Here’s my Review of The Split by Kit Frick. I’ve enjoyed YA books by author Kit Frick, books like Zoe Spanos is Dead or Very Bad People. Kit Frick has now written an adult suspense story. What did I think?
Written and edited by Jen Ryland. Last updated on:
Jen’s Quick Take on The Split
- For fans of intricate plots and tricky timelines
- A Sliding Doors-style concept with two alternate realities
- A sister story
- Your enjoyment will depend on how much you like multiverse concepts
- This is a packaged book* if that matters to you (*the copyright is held by the author and Alloy Entertainment)
The Split by Kit Frick
Published on February 13, 2024 by Simon & Schuster. Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review. I read this book in February 2024.
Plot Summary of The Split by Kit Frick
Jane Connor is the pragmatic and dependable one, unlike her beautiful and impetuous younger sister Esme. Esme calls Jane during a storm, announcing she’s left her husband and needs Jane to pick her up. Now. Jane is afraid of driving anyway, and the thought of a trip from Connecticut to New York in bad weather fills her with terror.
Will Jane tell Esme to stand on her own two feet for once? Or will she, as always, jump to her flighty younger sister’s rescue? Jane’s choice will cleave her life in two.
Review of The Split by Kit Frick
Ah, that feeling when an author you like writes a book with a concept you’re iffy about. Kit Frick is a Macdowell fellow who wrote several YA books, which I enjoyed.
BUT I am NOT a huge fan of multiverse, alt-reality, Butterfly Effect, Sliding Doors-style books.
While I find the idea of the multiverse pretty fascinating, I don’t really enjoy fiction with that trope. I think it works better on the screen, where you can use more visual cues to let the viewer know which reality they are in.
Plus, I have a short attention span and I really don’t want to read two versions of the same story. Don’t even get me started on Groundhog Day-style plots, which drive me insane.
In addition, in multiverse plots, I always prefer one version of reality and am annoyed every time I have to go back to the other.
What Did I Think of The Split?
In short: if you like domestic thrillers with tricky timelines, books by authors like Liv Constantine or Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks, then I think you will enjoy The Split.
The premise of The Split is that a woman calls her sister for a ride from New York to Connecticut. That’s a long way, and there’s a storm, and Jane has a phobia of driving.
(Yes, the book explains why Esme can’t find an Uber, or a Lyft, or a taxi AND why she can’t get a hotel room, or find a friend to stay with, or simply enjoy the city that never sleeps.)
Then reality splits. In one reality, Jane picks Esme up and in the other, she says no.
There is a lot of interconnection between the two realities, which helped make the book more interesting. I admire all the craftsmanship and planning that had to go into these interconnections.
If you’re up for a mental challenge and don’t mind keeping two realities straight, this could be a great book for you.
But if you’re a reader who prefers a straightforward timeline or a quick and fast read, you might find this one too all over the place for you!
What do you think? Are you a fan of plots like this, or no? Are you going to try The Split?