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Nightshift
A haunting, compelling debut novel of complex female friendship and obsession, following one young woman's decision to abandon her normal life and join the otherworldly, nocturnal existence of London's nightshift workers.
When twenty-three-year-old Meggie meets her distant and enigmatic new coworker Sabine, she recognizes in her the person she would like to be. Meggie is immediately drawn to worldly, beautiful, and uninhibited Sabine; and when Sabine announces she's switching to the nightshift, Meggie impulsively decides to follow her. Giving up her daytime existence, her reliable boyfriend, and the trappings of a normal life, Meggie finds a liberating sense of freedom as she indulges her growing preoccupation with Sabine and plunges into another existence, immersing herself in the transient and uncertain world of the nightshift worker.
While the city sleeps, she passes the hours at work clipping crime stories from the next day's newspapers. The liminal hours between night and day are spent haunting deserted bars and nightclubs with her eclectic coworkers and going on increasingly wild adventures with Sabine. Yet the closer she gets to Sabine, the more Sabine seems to push her away, leaving Meggie desperately trying to hold on to their intense friendship while doubting if she truly knows her friend at all.
A fresh twist on the coming of age story and a dark love letter to city life, Nightshift explores the thin line between self-invention and self-destruction, as Meggie's sleep deprivation, drinking, and fixation with Sabine gain a momentum all their own. Vividly set in late-nineties London and framed by Meggie's present-day reflections, Nightshift is a captivating and moving debut that asks profound questions about who we are and if we can truly escape ourselves.
When twenty-three-year-old Meggie meets her distant and enigmatic new coworker Sabine, she recognizes in her the person she would like to be. Meggie is immediately drawn to worldly, beautiful, and uninhibited Sabine; and when Sabine announces she's switching to the nightshift, Meggie impulsively decides to follow her. Giving up her daytime existence, her reliable boyfriend, and the trappings of a normal life, Meggie finds a liberating sense of freedom as she indulges her growing preoccupation with Sabine and plunges into another existence, immersing herself in the transient and uncertain world of the nightshift worker.
While the city sleeps, she passes the hours at work clipping crime stories from the next day's newspapers. The liminal hours between night and day are spent haunting deserted bars and nightclubs with her eclectic coworkers and going on increasingly wild adventures with Sabine. Yet the closer she gets to Sabine, the more Sabine seems to push her away, leaving Meggie desperately trying to hold on to their intense friendship while doubting if she truly knows her friend at all.
A fresh twist on the coming of age story and a dark love letter to city life, Nightshift explores the thin line between self-invention and self-destruction, as Meggie's sleep deprivation, drinking, and fixation with Sabine gain a momentum all their own. Vividly set in late-nineties London and framed by Meggie's present-day reflections, Nightshift is a captivating and moving debut that asks profound questions about who we are and if we can truly escape ourselves.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 18, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 528 reviews
April 18, 2022
Maybe I'm missing something here?
I just didn't find Sabine to be that exotic or interesting enough to become the object of such intense obsession. I wanted this to be a dark, unsettling exploration of toxic relationships, unhealthy fixations and the disorienting world of the nightshift. I didn't really get that from this story. It kept pulling back rather than deep diving into those more seedy topics. I just found the whole thing to be unsatisfying and lacking the depth I was expecting.
I just didn't find Sabine to be that exotic or interesting enough to become the object of such intense obsession. I wanted this to be a dark, unsettling exploration of toxic relationships, unhealthy fixations and the disorienting world of the nightshift. I didn't really get that from this story. It kept pulling back rather than deep diving into those more seedy topics. I just found the whole thing to be unsatisfying and lacking the depth I was expecting.
July 14, 2021
The synopsis states that "Nightshift is a story of obsession set in London’s liminal world of nightshift workers" and that is exactly what it delivered.
I have found that with nightshift work there is an unreality attached to every waking moment. Perhaps it is the severe sleep-depravation I have experienced, but these times often became infused with unwarranted, helpless hilarity or moments of deep concentration and profound insight. Knowing you are beginning your day when the rest of the world is ending it, working when the rest of the world is drowsing, and acting entirely against the rhythms your body usually adheres to, leads to feelings of both aloofness and isolation. You become both insubstantial and free, as you float through the world, and cumbersome and burdensome, as though simultaneously weighted in place.
All of these experiences I found within the novel. Despite no fantastical elements entering into the story, there was an almost Wonderland feel to all that occurred, as protagonist, Meggie, experienced all these dualities at the very same time. As she shifted her allegiance to the nightshift crew and altered her body clocks to suit the new patters of her life, events continued to unfold at an ever-increasing rate and without the barriers that her daytime-working self placed in the way.
This was a more brooding and contemplative novel than the one I was anticipating, but an interesting read nonetheless.
I have found that with nightshift work there is an unreality attached to every waking moment. Perhaps it is the severe sleep-depravation I have experienced, but these times often became infused with unwarranted, helpless hilarity or moments of deep concentration and profound insight. Knowing you are beginning your day when the rest of the world is ending it, working when the rest of the world is drowsing, and acting entirely against the rhythms your body usually adheres to, leads to feelings of both aloofness and isolation. You become both insubstantial and free, as you float through the world, and cumbersome and burdensome, as though simultaneously weighted in place.
All of these experiences I found within the novel. Despite no fantastical elements entering into the story, there was an almost Wonderland feel to all that occurred, as protagonist, Meggie, experienced all these dualities at the very same time. As she shifted her allegiance to the nightshift crew and altered her body clocks to suit the new patters of her life, events continued to unfold at an ever-increasing rate and without the barriers that her daytime-working self placed in the way.
This was a more brooding and contemplative novel than the one I was anticipating, but an interesting read nonetheless.
February 18, 2021
Published today 18/2/2021
The author of this book has said of the moment that she heard from her agent (fully prepared to be given disappointing news) that Picador wanted to buy the book “I swear I slipped into another reality – someone else’s life”.
And that is a very appropriate response as this book – a psychological examination of obsession, desire, self-annihilating hedonism, storytelling and nocturnal urban existence - has at its heart a character who wants to slip into the life of another.
The first party narrator of the book is Meggie – looking back some twenty years later on a formative encounter that happened in her early 20s, around the turn of the Millenium. Meggie, a South African living in London, is studying literature while working in a press cutting agency, and in a relationship with the real hero of the story – Graham, a patient if safe boyfriend who wants her to move in with him.
At her job she meets a Belgian Sabine. The enigmatic Sabine – at the same time distant and unknowable and yet familiar to everyone (albeit with a slightly different nickname and perceived persona) – is on one level (perhaps most of all on the level of Meggie’s imagination of Sabine’s life) exactly what Meggie feels she is missing in her own life.
And when Sabine shifts to the nighshift, preparing cuttings from the next day’s papers, the increasingly intoxicated Meggie joins her and enters with her a shadowy and liminal land often fuelled by literal toxins.
She becomes more and more obsessed with Sabine – or again I would say of the stories that Sabine has woven around herself, stories that Meggie fleshes out and develops herself. At one point she says:
Which is only not true given that it seems to the reader that everyone is aware of her obsession – Graham in particular even early on warning her that her relationship with Sabine is obsessive and threatening their own relationship – something Meggie only really recognises looking back.
