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vereadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rating ★★★★☆
“If you’ve got the opportunity to love someone as much as they love you, then grab it with both hands and hold on to it for dear life.”
This is my third book on my journey to read 5 books to see if I can trust gabby tastes. A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner the one you are genetically made for.
That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.
Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…
“We have roughly 100 trillion cells in our bodies and inside each of them are two metres of DNA – if you unravelled them all, they’d stretch to the sun and back a hundred times.”
Sometimes a book catches my attention because it has a good concept. But it isn't well executed. That was my fear with this book. However, John Marrs manages to execute this concept very well.
The book seems like a collection of short stories surrounding the same theme: What if a DNA test could tell you who your soulmate is?
“It’s that feeling you don’t get when you’re around anyone else, like nobody in the world matters when you’re in their company. Like you and them are this one, solitary...thing... And no matter what crap the world throws at you, you can get through it because you have them on your side.”
The book intersperses 5 points of view that show us how this DNA test affects the lives of each of the characters, generating different and unique stories that explore all the what if...
“What if it turns out our DNA doesn’t Match?” “Then we’ll be mindful that maybe we’ll need to put more effort into our relationship. Like John Lennon said, ‘All You Need Is Love.’” “Yes, but he also said, ‘I Am The Walrus,’ so let’s not hold too much credence to his pearls of wisdom.”
The One explores the negative side of science and technology applied to relationships in the best Black Mirror style. If you have any experience with this tv show, you will know that the endings are not exactly happy.
Some points of view caught me from the beginning, and others gained strength towards the end. But each story left me thinking about how science and technology affect our way of interacting and relating.
“Maybe when you took it back to basics, that’s what love really was: just being there for someone when the sun rises and sets.”
An engaging psychological thriller with short chapters that favor reading fluency and brings to the table discussions about technology, love, relationships, and especially one of the moral dilemmas of science: Is it okay to play God?
Can I trust gabby tastes on thrillers?
Rock Paper Scissors ★★★☆☆
The Silent Patient ★★★★ ½
The One ★★★★☆
“If you’ve got the opportunity to love someone as much as they love you, then grab it with both hands and hold on to it for dear life.”
This is my third book on my journey to read 5 books to see if I can trust gabby tastes. A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner the one you are genetically made for.
That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. A decade ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love.
Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others…
“We have roughly 100 trillion cells in our bodies and inside each of them are two metres of DNA – if you unravelled them all, they’d stretch to the sun and back a hundred times.”
Sometimes a book catches my attention because it has a good concept. But it isn't well executed. That was my fear with this book. However, John Marrs manages to execute this concept very well.
The book seems like a collection of short stories surrounding the same theme: What if a DNA test could tell you who your soulmate is?
“It’s that feeling you don’t get when you’re around anyone else, like nobody in the world matters when you’re in their company. Like you and them are this one, solitary...thing... And no matter what crap the world throws at you, you can get through it because you have them on your side.”
The book intersperses 5 points of view that show us how this DNA test affects the lives of each of the characters, generating different and unique stories that explore all the what if...
“What if it turns out our DNA doesn’t Match?” “Then we’ll be mindful that maybe we’ll need to put more effort into our relationship. Like John Lennon said, ‘All You Need Is Love.’” “Yes, but he also said, ‘I Am The Walrus,’ so let’s not hold too much credence to his pearls of wisdom.”
The One explores the negative side of science and technology applied to relationships in the best Black Mirror style. If you have any experience with this tv show, you will know that the endings are not exactly happy.
Some points of view caught me from the beginning, and others gained strength towards the end. But each story left me thinking about how science and technology affect our way of interacting and relating.
“Maybe when you took it back to basics, that’s what love really was: just being there for someone when the sun rises and sets.”
An engaging psychological thriller with short chapters that favor reading fluency and brings to the table discussions about technology, love, relationships, and especially one of the moral dilemmas of science: Is it okay to play God?
Can I trust gabby tastes on thrillers?
Rock Paper Scissors ★★★☆☆
The Silent Patient ★★★★ ½
The One ★★★★☆
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
lavendar_fr0g's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Genocide, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping
Minor: Incest, Sexual content, Grief, and Stalking
alvina_ashraf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
"The One" is set in a world where people depend on technology to deal with matters of heart. It follows multiple narrators as they deal with the repressions of the results of genetically based matchmaking quest. I was on the edge of my seat because the moment I thought I knew where the story was going, it would take a detour in an entirely different direction. This book is fast-paced, intriguing and entertaining in all aspects.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Murder
decembermagpie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Outing, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
alibeabon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book is a good easy read- definitely something to read when trying to get out of a reading slump. It's interesting premise made me want to continue reading despite not LOVING the writing style. I usually don't like books that shift between perspectives, but this one kept my attention and I have to give it props for that! I would recommend to anyone who wants something fun and fast-paced and easy to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Miscarriage, Stalking, and Murder
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
jessicohen15's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Loved this quick read! Once you catch onto the five different plot lines that don’t really intersect and keep them straight in your head - it took me 1/3 the way through to get a good rhythm - it’s an exciting page-turner until the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
nabaraditi's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book started off as all inventions begin: as a boon. But every invention has two sides of a coin and so did Match Your DNA(MYD). And the book was brilliant. The whole time i was reading this book I was hoping that it gets turned into either a series or a movie. (P.S. It already is and I didn't know until I was done reading the book)
I stayed up last night till 1.30am to finish the book. Its un-put-down-able!!!!!
