Today dear reader I am reviewing Anna Newton Destroys The World (Published By Blam! Productions 30 Mar. 2022) By Sapphira Olson. A big thank you to the author for sending me a copy to review, always appreciated.
Anna Newton Destroys The World
It took Anna nearly 4000 days to get to where you are now. You do not even know Anna but you will. She is the woman who will destroy the world.
About The Author
Sapphira Olson is a bestselling author, illustrator and poet. Born in St Austell she now lives in Liskeard in Cornwall, UK. When not writing she loves spending time in the countryside and enjoys watching Audrey Hepburn movies and listening to Billie Eilish and Gorillaz.
My Review
Told in four parts, the narrative follows Anna Newton as she finds the strength to escape her prison from Tartarus and destroy god. Ten years she has been held captive, in a silent tomb, broken only by the sound of her heartbeat and constant chip of her fingernails. Anna had asked god to leave her alone and in a fit of rage he had locked her away saying she had gone mad. He had told her she will never be free and will be left in her cell for all eternity, for everyone else's safety and well-being. But Anna has a plan, a plan to kill god and destroy the world. Forever.
From the moment you begin reading Olson throws the reader in, surrounded by death, despair and hopelessness. The pain Anna has suffered after all those years is finally going to begin healing once she has accomplished her mission. Her mission to kill god. She has to end the abuse and the trauma. But what Anna doesn't expect is to fall in love. Once she has destroyed god she creates Aisling who is serving coffee in a cafe on her first day. Anna doesn't want her to be alone and so also creates her a companion, Liam.
Aisling is working her first day in the cafe when she first meets Anna. She walks in and tells her to follow her before turning into a rabbit and hopping out. There are many moments like this dear reader throughout the book that will catch you off guard. It's brilliantly bizarre to witness and pulls you further and further in. Much like the reader Aisling worries that she is losing her grip on reality after meeting Anna. She misses a few days of work and finds out that Anna has taken her form, working in the cafe so she doesn't lose the job. Aisling asks her why is she helping her to which Anna replies that Aisling has lived her life in constant misery and believes herself to not be a nice person. Anna tells her that she is amazing. Aisling takes her old job back and in doing so meets Liam who asks her out. The two get along and begin to date but Aisling isn't sure she believes in love anymore. Her partner died and her children have long flown the nest. But she feels something for Liam. Something she believes may be love.
Anna is a fascinating character to read, you never exactly know where you stand with her. One moment she will be talking to a character and the next she shifts and turns herself into a robin, taking flight into the clouds. Anna knows who she is. But a hatred of life has consumed her, she hates everything because she cannot walk with her children. She wants to destroy the world because there is so much pain and it can not go on. She is constantly battling with herself if it's the right thing to do and worries she won't be able to do it. But she can't bear to leave everyone to rot and the silent screaming that torments her daily. It is then that she bumps into the women with the flowers at the airport, Dawn who changes everything.
There are a lot of strong, powerful metaphors for our way of life in this book. Olson shows the reader how all around people are living according to the gospel of conformity which they take as good news. A system that rewards those for being a part of society, working, getting married, popping out kids and owning a house. We don't reward those who go against the grain and colour outside the lines. Those who stand up and decide to live a different lifestyle, one that doesn't harm anyone and remains true to themselves. It's shocking how narrow-minded the world still appears after everything it's been through, the lack of understanding is still rife and acceptance still remains a distant dream.
There is a twist in this story that will reveal the reader's true feelings about one of the characters when they discover it. I'm not going to spoil it for you dear reader, but it does say more about you and your reaction rather than the character. It's brilliantly done and I applaud Olson for being blunt and honest with her writing. It's refreshing and needed more in today's literature.
I give Anna Newton Destroys The World By Sapphira Olson a Four out of Five paw rating.
Wonderfully bizarre and unlike anything I have read lately, this book will leave you with so many questions, mainly about yourself. This book has made me realise that you miss so much if you spend too long thinking about things. We should all be living in the moment and not thinking about how we want to live in a near distant imaginary future. We should live now, right now. Who knows, the world could end tomorrow for all we know…
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