As the story progresses it takes a darker and more complex turn, as Maxine finds out more about Sabine via her family, and realises how easy a seemingly ultra-connected life in London can be cast adrift and fade into a shocking level of anonimity.
The author has commented in a way which captures the story well.
Overall this is a striking tale, albeit perhaps a little too dark and drug fuelled at times for my tastes.
My thanks to PanMacmillan for an ARC via NetGalley
As we left Primrose Hill, neither Sabine nor I spoke. It wasn’t even six o’clock but we’d somehow missed the dawn. The September morning didn’t have the poignancy of autumn; it felt overexposed and hot. I reminded myself that this reality was no more valid than the previous one. Daylight doesn’t bring more clarity than night. Sober isn’t necessarily the truer perspective. Twenty years on, I still believe that. But immersion in the mundane can be overpowering. Our Cinderella coach had turned into a pumpkin. Sabine would be ever divine whereas I was just Megan again; I couldn’t get beyond the body, the mood, the self. There was a walk, a wait, a train, a bus. As we tenderly parted ways, I tried to think, This is only the beginning – But I knew, even then, it wasn’t true.
The author of this book has said of the moment that she heard from her agent (fully prepared to be given disappointing news) that Picador wanted to buy the book “I swear I slipped into another reality – someone else’s life”.
And that is a very appropriate response as this book – a psychological examination of obsession, desire, self-annihilating hedonism, storytelling and nocturnal urban existence - has at its heart a character who wants to slip into the life of another.
The first party narrator of the book is Meggie – looking back some twenty years later on a formative encounter that happened in her early 20s, around the turn of the Millenium. Meggie, a South African living in London, is studying literature while working in a press cutting agency, and in a relationship with the real hero of the story – Graham, a patient if safe boyfriend who wants her to move in with him.
At her job she meets a Belgian Sabine. The enigmatic Sabine – at the same time distant and unknowable and yet familiar to everyone (albeit with a slightly different nickname and perceived persona) – is on one level (perhaps most of all on the level of Meggie’s imagination of Sabine’s life) exactly what Meggie feels she is missing in her own life.
And when Sabine shifts to the nighshift, preparing cuttings from the next day’s papers, the increasingly intoxicated Meggie joins her and enters with her a shadowy and liminal land often fuelled by literal toxins.
She becomes more and more obsessed with Sabine – or again I would say of the stories that Sabine has woven around herself, stories that Meggie fleshes out and develops herself. At one point she says:
When we were together, I kept my obsession in check – but apart, I indulged it. Not that anybody would have guessed. I didn’t talk about Sabine incessantly; I didn’t talk about her at all. Instead, I discreetly tried to be as much like her as I could. The changes were subtle, hidden behind my skin. She was there in the way I held myself, the way my muscles arranged my face, the relaxation of my vocal cords into their softest, lowest drawl.
Which is only not true given that it seems to the reader that everyone is aware of her obsession – Graham in particular even early on warning her that her relationship with Sabine is obsessive and threatening their own relationship – something Meggie only really recognises looking back.
Often I am kept awake by guilt. Yet when I truly go back into the past my perspective shifts. As I write the story down, I can see that when I tried to do what I thought I should, my attempts were doomed. How do you treat others decently when you want to become someone else? How do you live well when you yearn to burn with all your spirit in moments of wildness or freedom or excess?
As the story progresses it takes a darker and more complex turn, as Maxine finds out more about Sabine via her family, and realises how easy a seemingly ultra-connected life in London can be cast adrift and fade into a shocking level of anonimity.
The author has commented in a way which captures the story well.
Obsession with another person, in the sense of wanting to be them, is about the infinite appeal of the other, the mystery of the other – but it is also about wanting to escape the self, there’s a nihilistic element to it. Obsession more generally allows you to lose yourself. Urban existence allows for this too. In a city like London, you can have anonymity. You can be who you want to be, you can explore who you are. There is an exhilarating side to such freedom but also danger. Nightshift is set at the end of the twentieth century when social media was not yet a thing – but even now, particularly as a foreigner, a migrant, in two steps you can be off the grid, you can disappear, you can die.
Overall this is a striking tale, albeit perhaps a little too dark and drug fuelled at times for my tastes.
My thanks to PanMacmillan for an ARC via NetGalley
February 20, 2021
It’s the late 90s in East London, and Meggie is stuck in a rut. Having moved from South Africa to the UK two years previously, escaping a tyrannical mother, she’s found herself in a steady relationship with nice Graham and doing a lacklustre job in media monitoring. Things change when she makes friends with Sabine, an enigmatic and glamorous Belgian colleague. In the grip of a growing obsession, Meggie follows Sabine into a job working night shifts, and more changes follow: she affects Sabine’s style; experiments with her sexuality; goes to decadent clubs and takes whatever drugs she’s offered.
I admit, with that setup, I expected this to be quite a suspenseful novel. It isn’t really that – or, to put it another way, it is only occasionally that. Nightshift is framed as the older Meggie’s reflection on this significant period in her life, which, in a sense, works very well, because it actually does feel like a memoir. But part of the reason it feels like a memoir is that it is not entirely satisfying as a narrative. Similarly, it evokes the 1990s very well in that the setting is strong – but also because it feels like a book from the 90s, which is not quite the same thing and not necessarily a strength. Strangely, it’s the second book I’ve read within a week that’s reminded me of Helen Smith’s 1999 novel Alison Wonderland .
There was something that didn’t really work for me about this book; something I didn’t like about the voice, maybe. Or perhaps it’s just that Meggie’s transformation into a different kind of person seems to come too easily. I didn’t feel fully able to get to grips with her as a character. I think this disjointedness can be put down to 1) a lack of compatibility between this book and me as a reader, and 2) incorrect expectations due to the fact that the blurb too heavily emphasises the ‘story of obsession’ angle. Yet I keep thinking about it, keep turning over my thoughts about it, and thought the ending was very well done. I’ll be interested to see others’ opinions when it comes out.
I received an advance review copy of Nightshift from the publisher through NetGalley.
TinyLetter | Linktree
I admit, with that setup, I expected this to be quite a suspenseful novel. It isn’t really that – or, to put it another way, it is only occasionally that. Nightshift is framed as the older Meggie’s reflection on this significant period in her life, which, in a sense, works very well, because it actually does feel like a memoir. But part of the reason it feels like a memoir is that it is not entirely satisfying as a narrative. Similarly, it evokes the 1990s very well in that the setting is strong – but also because it feels like a book from the 90s, which is not quite the same thing and not necessarily a strength. Strangely, it’s the second book I’ve read within a week that’s reminded me of Helen Smith’s 1999 novel Alison Wonderland .
There was something that didn’t really work for me about this book; something I didn’t like about the voice, maybe. Or perhaps it’s just that Meggie’s transformation into a different kind of person seems to come too easily. I didn’t feel fully able to get to grips with her as a character. I think this disjointedness can be put down to 1) a lack of compatibility between this book and me as a reader, and 2) incorrect expectations due to the fact that the blurb too heavily emphasises the ‘story of obsession’ angle. Yet I keep thinking about it, keep turning over my thoughts about it, and thought the ending was very well done. I’ll be interested to see others’ opinions when it comes out.
