjoying reading this book, but there was something missing for me; the text kept my interest well but it just felt a little too long and there were moments where I just wanted to speed up the plot a bit, but in contrast the ending felt too abrupt, like something could’ve been added to round it up but it was a really thought provoking read, with the idea of undoing decisions a really good plot device, however it just wasn’t quite enough for me, it still felt like there was something missing, although the character developments were brilliantly executed. I would recommend it, regardless of the issues I found in it as it’s unlike anything I’ve read recently.
*with thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
August 2, 2019
If we knew the consequences of our actions, how many of us would change things? If we could live a life without regrets, how many of us would accept what comes with it? If we had even the slightest inkling that someone could rewind time, what would we think of them? How would our lives and decisions be different?
In this intriguing read, we’re introduced to Arlo Knott who can alter time and who, over time, has learned how to manipulate events to change the outcome.
At the start of the book we are with a young boy who feels incredible guilt at having stepped away from the stepladder he was holding before his mum fell. Is he responsible for her death? Perhaps not, but he certainly feels he is. So when he starts to realise that he can shift time (albeit fractionally at first), Arlo begins what could seem to be a charmed life.
There was some fun to be had with the central idea, but as Arlo starts to see the effects his decisions/unwindings have, it raises some interesting questions.
No easy answers here, but this was definitely an enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication in exchange for my thoughts.
In this intriguing read, we’re introduced to Arlo Knott who can alter time and who, over time, has learned how to manipulate events to change the outcome.
At the start of the book we are with a young boy who feels incredible guilt at having stepped away from the stepladder he was holding before his mum fell. Is he responsible for her death? Perhaps not, but he certainly feels he is. So when he starts to realise that he can shift time (albeit fractionally at first), Arlo begins what could seem to be a charmed life.
There was some fun to be had with the central idea, but as Arlo starts to see the effects his decisions/unwindings have, it raises some interesting questions.
No easy answers here, but this was definitely an enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication in exchange for my thoughts.
December 28, 2021
I'm not sure what to think of this book. It has good ideas and is well written and the ending is powerful. I nearly dnf'd from lack of interest though because the middle sections got repetitive, it was just one thing after another (a flat, telling narration of arlo life). However, again, the ending was really strong, and the characterisation was highly nuanced. I enjoyed the physicality of the different locations which felt lived in and not token.
I gave it 4 stars because it achieved what it set out to do. I think my disappointment was partly coloured by mismarketing so I'm trying to see past that. In a nutshell, I was semi expecting a spec thriller and... It is NOT a thriller lol. Any reviews calling it a spec fic thriller are surely by people who don't read the genre. It is slow and gentle and lacks both propulsive thriller pacing and tightly plotted thriller structure.
I gave it 4 stars because it achieved what it set out to do. I think my disappointment was partly coloured by mismarketing so I'm trying to see past that. In a nutshell, I was semi expecting a spec thriller and... It is NOT a thriller lol. Any reviews calling it a spec fic thriller are surely by people who don't read the genre. It is slow and gentle and lacks both propulsive thriller pacing and tightly plotted thriller structure.
January 26, 2020
As with her previous novel, 'Everything About You', Child is an author that likes to explore ideas. With her second book, the central concept is the main character's ability to rewind a few seconds of his life, a power that Child takes in intriguing directions, resulting in a rich character arc for the protagonist.
Just like 'Everything About You', the writing is of a high standard, with a shift to a more action-packed plot than perhaps was the case in her debut. A really good read.
Just like 'Everything About You', the writing is of a high standard, with a shift to a more action-packed plot than perhaps was the case in her debut. A really good read.
August 10, 2019
A brilliant novel exploring how someone who can always rewind time to fix things learns to grow up and take responsibility
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
January 16, 2021
A book about undoing your mistakes. It is an interesting premise, Arlo is able to rewind time to correct any mistakes he makes whether this be a poorly landed chat up line or saving a person from a gun shot. Unfortunately Arlo can only go back by small bits and can’t save the people he really wants to.
I found the start good and the end predictable but the middle I struggled with. The issue I have is I never really got Arlo’s character which is why struggled with the middle of the book that followed him aimlessly. I found the book slow and it never grabbed me and drew me in.
I found the start good and the end predictable but the middle I struggled with. The issue I have is I never really got Arlo’s character which is why struggled with the middle of the book that followed him aimlessly. I found the book slow and it never grabbed me and drew me in.
January 3, 2020
I loved the premise behind this novel - a person able to essentially reverse time in order to undo their last mistake.
I enjoyed the narrative voice for the most part and the twists and turns kept me turning the pages.
The only reason that this doesnt get the full 5 stars from me is because there were times regularly through the novel where I just didnt like Arlo at all. In places, that detracted from the enjoyment of the story.
Overall, 4 stars from me.
I enjoyed the narrative voice for the most part and the twists and turns kept me turning the pages.
The only reason that this doesnt get the full 5 stars from me is because there were times regularly through the novel where I just didnt like Arlo at all. In places, that detracted from the enjoyment of the story.
Overall, 4 stars from me.
January 5, 2026
I’m kind of at a loss after finishing this. The beginning was somewhat slow, but I found myself getting more and more invested over time up until the last few pages. The ending just felt so rushed and too ambiguous. It was a lot of artistic prose, but it suddenly felt more like a long unwelcome poem and not the satisfying ending I was expecting. Still worth a read, I think, but it’s a cautious recommendation.
October 20, 2020
A slow start, but then as Arlo becomes more in control of setting time back and redoing his actions, the book becomes more interesting. I found the end tricky to understand, and had to reread it a few times and even then I’m not sure I understood it, but overall a solid 4 stars for a thought-provoking read.
September 6, 2021
Somehow I keep finding myself reading books that delve into science before too long. I enjoyed the premise of the book, but found the writing a little tedious in the metaphors the author delved into. The story seemed to develop so slowly, until the last third when it finally picked up. This came too late to change my lasting opinion on the book.
December 30, 2024
I had no idea about anything this book was going to be about but it surprised me in all ways positive. The plot was very well contained. At first I was scared it was going to get stuck since it’s about one power and one power only, but it grew past that so well. I thought I knew where the plot was going right from the start but the same happened, it grew into something much bigger.
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