Firstly going through 5 different characters was a good move because we could see how MYD affects different people instead of just one character. Adding serial killer and he finding love was the cherry on top. That got intrigued in the book in the beginning.
While reading the book, I couldn’t stop but wonder how I’d feel if MYD was a real thing in our world. I had mixed feelings about it. I think it would save us so much effort and time (and even trauma in some cases). But this effort and time that we normally put into dating and meeting and dealing with different kinds of people, kissing different frogs changes us (for good or bad depending on the individual). We learn and experience so much. We learn so much about ourselves as well. But with MYD this won’t happen as we’ll just jump to the happily ever after. (other than the whole fiasco that happens in the book cause of human mind and behaviour)
While reading the book, I also thought that as so much weightage is given to the Matches that believe blindly believe it, then there could be placebo effect taking place. And I’m happy to see the book talk about it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Cancer, Miscarriage, Grief, and Pregnancy
leighellenj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking and Murder
taria's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
kelly_e's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Title: The One
Author: John Marrs
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5.0
Pub Date: July 15, 2016
T H R E E • W O R D S
Inventive • Gripping • Dynamic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
What if a revolutionary DNA test promising to find your ideal partner existed? The One weaves together the stories of five strangers. Mandy, who matches with Richard, but soon finds out he is dead. Christopher, a serial killer on a mission, until he meets his match Amy, a police officer. Jade, whose match, Kevin, lives a world way in Australia and who it turns out wasn't completely truthful with her. Nick who is happily engaged to Sally, and whose match turns out to be a man named Alexander. And lastly, Ellie, the mastermind behind the match gene, who has been matched with Timothy who has secrets of his own.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Wow! What an incredible ride.
The One is one of the genre bending reads I don't quite know where to classify it, or how to put into words my thoughts. Written so smartly in five separate stories (somewhat connected), I loved how each one hooked me right from the very start. The tempo is fast-paced, where I didn't want to put it down, eagerly wanting to know where each part would go. There were many twists and turns - some I saw coming, others I didn't - and the ride was so worth it. The structure is completely different from anything I've read, but it worked brilliantly. Sometimes I can find myself having difficultly keeping track of storylines when there's a larger cast, and/or when the perspectives alternate chapters, yet here each plot line was distinct enough I had absolutely no issues. I enjoyed each of the plot lines, but my two favourites were probably Jade and Mandy's stories. I felt I connected more to both of those stories than the others.
Normally science fiction and/or thrillers aren't my go to, but this one worked for me on so many levels. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a thriller. Yes, there are parts that add a little thrill, but it definitely wasn't the whole story. John Marrs has written such a thought-provoking and unique novel, which is something I am always wanting in a good book. It certainly opened up dialogue and reflection among my book friends. There is no doubt I will be thinking about the book and what I would do if such a test existed, for a long time. Instantly, adding more John Marrs to my TBR.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• all readers!
• bookclubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Maybe that was more important than anything else, she thought. Maybe when you took it back to basics, that's what love really was: just being there for someone when the sun rises and sets."
"Sometimes, the grass is not greener on the other side, and we should stay in the field where we belong. And sometimes we just need to take a gamble and hope for the best."
Author: John Marrs
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5.0
Pub Date: July 15, 2016
T H R E E • W O R D S
Inventive • Gripping • Dynamic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
What if a revolutionary DNA test promising to find your ideal partner existed? The One weaves together the stories of five strangers. Mandy, who matches with Richard, but soon finds out he is dead. Christopher, a serial killer on a mission, until he meets his match Amy, a police officer. Jade, whose match, Kevin, lives a world way in Australia and who it turns out wasn't completely truthful with her. Nick who is happily engaged to Sally, and whose match turns out to be a man named Alexander. And lastly, Ellie, the mastermind behind the match gene, who has been matched with Timothy who has secrets of his own.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Wow! What an incredible ride.
The One is one of the genre bending reads I don't quite know where to classify it, or how to put into words my thoughts. Written so smartly in five separate stories (somewhat connected), I loved how each one hooked me right from the very start. The tempo is fast-paced, where I didn't want to put it down, eagerly wanting to know where each part would go. There were many twists and turns - some I saw coming, others I didn't - and the ride was so worth it. The structure is completely different from anything I've read, but it worked brilliantly. Sometimes I can find myself having difficultly keeping track of storylines when there's a larger cast, and/or when the perspectives alternate chapters, yet here each plot line was distinct enough I had absolutely no issues. I enjoyed each of the plot lines, but my two favourites were probably Jade and Mandy's stories. I felt I connected more to both of those stories than the others.
Normally science fiction and/or thrillers aren't my go to, but this one worked for me on so many levels. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a thriller. Yes, there are parts that add a little thrill, but it definitely wasn't the whole story. John Marrs has written such a thought-provoking and unique novel, which is something I am always wanting in a good book. It certainly opened up dialogue and reflection among my book friends. There is no doubt I will be thinking about the book and what I would do if such a test existed, for a long time. Instantly, adding more John Marrs to my TBR.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• all readers!
• bookclubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Maybe that was more important than anything else, she thought. Maybe when you took it back to basics, that's what love really was: just being there for someone when the sun rises and sets."
"Sometimes, the grass is not greener on the other side, and we should stay in the field where we belong. And sometimes we just need to take a gamble and hope for the best."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Blood, Stalking, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity and Abortion
death of partner