I received an advance review copy of Nightshift from the publisher through NetGalley.
TinyLetter | Linktree
April 9, 2023
could have been more sapphic.
January 19, 2023
In brief - Obsession - odd, interesting, strange, emotive, dark - well written. Probably 4.5/5
In full
At the start of this book - some 20 years after the events - Meggie is reflecting on her life in her 20s . She is writing about these events in what may be a therapeutic way. At 23 her life was not really going anywhere particularly. And then she looks up from her desk one day and sees a new and enigmatic co-worker, Sabine. She becomes intrigued with Sabine and then things deepen. She starts to change her life in order to be more like, and closer to, Sabine.
The story then follows Meggie's life. The gradual change in her is so well done. As it would be in someone going through this, some of the changes are almost imperceptible. Thinking back over the book it almost sends a shiver down my spine. For me the book was highly readable and drew me steadily in. The question is "Is she really freeing herself from her previous life or not?".
Meggie does change. Her interactions with fellow workers, those close to her, simple acquaintances and Sabine alter as time passes. As you read this it is only obvious to a point. When you look back on it you get a sense of just how much change there is. I found this both intriguing and in some ways difficult. Watching the consequences of Meggie's life spiralling out of control is disconcerting or worse. The fact that I can say that simply shows how well this is written I guess. It's worth bearing in mind that this may be a challenging read for some people. The combination of Meggie's mental state with drugs, sex and alcohol may make some people uncomfortable. I found it managed to feel deeply personal and real while almost being casual.
The ending was good for me and it left some questions about the whole subject of obsession. I'd like to read more from this author.
Do we ever really get over obsession?
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
In full
At the start of this book - some 20 years after the events - Meggie is reflecting on her life in her 20s . She is writing about these events in what may be a therapeutic way. At 23 her life was not really going anywhere particularly. And then she looks up from her desk one day and sees a new and enigmatic co-worker, Sabine. She becomes intrigued with Sabine and then things deepen. She starts to change her life in order to be more like, and closer to, Sabine.
The story then follows Meggie's life. The gradual change in her is so well done. As it would be in someone going through this, some of the changes are almost imperceptible. Thinking back over the book it almost sends a shiver down my spine. For me the book was highly readable and drew me steadily in. The question is "Is she really freeing herself from her previous life or not?".
Meggie does change. Her interactions with fellow workers, those close to her, simple acquaintances and Sabine alter as time passes. As you read this it is only obvious to a point. When you look back on it you get a sense of just how much change there is. I found this both intriguing and in some ways difficult. Watching the consequences of Meggie's life spiralling out of control is disconcerting or worse. The fact that I can say that simply shows how well this is written I guess. It's worth bearing in mind that this may be a challenging read for some people. The combination of Meggie's mental state with drugs, sex and alcohol may make some people uncomfortable. I found it managed to feel deeply personal and real while almost being casual.
The ending was good for me and it left some questions about the whole subject of obsession. I'd like to read more from this author.
Do we ever really get over obsession?
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
February 8, 2023
4.5 // I’ve seen so many negative reviews, but I was enraptured by this tale of psychosexual obsession. To me, it’s told in a very relatable way: I think we’ve all felt drawn to a certain someone, totally losing sight of ourselves in the process, without fully understanding why this person has such inexplicable power over us. Here, it is amped up to the extreme, but the feelings are the same.
Also thought the 90s setting elevated the vibe.
Also thought the 90s setting elevated the vibe.
March 20, 2021
4.5
Nightshift is the best book I've read so far about idolisation. Meggie has recently moved to London from South Africa. She is young, dissatisfied with her life and has family issues to work through when she becomes obsessed with her new colleague Sabine. When else is someone so vulnerable to filling themselves up in this way? Obsession is an addiction. It is inherently irrational. Meggie wants to be Sabine, but does she even really know her?
Kiare Ladner captures the fallout of this all-consuming infatuation so acutely and poignantly. Of course the real Sabine isn't the person (or rather concept) that Meggie has displaced all her needs onto. She just represents Meggie's desire for rebellion and freedom after an overcritical upbringing. Really, Sabine is pretty helpless...in fact her own emotional issues are countless. This book asks; what does it say about us if we are so painfully in awe of someone else? It reminds us that really, we're refusing to see that person, the object of our passions. Obsession is never about its object, infatuation is always about our own desire to escape ourselves.
I enjoyed how this book was set during the turn of the millennium. It's a dark, slow and introspective story, about a topic that I'm fascinated with. Maybe without quite so many hard drugs it'd be my perfect novel.
Nightshift is the best book I've read so far about idolisation. Meggie has recently moved to London from South Africa. She is young, dissatisfied with her life and has family issues to work through when she becomes obsessed with her new colleague Sabine. When else is someone so vulnerable to filling themselves up in this way? Obsession is an addiction. It is inherently irrational. Meggie wants to be Sabine, but does she even really know her?
Kiare Ladner captures the fallout of this all-consuming infatuation so acutely and poignantly. Of course the real Sabine isn't the person (or rather concept) that Meggie has displaced all her needs onto. She just represents Meggie's desire for rebellion and freedom after an overcritical upbringing. Really, Sabine is pretty helpless...in fact her own emotional issues are countless. This book asks; what does it say about us if we are so painfully in awe of someone else? It reminds us that really, we're refusing to see that person, the object of our passions. Obsession is never about its object, infatuation is always about our own desire to escape ourselves.
I enjoyed how this book was set during the turn of the millennium. It's a dark, slow and introspective story, about a topic that I'm fascinated with. Maybe without quite so many hard drugs it'd be my perfect novel.
April 26, 2021
I enjoyed this book, but equally I felt it really could’ve been pushed further and been darker. I felt it should’ve been either much shorter or much longer; it didn’t scratch the depths I’d hoped it would, and yet certain parts were just dragged on too long to be understated.
Nonetheless, it was very readable and engaging. It was good, but not breathtaking. I think it’d be good for an easy summer read if you want something slightly on the darker side but not quite a thriller. It reminded me of a more tame version of Tangerine.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.
Nonetheless, it was very readable and engaging. It was good, but not breathtaking. I think it’d be good for an easy summer read if you want something slightly on the darker side but not quite a thriller. It reminded me of a more tame version of Tangerine.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy.
July 30, 2022
You can’t see it but I have on my “what the crap did I just read and why did I like it so much” face.
November 7, 2020
"How do you treat others decently when you want to become someone else? How do you live well when you yearn to burn with all your spirit in moments of wildness or freedom or excess?"
“Nightshift” is a brave, risky novel about obsession and desire - the desire to escape, create, begin anew. And tied into that is the desire to disappear, to annihilate oneself. It almost read as a thriller to me - I read it in nearly one sitting, filled with dread and fearful anticipation about what might happen next.
"Why was it such a great thing to respect yourself? If you let go of vapid ideas like that, of that kind of preciousness, you could explore so much else. If you just swept your precious self out of the way a bit."
