Source: Early proof copy (out now)

I'll preface this review by saying that this book is a lot. If you're wanting a light-hearted, easy-going book, this is definitely not the book for you. This novel isn't just fast-paced, I'd say it's speed is more full throttle. Not only is it thought-provoking, but also mind-blowing. It's not possible to label this book with one genre; it does almost cover them all in some way, shape, or form. Thriller, horror, sci-fi, action.

Bridge follows our lead protagonist, Bridge. Oh, but my friends, the word truly does have a double entendre. Bridge's mum has just died and she's working through her grief, along with her mum's belongings. Her mum mentions, "frozen assets". She doesn't expect the assets to literally be frozen in a tupperware of leftovers, but Bridge makes a huge discovery.

What she's found could change the world. With her new discovery, Bridge visits dozens of alternate realities, and is convinced her mum has left her this clue as a way of finding her. However, the dreamworm isn't all that it seems, and Bridge finds herself right in the middle of a dangerous game.

When you sit and think about the themes that this book tackles, it almost feels impossible that so much is crammed into one book. But whilst reading it, everything feels natural and nothing feels forced at all; but that's just my opinion. Politics, identity, friendship, death, good vs. evil, power, chaos vs. order, to name just a few. 

As a character, Bridge can be quite frustrating. She's filled with flaws, but it's difficult not to root for her. She can be selfish, and make rash decisions, but essentially, you as the reader want the same goal as her; for Bridge to find her mum.

The reason I've rated the book four stars is because at times, I did feel overwhelmed. I'm not particularly into science, or have any kind of science smarts. For this reason, a lot of the scientific explanations simply went straight over my head. However, if you love your science fiction, I have no doubt that you'll enjoy these parts of the novel.

It's brilliantly written and the world building within realities is fantastic. It becomes easy to tell them apart as you become more familiar; and the same goes for the characters. You'd think multiple of the same character in varying realities would become confusing, but Beukes manages to keep them separate, and the reader well informed.

Bridge is a non-stop thriller that will leave you gripping the edge of your seat in anticipation. The twist at the end was brilliant, and not where I expected the story to go at all. I find those the best kind of books. If you're looking for a book that is outrageously unique and will frazzle your mind, Bridge is the book for you.