All This and More: A Novel

walmart eeaao + experience machine (and in this case the sum is NOT greater than the parts)

there’s a part near the end where the mc goes “omg it was that all along? how could i have not seen this?!” girl idk because it was obvious for so long. but the mc made a lot of dumb moves, like ignoring a massive part of the plot because she thinks it just won’t affect her or something?? not sure how to describe it without spoilers but she was FRUSTRATING me…

there’s a part where there’s confusion about the daughter’s bio dad and i was like ??? because i imagined those guys as two very different looking races like we would not be getting mixed up about who was in her genetic code (this is not a critique i just found it funny)

+0.5 stars for the fun premise but SO MANY plot holes + too many boring details on dumb stuff + annoying main character + the obvious “message” (btw shepherd just bc you put the characters saying how predictable the plot was doesn’t make the plot interesting all of a sudden! it’s not cheeky and cute)… speaking of not cute: the book title being a jingle at the end of like every other chapter

i just do NOT recommend. go play bandersnatch on netflix again

rating: 1.5 stars

Peng Shepard’s “All This & More” is a choose-your-own-adventure novel centered around a reality television program of the same name, where contestants experience various iterations of their lives. Forty-five-year-old Marshmallow “Marsh” Lee (her real name remains undisclosed) has recently divorced after discovering her husband Dylan, with whom she spent twenty years, was unfaithful. Marsh met Dylan in college during a camping trip with her best friend Joanna “Jo” Hall. As she was preparing for law school, she fell deeply in love with Dylan, a physics PhD student. An unexpected pregnancy led Marsh to drop out of law school and raise their daughter, Harper. In the present day, Marsh, newly single, reconnects with her high school sweetheart, Ren Kurosaki—the person who gave her the nickname Marshmallow. After a few dates, the relationship hits a snag when Marsh accidentally calls Ren by Dylan’s name, leading to a breakup. The next day, Marsh is fired from her job as a paralegal. Desperate, she applies to join All This & More and is accepted by Talia, a former contestant and the current host. The show, set in Phoenix, Arizona, features ten episodes with a mid-season finale. Contestants attempt to improve their lives through quantum bubbling, a fictional process that allows them to alter their past and future by manipulating observable instances. After the tenth episode, contestants rejoin the real world with their changed lives. Marsh’s journey begins with her recounting her regrets and humiliations. Talia presents her first choice: either have Ren not break up with her or go to law school. With reader input, Marsh explores various paths that impact her relationships, career, and personal life. She can become an actress, environmental photographer, poker player, lawyer, astronaut, and more, depending on the choices made. It soon becomes clear that Ren is destined to be Marsh’s romantic partner, even if she revisits and rekindles her relationship with Dylan. Season 2 of All This & More collapses shortly after filming, and the identity of its contestant remains a mystery. Marsh’s season becomes increasingly bizarre when the word “Chrysalis” appears repeatedly, and a briefcase Dylan bought for Marsh keeps resurfacing. Fans of Netflix’s Black Mirror: Bandersnatch or choose-your-own-adventure games may appreciate Shepard’s innovative approach. However, some readers might find the novel tedious and repetitive, especially if they need to revisit earlier choices to explore different outcomes. Marsh’s character development seems lacking; she is portrayed as constantly seeking perfection but remains unsatisfied. Her focus on minor details, like Ren’s dance steps and appearance, detracts from her strength as a lead. Additionally, the array of career paths available to her feels far-fetched and excessive. The novel, spanning 460 pages, could benefit from a reduction of about a hundred pages to alleviate its exhausting nature. While the twist and explanations regarding Season 2 and the mechanics of Marsh’s season are addressed, they lack sufficient detail to fully grasp the concept of quantum bubbling. The idea is intriguing but falls short in providing a clear visualization of the bubble and its workings.