The story follows twenty-three-year-old Meggie, at the turn of the century, Meggie’s life is fairly humdrum and unremarkable, but lurking within her is a secret wish. "There were times,” she whispers, “when a small, unexpressed part of me yearned for another kind of life, to be another person, even." This wish has the chance to manifest itself via her growing obsession with her co-worker (and eventual friend) Sabine.
"The moment I gave in to my craving for her, everything changed... Tired of the rooms in my own dreary house, done with measly alterations, I let go, the house burned down, and it felt good."
Everything about Sabine is appealing to to Meggie. Studying literature after a failed law degree, with a nice cozy boyfriend who gives her a sheep pendant from Wales as a present, Meggie sees (or projects…) a path towards liberation in Sabine. "Trapped in a life I hadn’t quite intended," she fears, "I’d never be able to change, to know myself beyond the stencil of what my upbringing had created." So we have a friendship dynamic similar to the one set up in Ferrante - one outgoing friend, one more subdued - but with a much darker twist. Her behaviour grows more and more Tom Ripley-ish, most memorably in her treatment of a photograph of Sabine. To her, Sabrine is free, fanciful, "a brave heroine in a dark fairytale" (fairytales are mentioned often throughout the book). "I was awed by her ability to be herself," Meggie says, "- unconventional, uninhibited - where I’d never had the courage to do the same."
Slowly but surely, she gets to know Sabine better - Sabine goes by different names with different peoples, is unreliable and spontaneous. "She was the naughty little girl I’d always wanted to know. The girl I’d been discouraged from inviting home. A sexualised child." The atmosphere is heightened by the nightshifts they work together, days that blur into each other, thirty hours without sleeping, evenings full of eccentric and off-beat characters, more people for Meggie to envy. "I wished I’d been a gang leader or a goth," she sighs, "But how would my mother have coped?” Their nightshifts are full pot noodles, “see you laters” instead of see you tomorrow, and eventually, the darker, more excessive side of a nighttime existence. Meggie begins imitating Sabine more than ever. And then, she comes to a decision. "What I needed," she declares, "was to push against myself."
That’s when the novel enters Andrés Caicedo-Cat Marnell-Mary Gaitskill territory, and I was DOWN with it. I’m not going to go into specifics here, because one of the dark pleasures (“pleasure” is not exactly the right word, but anyway...) of the novel is seeing where Meggie goes, what she does. And what is done to her. As Meggie puts it: "As an outsider, I’d always found refuge in reading. But as Sabine and I grew closer, I didn’t need it. My outsider’s life began to feel extraordinary. I didn’t want to read about characters, I wanted to be them. I didn’t want to read about adventures, I wanted to have them.”
But will there be consequences to Meggie’s decisions? Who IS Sabine, really? One of the more fascinating tropes of the novel to me is the idea of Sabine/Meggie as writers, fiction teller, creators of fantasies. Who is the better writer/creator, Meggie or Sabine? What are the risks/consequences of being someone is really GOOD at inventing/living in fantasies?
Another one of the key images in the novel for me was the description of a beautiful shell found on a beach, that eventually stinks up the bedroom, due to the creature rotting inside it. Is the narrator a psychosexual obsessive? Is Sabine just “fucked up” (as one character puts it)? These simple psychological terms feel like a failure in language; this isn’t a simple, straightforward psycho thriller. Instead (especially in the last 25% of the book, which was the strongest part for me), the book becomes more about the theme of obliteration - how to disappear, getting lost. How do you change? How do you escape? And what are the consequences of doing so?
A strikingly memorable and provocative read.
“Nightshift” is a brave, risky novel about obsession and desire - the desire to escape, create, begin anew. And tied into that is the desire to disappear, to annihilate oneself. It almost read as a thriller to me - I read it in nearly one sitting, filled with dread and fearful anticipation about what might happen next.
"Why was it such a great thing to respect yourself? If you let go of vapid ideas like that, of that kind of preciousness, you could explore so much else. If you just swept your precious self out of the way a bit."
The story follows twenty-three-year-old Meggie, at the turn of the century, Meggie’s life is fairly humdrum and unremarkable, but lurking within her is a secret wish. "There were times,” she whispers, “when a small, unexpressed part of me yearned for another kind of life, to be another person, even." This wish has the chance to manifest itself via her growing obsession with her co-worker (and eventual friend) Sabine.
"The moment I gave in to my craving for her, everything changed... Tired of the rooms in my own dreary house, done with measly alterations, I let go, the house burned down, and it felt good."
Everything about Sabine is appealing to to Meggie. Studying literature after a failed law degree, with a nice cozy boyfriend who gives her a sheep pendant from Wales as a present, Meggie sees (or projects…) a path towards liberation in Sabine. "Trapped in a life I hadn’t quite intended," she fears, "I’d never be able to change, to know myself beyond the stencil of what my upbringing had created." So we have a friendship dynamic similar to the one set up in Ferrante - one outgoing friend, one more subdued - but with a much darker twist. Her behaviour grows more and more Tom Ripley-ish, most memorably in her treatment of a photograph of Sabine. To her, Sabrine is free, fanciful, "a brave heroine in a dark fairytale" (fairytales are mentioned often throughout the book). "I was awed by her ability to be herself," Meggie says, "- unconventional, uninhibited - where I’d never had the courage to do the same."
Slowly but surely, she gets to know Sabine better - Sabine goes by different names with different peoples, is unreliable and spontaneous. "She was the naughty little girl I’d always wanted to know. The girl I’d been discouraged from inviting home. A sexualised child." The atmosphere is heightened by the nightshifts they work together, days that blur into each other, thirty hours without sleeping, evenings full of eccentric and off-beat characters, more people for Meggie to envy. "I wished I’d been a gang leader or a goth," she sighs, "But how would my mother have coped?” Their nightshifts are full pot noodles, “see you laters” instead of see you tomorrow, and eventually, the darker, more excessive side of a nighttime existence. Meggie begins imitating Sabine more than ever. And then, she comes to a decision. "What I needed," she declares, "was to push against myself."
That’s when the novel enters Andrés Caicedo-Cat Marnell-Mary Gaitskill territory, and I was DOWN with it. I’m not going to go into specifics here, because one of the dark pleasures (“pleasure” is not exactly the right word, but anyway...) of the novel is seeing where Meggie goes, what she does. And what is done to her. As Meggie puts it: "As an outsider, I’d always found refuge in reading. But as Sabine and I grew closer, I didn’t need it. My outsider’s life began to feel extraordinary. I didn’t want to read about characters, I wanted to be them. I didn’t want to read about adventures, I wanted to have them.”
But will there be consequences to Meggie’s decisions? Who IS Sabine, really? One of the more fascinating tropes of the novel to me is the idea of Sabine/Meggie as writers, fiction teller, creators of fantasies. Who is the better writer/creator, Meggie or Sabine? What are the risks/consequences of being someone is really GOOD at inventing/living in fantasies?
