My Name Was Eden – Eleanor Barker-White

Happy Monday! Today feels like spring, and tomorrow we have a low of -1 degree, so it looks like we get all the seasons this week in Minnesota.

Thank you to William Morrow Books for the gifted copy

MY NAME WAS EDEN – Eleanor Barker-White (Released February 27th, 2024)

Book Description:

In this edge-of-your-seat psychological debut, a mother’s experience with Vanishing Twin Syndrome triggers disturbing changes in her teenage daughter, perfect for fans of The Push and The Undoing.

When her daughter Eden came home from the hospital, Lucy was profoundly relieved. Eden had survived a drowning incident and had no apparent brain damage, no serious injuries, not even a scratch on her. Lucy fervently welcomed having a second chance at being the good mother she should have been before her teenager’s accident. Until Eden tells her that Eden isn’t her name. Until she starts calling herself Eli. The name Lucy had reserved for Eden’s unborn twin. Don’t worry , says the doctor. Eden is completely fine , says her husband. Of course I’m fine , Eden says, with that strange new smile of hers. I didn’t die. I’m here . But Lucy knows something’s very wrong with Eden. She’s not her maddening, complicated teenage girl anymore—this straight-backed, even tempered, steady-eyed child in her house is someone else entirely. Eden, it seems, is the twin who disappeared…

My Thoughts: 3/5 stars

I think the beginning of the synopsis was misleading. I was hoping for an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller, but it was more of a domestic suspense kind of pacing. The premise had me immediately, and I was invested despite the slower initial pace. It does pick up in the middle but hits another lull towards the end – I feel like if I went into this with the proper expectations, then I would have enjoyed it much more!

The story and Vanishing Twin Syndrome?? Give me more of that. I need more creepy kids and more of Eden/Eli. I think there was so much the author could do with this. I am 100% going to pick up her next book and see what is in store for us next. Still a solid debut, and I know there are a TON of great reviews out there. I think it was a timing thing for me with this one. It’s hard to follow a couple of heavy and intense reads.