I don't know where to start with this as I've simply never read anything like it. I've seen some people likening it's structure to Cloud Atlas but I haven't read that myself so I can't comment. 

This is St. John Mandel's fifth novel and is probably best read after you read her third and fourth (Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel) as there are many references to both of those and I'd hate for you to miss them. 

The story spans centuries and, as only she can, St. John Mandel expertly weaves the plotlines as we follow the three main characters. It's Sci-fi that doesn't feel like Sci-fi; she manages to make the concept of time travel quite real and almost mundane. Almost. 

There's a biographical element to it too. One of the characters, Olive Llewellan, is an author, who found fame and fortune with her third novel. That novel was about a pandemic. Ring any bells? It goes meta when that book enjoys a resurgence in popularity, caused by yet another pandemic. 
 

I don't want to say too much more about it, other than I absolutely adored it. I got to meet some beloved characters again and throughly enjoyed the riffs on the various timelines in her previous books. Don't let the mention of time travel or Sci-fi put you off, if they're normally not your thing. There isn't a sniff of warp factors or ray guns. Just lots of beautiful prose and clever plotting. 

Thanks again to Chlöe @nursefanctpants for the loan of her ARC. I feel privileged to have been able to read it ahead of the release in April