Another one of the key images in the novel for me was the description of a beautiful shell found on a beach, that eventually stinks up the bedroom, due to the creature rotting inside it. Is the narrator a psychosexual obsessive? Is Sabine just “fucked up” (as one character puts it)? These simple psychological terms feel like a failure in language; this isn’t a simple, straightforward psycho thriller. Instead (especially in the last 25% of the book, which was the strongest part for me), the book becomes more about the theme of obliteration - how to disappear, getting lost. How do you change? How do you escape? And what are the consequences of doing so?
A strikingly memorable and provocative read.
May 22, 2022
This just really wasn't for me.
I found the two main characters wholly unlikeable, and Meggie's motivations just made absolutely no sense to me. Being obsessed with a pretty and exotic co-worker just isn't enough of a reason to make bad decision after bad decision when there was nothing in the story or in Meggie's narration that made it believable that these are things she would do. I guess that was supposed to be the point - it was out of character for her, but I just wasn't sold on it.
Considering the whole story was told from Meggie's point of view, the allure of Sabine was not apparent at all. There was nothing that made me understand Meggie's obsession, not even in a "this is what I was thinking but now 20 odd years later I can see I was deluded" way.
I'm clearly in the minority going by most of the other reviews, this just didn't gel with me at all. I'm just glad it was a quick read!
I found the two main characters wholly unlikeable, and Meggie's motivations just made absolutely no sense to me. Being obsessed with a pretty and exotic co-worker just isn't enough of a reason to make bad decision after bad decision when there was nothing in the story or in Meggie's narration that made it believable that these are things she would do. I guess that was supposed to be the point - it was out of character for her, but I just wasn't sold on it.
Considering the whole story was told from Meggie's point of view, the allure of Sabine was not apparent at all. There was nothing that made me understand Meggie's obsession, not even in a "this is what I was thinking but now 20 odd years later I can see I was deluded" way.
I'm clearly in the minority going by most of the other reviews, this just didn't gel with me at all. I'm just glad it was a quick read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 22, 2022DNF
September 11, 2023
nightshift is almost lyrical in it's writing style, however i formed no attachment to these characters whatsoever considering the way they were written. i love the genre of books that are set between 1999 and 2000 because they always have such a specific, turn-of-the-century vibe, and this book definitely fits in that category.
June 3, 2021
A walk on the wild side… 5 stars
Meggie has come to live in London from her home in South Africa, largely to get away from her hypercritical mother. She has an office job which she finds dull, and a boyfriend, Graham, whom she loves, but she’s reluctant to settle for a long-term relationship – she feels as if she wants something more from life than marriage and children, but she isn’t sure what. Then one day Sabine comes to work in the office and Meggie finds herself immediately fascinated by this beautiful, enigmatic young woman. They form a tentative friendship, or so it seems to Meggie, and when Sabine decides to move to the nightshift, Meggie follows. Years later, she is looking back at this period of her life in the dying days of the last millennium, and telling the story of her obsession with Sabine…
Not much more than novella length, this short novel is a wonderfully believable depiction of a young woman who’s not yet sure who she is, nor of how to go about finding out. Meggie is undoubtedly obsessed with Sabine, but in a sense Sabine is merely the catalyst who forces Meggie to realise her dissatisfaction with her boringly normal life. Meggie can’t decide whether she wants to be Sabine’s lover – she’s never thought of herself as lesbian before, but she finds Sabine exciting. Or perhaps it’s that she wants to be Sabine – to be the woman whom other people see as exotic, mysterious and slightly dangerous. As she struggles to make sense of her own feelings and desires, Meggie experiments more and more with drink, drugs and casual sex, and finds herself taking risks that the old Meggie wouldn’t have considered.
This is Ladner’s début novel, and she has real talent. Her depiction is spot-on of club-going, hard-drinking, drug-fuelled youth from around the globe congregating in London in the late ’90s, forming friendships that have an immediate intimacy but no bedrock – young people who come to party, and party hard, far from the families who might provide a brake on the extremes of their behaviour, and find themselves in a city where everything is possible, or maybe nothing. Meggie’s quest to work out her sexuality, to make herself into someone new with her own place and identity in this shifting, impermanent community is beautifully done – an extreme example, admittedly, but recognisable as a part of life we all go through to a degree as we move into adulthood. In Meggie’s case, the whole thing is given a kind of hallucinatory edge, not only because of the drink and drugs, but because of the nocturnal life she is leading and the insomnia this brings on.
The writing is great and, apart from a brief dip about a third of the way through when it gets a little bogged down in repetition, the pace flows well. It becomes very dark towards the end, both harrowing and sad, but again both aspects are handled well and sensitively – Ladner avoids the sensationalism that could easily have made this feel too unpleasantly voyeuristic. Although it’s billed as being about obsession and desire, and certainly both those things are present, it’s really more of a dark coming-of-age tale, and an in-depth character study of Meggie written in her own words, with all the possible unreliability that entails. The ending shows Ladner’s skill at its best – it seems as if all the questions are answered and yet the feeling I am left with is of an enigma unsolved.
Dark and disturbing, it is nonetheless full of humanity and sympathy for human frailty. An excellent début – I recommend it highly and am keen to see where Ladner takes us next.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Picador via NetGalley.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Meggie has come to live in London from her home in South Africa, largely to get away from her hypercritical mother. She has an office job which she finds dull, and a boyfriend, Graham, whom she loves, but she’s reluctant to settle for a long-term relationship – she feels as if she wants something more from life than marriage and children, but she isn’t sure what. Then one day Sabine comes to work in the office and Meggie finds herself immediately fascinated by this beautiful, enigmatic young woman. They form a tentative friendship, or so it seems to Meggie, and when Sabine decides to move to the nightshift, Meggie follows. Years later, she is looking back at this period of her life in the dying days of the last millennium, and telling the story of her obsession with Sabine…
Not much more than novella length, this short novel is a wonderfully believable depiction of a young woman who’s not yet sure who she is, nor of how to go about finding out. Meggie is undoubtedly obsessed with Sabine, but in a sense Sabine is merely the catalyst who forces Meggie to realise her dissatisfaction with her boringly normal life. Meggie can’t decide whether she wants to be Sabine’s lover – she’s never thought of herself as lesbian before, but she finds Sabine exciting. Or perhaps it’s that she wants to be Sabine – to be the woman whom other people see as exotic, mysterious and slightly dangerous. As she struggles to make sense of her own feelings and desires, Meggie experiments more and more with drink, drugs and casual sex, and finds herself taking risks that the old Meggie wouldn’t have considered.
This is Ladner’s début novel, and she has real talent. Her depiction is spot-on of club-going, hard-drinking, drug-fuelled youth from around the globe congregating in London in the late ’90s, forming friendships that have an immediate intimacy but no bedrock – young people who come to party, and party hard, far from the families who might provide a brake on the extremes of their behaviour, and find themselves in a city where everything is possible, or maybe nothing. Meggie’s quest to work out her sexuality, to make herself into someone new with her own place and identity in this shifting, impermanent community is beautifully done – an extreme example, admittedly, but recognisable as a part of life we all go through to a degree as we move into adulthood. In Meggie’s case, the whole thing is given a kind of hallucinatory edge, not only because of the drink and drugs, but because of the nocturnal life she is leading and the insomnia this brings on.
