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There are currently 30 member reviews
for The Insomniacs
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Joanna_B
What happens after midnight
The Insomniacs takes a quiet, character-first approach and lets the tension build slowly. This isn’t a fast, twist-heavy thriller. It leans more on mood and relationships, with an almost cozy tone despite darker elements running underneath. Not every character feels equally developed, but the group dynamic carries it. The real draw is watching how these lives intersect and how small details start to connect once you’re paying attention.
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Elizabeth W. (Terrebonne, OR)
Insomniacs Unite!
Four insomniacs form a support group. From there bonds and friendships develop. People reach out and learn to trust each other. Family members are forced to get creative when they can no longer tolerate toxic relationships. The characters are well delineated and evolve as their acquired families grow closer. I would recommend this entertaining and well-written novel.
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Wendy F. (Kalamazoo, MI)
The Insomniacs
This story revolves around a group of folks who have connected over the lack of sleep. They meet online while everyone is up at night and converse, play games, etc. They begin meeting in person at an all-night diner and also befriend their waitress. As their story continues, their individual pasts start to be revealed. And everyone has secrets. But of course!! At times, funny and at others, poignant, we see their lives intertwine in so many ways. Betty seems to have the biggest secret which others are trying to unravel but the bonds that are created in a relatively short time are very compelling. The trials and tribulations of family drama are included in each person's life and that is what makes this a great read.
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Miss Liz
The Insomniacs
The Insomniacs
The Insomniacs, Allison Winn Scotch's 11th novel had me intrigued by the title. I chose to read this book based on the title and story line involving four complete strangers all who suffer with insomnia. Four individuals from completely different backgrounds are drawn together by their affliction, which leads them to join a chat group. They decide to meet in person, and soon find themselves involved with one another, albeit reluctantly and guarded as they all come with personal baggage. Sybil, the mother figure who wants to fix all, Zeke, the sports hero struggling with his identity, Julian, who is retired but not forthcoming about much at all and Betty, who is young and the most guarded and secretive of all. The story is a wonderful psychological study of human desires, needs and the longing to belong. The character study in this story is what held my attention. The story does develop into a mystery of sorts as the group worries and struggles to find the member of the group who has gone missing. The twists and turns this takes as more is revealed about each character holds your attention. I found their journey of discovery into themselves to be the most fascinating aspect of this story. Anyone who enjoys learning and understanding human behavior along with some mystery will find this a worthwhile read.
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Robin G. (Tallahassee, FL)
Not A Sleeper
As I moved deeper into the book I found more to appreciate. What might have been just a novel about four sad and lonely people who couldn't sleep became a mystery that drew me deeper into the plot. In addition, each character had an intriguing back story that added dimension to the tale. It's a book for people who are interested in following multi-dimensional characters as they learn to overcome isolation and commit to caring for themselves and each other. It's also a book for people who like to follow the threads of a mystery to its conclusion.
Book groups will find materials that prompt teasing out the singularity of each personality. With four major characters that represent several age groups and diverse life experiences there's lots of room to draw people of every age and stage into the conversation. Judging by book groups I've been in, there will always be people ready to reverse engineer the mystery as well.
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Ellen B. (Parkland, FL)
Middle of the Night Adventures
The Insomniacs, by Alison Williams Scotch is an engaging mystery that grabs you and doesn't let go. Set in New York City, three insomniacs, Zeke, Sybil and Julian, meet first online and then in person at a diner to escape the loneliness of being awake all night. Here they meet the waitress, Betty, a young troubled fellow insomniac.
It's clear from the start that both Julian and Betty have secrets that keep you guessing until the truth is slowly revealed, perhaps too slowly. Relationships deepen as a mystery evolves involving a Megachurch with a corrupt leader and the FBI. An improbable romance develops between Zeke, a renowned superstar Major league pitcher and Sybil, a frustrated housewife and would-be gifted surgeon, who is married to a cheating husband.
Sybil aptly summarizes The Insomniacs when she says " this whole thing was meant to be a quiet cadre of friends who could calm each other's anxieties…None of this was at all what she imagined it would be." This reader agrees.
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Cresta F. (Pocatello, ID)
Great book
This book was hard to relate to for me. I can't imagine hardly ever sleeping and still being able to function. The fact that the four main characters were able to do so was really amazing, especially at the level they apparently functioned. There were twists that I found surprising while some things were a big predictable. Overall, worth reading, especially if you can't sleep. lol
