Book Review:  The Origins Of Iris by Beth Lewis: 

I made an appearance on the Radio 2 Bookclub (available on BBC Sounds, 08/09/21) I did this with some trepidation.  I mean, we all love the concept of a free book and appearing with Steve Wright.  But you know, the former generally disappoints.  

And so, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It uses the conventions of a horror novel to explore philosophical concepts.  I know that sounds heavy, but it is a genuinely pacy read. 

Iris lives in New York and has basically given up on her dreams.  Her relationship with her wife Claude is abusive.  Iris packs a rucksack and heads for a cabin upstate.  There she meets a woman called Iris who resembles her (but with better hair!); but has taken the opposite of her every decision.  Whilst that is weird enough, the spirit of Claude is there too. And with a storm approaching, bigger problems are about to hit them.   

Ok, so “The Cabin In The Woods” is one thing, but a storm is just a metaphor for sex and death.  The book’s blurb makes that apparent, as well as referencing the film Sliding Doors; which I think sells the book short of what is genuinely is. 

The book’s big twist – who is this other Iris? - is discussed, but never disclosed.  We know the significance of the cabin, but is it an alternate universe? A psychodrama?  A dream? That’s a brave narrative leap.   

And let’s ignore the problem of an unreliable narrator.  Iris isn’t a completely loveable character.  She left her previous girlfriend Bella for Claude.  This other Iris is married to Bella, but her universe isn’t exactly perfect either.  Plus, in there is a shocking scene between Iris and Claude. If anything, it speaks a lot about toxic relationships and the end result of two people irreparably damaged by events.   

It would be too much to reveal that final third, which resolves all the narrative threads and ends with the reader catching your breath, then exhaling deeply.   

Packaged like a thriller, perfect for discussion on afternoon radio, this book gets you thinking in parentheses and manages to entertain at the same time.