The writing is great and, apart from a brief dip about a third of the way through when it gets a little bogged down in repetition, the pace flows well. It becomes very dark towards the end, both harrowing and sad, but again both aspects are handled well and sensitively – Ladner avoids the sensationalism that could easily have made this feel too unpleasantly voyeuristic. Although it’s billed as being about obsession and desire, and certainly both those things are present, it’s really more of a dark coming-of-age tale, and an in-depth character study of Meggie written in her own words, with all the possible unreliability that entails. The ending shows Ladner’s skill at its best – it seems as if all the questions are answered and yet the feeling I am left with is of an enigma unsolved.
Dark and disturbing, it is nonetheless full of humanity and sympathy for human frailty. An excellent début – I recommend it highly and am keen to see where Ladner takes us next.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Picador via NetGalley.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
February 18, 2021
Meggie, at twenty-three, is at a crossroads in her life. Dissatisfied and bored with where the world has brought her, she longs to be free of the drudgery of her job and the expected course of the relationship with her boyfriend. Then, into her life walks the mysterious and sultry Sabine. Sabine is everything Meggie wishes she could be, and their unpredictable relationship quickly turns into obsession on Meggie's side.
When Meggie's fixation encourages her to follow Sabine into the underworld of the nightshift worker, the very process of working such unusual hours means letting go of everything she is used to. She becomes enmeshed in the chaos of life on the fringe that she and her fellow band of night workers inhabit, which gives her a feeling of camaraderie that she has never experienced before, and it also brings the permission to follow Sabine down other, more dangerous, paths - pushing her boundaries, and exploring her sexuality, in her quest to become someone else.
But their relationship is not an easy one. Meggie never really knows where she stands with Sabine, and their repeating cycle of intimacy and distance is disorienting to say the least. When Meggie's journey into the chaotic hedonism that is Sabine's reality takes a shocking turn, she begins to think differently about their friendship and look for a way to escape from the self-destructive path she is on. Taking stock, she begins to see that she doesn't really know anything about the woman who has taken hold of her every waking thought - and that others do not see her the way she does. Who is Sabine really?
This dark, absorbing and unsettling novel is told in a retrospective narrative by Meggie, as she reflects on her relationship with Sabine some twenty years before. As Meggie lays out the history of their twisted friendship you are pulled into a parallel world where normal boundaries and connections do not exist. Caught under the spell of Sabine, Meggie loses sight of her own identity and purpose - in this surreal world, this underworld, this space outside the daylight hours, she can be whoever she wants, and she wants to be Sabine... or does she simply want to be with Sabine? Whatever this is, it is not the path to happiness, and eventually she needs to free herself of the influence of Sabine before it is too late... but can she ever truly be free again?
Telling the tale in this way allows Kiare Ladner to expose the dark course that obsession and desire can take, but also allow the truth about Sabine and how meeting her has affected the direction of Meggie's life to be revealed after the event, which was rather clever - and it adds an air of poignancy to the whole story.
I absolutely loved this novel about identity, infatuation, loneliness and yearning for connection, even though it left me feeling rather sad. It's impressive work for a debut author, and cannot wait to read more from Kiare Ladner.
When Meggie's fixation encourages her to follow Sabine into the underworld of the nightshift worker, the very process of working such unusual hours means letting go of everything she is used to. She becomes enmeshed in the chaos of life on the fringe that she and her fellow band of night workers inhabit, which gives her a feeling of camaraderie that she has never experienced before, and it also brings the permission to follow Sabine down other, more dangerous, paths - pushing her boundaries, and exploring her sexuality, in her quest to become someone else.
But their relationship is not an easy one. Meggie never really knows where she stands with Sabine, and their repeating cycle of intimacy and distance is disorienting to say the least. When Meggie's journey into the chaotic hedonism that is Sabine's reality takes a shocking turn, she begins to think differently about their friendship and look for a way to escape from the self-destructive path she is on. Taking stock, she begins to see that she doesn't really know anything about the woman who has taken hold of her every waking thought - and that others do not see her the way she does. Who is Sabine really?
This dark, absorbing and unsettling novel is told in a retrospective narrative by Meggie, as she reflects on her relationship with Sabine some twenty years before. As Meggie lays out the history of their twisted friendship you are pulled into a parallel world where normal boundaries and connections do not exist. Caught under the spell of Sabine, Meggie loses sight of her own identity and purpose - in this surreal world, this underworld, this space outside the daylight hours, she can be whoever she wants, and she wants to be Sabine... or does she simply want to be with Sabine? Whatever this is, it is not the path to happiness, and eventually she needs to free herself of the influence of Sabine before it is too late... but can she ever truly be free again?
Telling the tale in this way allows Kiare Ladner to expose the dark course that obsession and desire can take, but also allow the truth about Sabine and how meeting her has affected the direction of Meggie's life to be revealed after the event, which was rather clever - and it adds an air of poignancy to the whole story.
I absolutely loved this novel about identity, infatuation, loneliness and yearning for connection, even though it left me feeling rather sad. It's impressive work for a debut author, and cannot wait to read more from Kiare Ladner.
February 27, 2021
Nightshift is a great page turner, taking the reader through a dive into an obsessional relationship around the turn of the millennium in London. A young woman Meggie becomes infatuated with the charismatic but elusive Sabine. She starts working nightshifts to get closer to the other woman and things get increasingly out of kilter from there. The trajectory of relationship does not fit into straightforward categorisation. That is what makes the story interesting and illuminating, particularly on the differences between desire and obsession. As the relationship develops, the reader is taken on a tour of night culture of London at the time. With its memorable characters and setting, it is not hard to see this being developed as a film or tv drama. I really enjoyed this book.
May 31, 2021
Not for me sadly. Maybe I'm not in the right frame of mind but I just didn't care about the characters at all. It just felt like list of things that happened to someone. Also some of the actions of the main character seemed completely juxtaposed to her personality or previous life experiences.
November 17, 2021
That was okay, didn’t resonate with me at all. I’m sure I’ll forget about it in two days.
English: https://elifthereader.com/books/night...
Türkçe: https://kitaplikkedisi.com/kitaplar/n...
English: https://elifthereader.com/books/night...
Türkçe: https://kitaplikkedisi.com/kitaplar/n...
April 25, 2023
Boring. British Rest and Relaxation, and I hate British people
February 27, 2025
I'm constantly fascinated by all of these books about the chaos that can ensue when a capital-C, capital-G "Cool Girl" decides to take an interest in you, some mousy little normie. Is this like part of the tapestry of universal feminine experiences? It seems to come up so often.
So here's the thing, I picked this up thinking it would be a thriller because with a title like Nightshift, a dark and blurry cover image with bright pink typeface, and a description about a 20-something-year-old girl becoming obsessed with her frienemy, why would I not think that? Instead it's a well-written (if somewhat boring) literary fiction story of female friendship between two girls in their early twenties who are kind of lost in the world--which honestly is another type of story I gravitate towards, so I'm not mad about the bait-and-switch, but I don't think this book has been properly marketed.
