
In the future, the world is run by humans with nodes in their brains that allow them to split their consciousness and have an AI version of themselves - or a "Night" - take over from 8 PM to 8 AM while they enjoy a carefree life during the daytime. Life without a node is virtually impossible, and an environmental and refugee crisis has devastated the country, leaving leadership in the hands of Callosum, the corporation in charge of the nodes. This is the concept presented in Kevin Kane's novel, the first in a series, called "Partition."
The novel follows a man named Eric, whose Night works as a detective for the police department. Early on, a crime occurs in the book that Eric's Night may be involved with, but he cannot remember as he was on a new drug that night. Suddenly, a woman named Annabelle is murdered, and Eric finds himself linked to her after her death. There is also an ongoing societal dilemma regarding AI Night upgrades. When a Day replaces their Night's technology, they effectively kill that Night, which is controversial. Right here, we have three major elements: Eric being investigated for a murder, Annabelle's connection to Eric, and the controversy surrounding the upgrades of "Gen 1" Nights to "Gen 2." In my opinion, this was a little too ambitious and led to a dense novel.
However, "Partition" was a fascinating read that held my interest throughout. If you're a die-hard science fiction fan and don't mind a longer book with many new terms and complex world-building, you'll enjoy this. But if you're looking for a light and breezy read, this isn't it.
Characters - 7/10: I really liked Eric's Night and his wife's Night, Diane. They were far more relatable than the Days. However, I think this was partly because the author was trying to make a point about civilization in this kind of society, but I found it hard to root for some of the main characters in any capacity.
Premise & Originality - 9/10: Okay, so this reminds me so much of the concept of the show "Severance" on Apple TV+ that it was hard to recognize it as its own gem for a moment. So point off for originality, but the premise remains fascinating.
Execution of Premise and Plot - 6/10: I actually think the whole night/day split consciousness worker concept is executed more interestingly and realistically than the Apple TV+ show "Severance." However, this loses points for me in terms of the plot. There were simply too many major conflicts occurring at once.
Writing style - 8/10: Kane is clearly a very talented writer who kept me entertained for many pages. However, there were some clarity issues at times regarding who was narrating due to the constant flip-flops, the distinction between simulation and drug side effects, and the abundance of lingo in this world that was hard to keep track of. I also found some of the dialogue a little clunky, and the book itself felt a little dense. Ultimately, I think too many plot points were occurring simultaneously. Having said that, there are some truly beautiful sentences in this book, and I highlighted many!
Stakes - 10/10: While this book tries to accomplish too much, I did feel very invested and the stakes were very high for both the individual characters and their society as a whole. Basically, everything is on the line for everyone involved.
Enjoyability - 7/10: I did enjoy the story, but it frustrated me simply because there was so much going on. We switch between multiple viewpoints within the same body, and characters have aliases or different names for days and nights. Because of this, I was constantly rereading. I even reread the beginning once I finished the book - something I would recommend everyone do.
Unputdownability - 9/10: It's a really cool story, and I wanted to keep coming back to it, but I knew I'd be a little annoyed picking it back up because I'd have to figure out whose perspective is whose. Nonetheless, this is a longer book compared to what I usually read, and I still felt compelled by the story to finish it. I'll definitely be reading the next one.
Memorability - 10/10: This one I will definitely remember. Honestly, it left me on a big cliffhanger, and the concept in general raises questions that are relevant in society.
Ending - 8/10: It definitely made me want to keep reading, and the fact that there is a series is good! The way things all came together was interesting, and it leaves me wondering what will happen next.
Pacing - 7/10: It's kind of all over the place. I think the beginning should have been slowed down, and there are parts that didn't seem necessary (although they may be important for the rest of the series). I'll say this - I was never bored with this book. I was occasionally confused because things would happen so fast, but then again, the book is pretty long.
All in all, that’s an 81 or B- on my grading scale and 4 stars. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Literature and Lattes for the ARC and opportunity to read and review this book and give my honest opinion.

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