Meggie meets Sabine at her office job and is immediately infatuated with her. Even going so far as to switching to the night shift when Sabine does so that she can get closer to her. Sabine is mysterious and carefree; she moves through the world with a confidence and ease that Meggie wants to affect for herself. The two do drugs and party with their coworkers and spend money that they don't have. But all good things must come to an end.
One really interesting facet of this story is that it's a queer literary work that is largely about someone who is questioning their sexuality: the oft neglected "second Q" in the alphabet soup of the queer community. What's even more noteworthy is that the answer to the question of Meggie's sexuality ultimately turns out to be "Ehh, she's mostly straight"--which, yes, is the most boring answer to arrive at, but it's also like... the most true to life? How many people do you know who are indeed straight, but "had a fling" with someone of the same sex, or "experimented in college", or "went through a phase". I can think of tons of Gen-Xers I know just right of the top of my head. All that to say, I appreciate that the more open writers become in discussing sexuality in their works to more we get to see the nuances of queerness, even when they're not the most remarkable or salacious, and I think that's ultimately a very good thing for queer people everywhere.
So here's the thing, I picked this up thinking it would be a thriller because with a title like Nightshift, a dark and blurry cover image with bright pink typeface, and a description about a 20-something-year-old girl becoming obsessed with her frienemy, why would I not think that? Instead it's a well-written (if somewhat boring) literary fiction story of female friendship between two girls in their early twenties who are kind of lost in the world--which honestly is another type of story I gravitate towards, so I'm not mad about the bait-and-switch, but I don't think this book has been properly marketed.
Meggie meets Sabine at her office job and is immediately infatuated with her. Even going so far as to switching to the night shift when Sabine does so that she can get closer to her. Sabine is mysterious and carefree; she moves through the world with a confidence and ease that Meggie wants to affect for herself. The two do drugs and party with their coworkers and spend money that they don't have. But all good things must come to an end.
One really interesting facet of this story is that it's a queer literary work that is largely about someone who is questioning their sexuality: the oft neglected "second Q" in the alphabet soup of the queer community. What's even more noteworthy is that the answer to the question of Meggie's sexuality ultimately turns out to be "Ehh, she's mostly straight"--which, yes, is the most boring answer to arrive at, but it's also like... the most true to life? How many people do you know who are indeed straight, but "had a fling" with someone of the same sex, or "experimented in college", or "went through a phase". I can think of tons of Gen-Xers I know just right of the top of my head. All that to say, I appreciate that the more open writers become in discussing sexuality in their works to more we get to see the nuances of queerness, even when they're not the most remarkable or salacious, and I think that's ultimately a very good thing for queer people everywhere.
May 19, 2021
This book was great and was exactly what I expected and wanted from it. It was thrilling, intoxicating, dark and moving. I loved how it explored the edges of desire, the self and relationships. It was wonderfully written and I couldn’t put it down. I am really interested to see what this author will come up with next. This was a stunning debut!
February 8, 2022
She walked the sidewalk, the dark of night cloaking her existence. A few sounds erupted in the quietness of the twilight, but it was simply just her and the darkness. She quickened her pace to make sure she arrived on time, this nightshift job being something she wanted… only because the woman she can’t stop thinking about is there.
Nightshift was about Meggie who works a day shift job and when a new woman joins the team she begins to obsess over her. When the new woman switches to nightshift then Meggie does as well, because she needs to have this woman in her life.
This book was honestly quite a bore for me. Meggie is grappling with her feelings toward a woman and then starts to become obsessed with her, but nothing really happens. It was just a constant back and forth between wanting her and not being able to have her. It was just very odd. I wanted so much more from this story!
If you’re a fan of haunting complex novels about female relationships… then you may enjoy this one!
TW: Drug Use, Rape, Death.
*I received a gifted copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
Nightshift was about Meggie who works a day shift job and when a new woman joins the team she begins to obsess over her. When the new woman switches to nightshift then Meggie does as well, because she needs to have this woman in her life.
This book was honestly quite a bore for me. Meggie is grappling with her feelings toward a woman and then starts to become obsessed with her, but nothing really happens. It was just a constant back and forth between wanting her and not being able to have her. It was just very odd. I wanted so much more from this story!
If you’re a fan of haunting complex novels about female relationships… then you may enjoy this one!
TW: Drug Use, Rape, Death.
*I received a gifted copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.
November 3, 2023
Although this wasn't a bad fiction read, I felt like I had come across this story format before :- bi-curious weak female lead is enticed by a seemingly strong, bisexual, enigmatic woman and basically fucks her own life over in more ways than one by blindingly following her desires. Calamity, fuckery and hurt ensue.
The characters weren't terrible but they weren't entirely original either. There is 90's drug taking and hedonism, check, charity shop uber-chic clothing, check, pointless, money-draining escapades, check.
I don't know, just nothing felt original or genuine here. The only attraction for me initially was the night shift aspect of the story. As someone who did permanent nights for over 5 years, I relished the disorientation/brain fog/disturbed routine part of the story, but it wasn't enough to elicit anything more than a 2 star review.
Not one I'd return to read and not one I'd recommend, even if you're into LGBTQi lit.
The characters weren't terrible but they weren't entirely original either. There is 90's drug taking and hedonism, check, charity shop uber-chic clothing, check, pointless, money-draining escapades, check.
I don't know, just nothing felt original or genuine here. The only attraction for me initially was the night shift aspect of the story. As someone who did permanent nights for over 5 years, I relished the disorientation/brain fog/disturbed routine part of the story, but it wasn't enough to elicit anything more than a 2 star review.
Not one I'd return to read and not one I'd recommend, even if you're into LGBTQi lit.
February 19, 2022
A short dark twisted novel with unlikable characters.
CW: Drug use, Rape, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Eating disorder, Biphobia
CW: Drug use, Rape, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Eating disorder, Biphobia
June 4, 2024
Female friendship is one of my favourite topics to explore in fiction, and if that friendship is mixed with elements of obsession and desire that verge into the unhinged fixation of a stalker??? Even better! Be still my creepy heart!!
Night Shift is lyrical and unassuming, we meet Meggie, a 20-something student in a stable if slightly boring long term relationship just before she gets a new coworker. Sabine. Even her name is alluring. As Meggie positions herself to befriend Sabine, we see a darkness in her struggling to surface. What lengths will Meggie go to be close to her, what won’t she do to get her attention? What follows is a rocky journey of self-discovery and a slightly unhinged and manic few months as Meggie grapples with the question a lot of bisexual women do as they confront their sexuality—do I WANT her or do I want to BE her?!
Ladner plays with the mental state of nocturnal night shift workers—the exhaustion and a muddled coherence, emotions heightened to a breaking point—and we feel that tension combine with Meggie’s fixation in an unnerving way, so much feels at risk, ready to ignite.
I really enjoyed this one, my only issue was I didn’t feel completely satisfied by the ending. But, another fun unhinged women to add to my collection of fictional friends.
Night Shift is lyrical and unassuming, we meet Meggie, a 20-something student in a stable if slightly boring long term relationship just before she gets a new coworker. Sabine. Even her name is alluring. As Meggie positions herself to befriend Sabine, we see a darkness in her struggling to surface. What lengths will Meggie go to be close to her, what won’t she do to get her attention? What follows is a rocky journey of self-discovery and a slightly unhinged and manic few months as Meggie grapples with the question a lot of bisexual women do as they confront their sexuality—do I WANT her or do I want to BE her?!
Ladner plays with the mental state of nocturnal night shift workers—the exhaustion and a muddled coherence, emotions heightened to a breaking point—and we feel that tension combine with Meggie’s fixation in an unnerving way, so much feels at risk, ready to ignite.
I really enjoyed this one, my only issue was I didn’t feel completely satisfied by the ending. But, another fun unhinged women to add to my collection of fictional friends.
April 3, 2022
4 Stars
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“Obsession is about not wanting to be the self. Wanting to be other. Next to her, I must have known, at some level, the ultimate impossibility of that.” - Nightshift.
When twenty-three-year-old Meggie meets her distant and enigmatic new coworker Sabine, she recognizes in her the person she would like to be. Meggie is immediately drawn to worldly, beautiful, and uninhibited Sabine; and when Sabine announces she's switching to the nightshift, Meggie impulsively decides to follow her. Giving up her daytime existence, her reliable boyfriend, and the trappings of a normal life, Meggie finds a liberating sense of freedom as she indulges her growing preoccupation with Sabine and plunges into another existence, immersing herself in the transient and uncertain world of the nightshift worker. While the city sleeps, she passes the hours at work clipping crime stories from the next day's newspapers. The liminal hours between night and day are spent haunting deserted bars and nightclubs with her eclectic coworkers and going on increasingly wild adventures with Sabine. Yet the closer she gets to Sabine, the more Sabine seems to push her away, leaving Meggie desperately trying to hold on to their intense friendship while doubting if she truly knows her friend at all.
This book was such a wild ride. It started off a bit slow for me and it took me a little to get into it. But at a certain point, I connected to the book and then I was hooked. Overall, this book shows an enmeshed, sometimes destructive relationship between two friends (Meggie and Sabine). When Meggie meets Sabine through work, she becomes fascinated by her and her life. Their relationship is hot-and-cold and at times tumultuous. The women in this story are in their young 20’s, just barely coming into their adulthood, where sometimes destruction can seem the most fascinating choice. I will say I have been thinking about this book off and on since finishing it, and it has been interesting to see the ways in which it pops up in my mind. Overall, this is a great debut, and I recommend it if you are interested!
See more on my Bookstagram: Shelf.Inspiration Instagram
“Obsession is about not wanting to be the self. Wanting to be other. Next to her, I must have known, at some level, the ultimate impossibility of that.” - Nightshift.
When twenty-three-year-old Meggie meets her distant and enigmatic new coworker Sabine, she recognizes in her the person she would like to be. Meggie is immediately drawn to worldly, beautiful, and uninhibited Sabine; and when Sabine announces she's switching to the nightshift, Meggie impulsively decides to follow her. Giving up her daytime existence, her reliable boyfriend, and the trappings of a normal life, Meggie finds a liberating sense of freedom as she indulges her growing preoccupation with Sabine and plunges into another existence, immersing herself in the transient and uncertain world of the nightshift worker. While the city sleeps, she passes the hours at work clipping crime stories from the next day's newspapers. The liminal hours between night and day are spent haunting deserted bars and nightclubs with her eclectic coworkers and going on increasingly wild adventures with Sabine. Yet the closer she gets to Sabine, the more Sabine seems to push her away, leaving Meggie desperately trying to hold on to their intense friendship while doubting if she truly knows her friend at all.
This book was such a wild ride. It started off a bit slow for me and it took me a little to get into it. But at a certain point, I connected to the book and then I was hooked. Overall, this book shows an enmeshed, sometimes destructive relationship between two friends (Meggie and Sabine). When Meggie meets Sabine through work, she becomes fascinated by her and her life. Their relationship is hot-and-cold and at times tumultuous. The women in this story are in their young 20’s, just barely coming into their adulthood, where sometimes destruction can seem the most fascinating choice. I will say I have been thinking about this book off and on since finishing it, and it has been interesting to see the ways in which it pops up in my mind. Overall, this is a great debut, and I recommend it if you are interested!
August 12, 2022
From the moment I gave in to my craving for her, everything changed. Sabine was no longer a catalyst for what I wanted, she was it.
Twenty three year old Meggie has escaped small town South African life and her overbearing, narcissistic mother and moved to study in London. Life is stable and normal. She studies and works part time; things with her ambitious and harmless boyfriend Graham are becoming serious. Everything is going alright, until she meets the striking and mysterious Sabine. From their first meeting Meggie develops an unusually strong interest in Sabine which quickly morphs into an obsession. When Sabine decides to start working nightshifts at a company that has their workers cut out and paste news headlines (how archaic) Meggie follows her. Meggie and Sabine are plunged into literal darkness as they become acquainted with a motley crew of nightshift workers and involved in the late night/early morning partying scene.
Nightshift was enjoyable and a page turner. Less about female friendship and more about psychosexual obsession. It was fairly realistic in it’s depictions of the havoc nursing such an obsession can have on a person. I found both Meggie and Sabine to be interesting characters, and the host of secondary characters around them to be well fleshed out too.
A highlight of the book was its descriptions of Camden and the wider clubbing scene in London in the nineties. I wasn’t around then, so can’t comment on how accurate it is, but it was interesting to read about.
Twenty three year old Meggie has escaped small town South African life and her overbearing, narcissistic mother and moved to study in London. Life is stable and normal. She studies and works part time; things with her ambitious and harmless boyfriend Graham are becoming serious. Everything is going alright, until she meets the striking and mysterious Sabine. From their first meeting Meggie develops an unusually strong interest in Sabine which quickly morphs into an obsession. When Sabine decides to start working nightshifts at a company that has their workers cut out and paste news headlines (how archaic) Meggie follows her. Meggie and Sabine are plunged into literal darkness as they become acquainted with a motley crew of nightshift workers and involved in the late night/early morning partying scene.
Nightshift was enjoyable and a page turner. Less about female friendship and more about psychosexual obsession. It was fairly realistic in it’s depictions of the havoc nursing such an obsession can have on a person. I found both Meggie and Sabine to be interesting characters, and the host of secondary characters around them to be well fleshed out too.
A highlight of the book was its descriptions of Camden and the wider clubbing scene in London in the nineties. I wasn’t around then, so can’t comment on how accurate it is, but it was interesting to read about.
October 24, 2025
This book didn’t do it for me. The narration just didn’t ring true — or perhaps, more likely, the story was so far removed from my world that it just didn’t resonate. That’s not to say that I only like books that do accord with my world. I think it was because I just didn’t engage with the characterisation of any of the protagonists and that made them cartoon-like. Maybe that’s the point. The narrator is reflecting on her life and her relationship with mostly one person in particular twenty years earlier. I didn’t find the lengths she was prepared to go to ingratiate herself with a pretty unpleasant person at the expense of her own life supported by enough evidence of why she would do that.
Maybe I am just being cranky.
Maybe I am just being cranky.
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