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The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding
From the bestselling author of A Beautiful Poison comes a spellbinding historical mystery about hidden identities, wartime paranoia, and the tantalizing power of deceit.
Brooklyn, 1942. War rages overseas as brother and sister Will and Maggie Scripps contribute to the war effort stateside. Ambitious Will secretly scouts for the Manhattan Project while grief-stricken Maggie works at the Navy Yard, writing letters to her dead mother between shifts.
But the siblings’ quiet lives change when they discover a beautiful woman hiding under their back stairs. This stranger harbors an obsession with poisons, an affection for fine things, and a singular talent for killing small creatures. As she draws Will and Maggie deeper into her mysterious past, they both begin to suspect she’s quite dangerous―all while falling helplessly under her spell.
With whispers of spies in dark corners and the world’s first atomic bomb in the works, the visitor’s sudden presence in Maggie’s and Will’s lives raises questions about who she is and what she wants. Is this mysterious woman someone they can trust―or a threat to everything they hold dear?
Brooklyn, 1942. War rages overseas as brother and sister Will and Maggie Scripps contribute to the war effort stateside. Ambitious Will secretly scouts for the Manhattan Project while grief-stricken Maggie works at the Navy Yard, writing letters to her dead mother between shifts.
But the siblings’ quiet lives change when they discover a beautiful woman hiding under their back stairs. This stranger harbors an obsession with poisons, an affection for fine things, and a singular talent for killing small creatures. As she draws Will and Maggie deeper into her mysterious past, they both begin to suspect she’s quite dangerous―all while falling helplessly under her spell.
With whispers of spies in dark corners and the world’s first atomic bomb in the works, the visitor’s sudden presence in Maggie’s and Will’s lives raises questions about who she is and what she wants. Is this mysterious woman someone they can trust―or a threat to everything they hold dear?
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First published May 1, 2022
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About the author
Lydia Kang
24 books2,342 followersI love salt more than chocolate. I'm somewhat small, yet deceptively strong. Sort of like an ant.
I'm a part time doc, full time family member, and if you offer me snacks, I'll be a friend for life.
My adult fiction centers around historical mysteries in New York City, with splashes of forensics, anatomy, apothecary medicine, and chemistry! A BEAUTIFUL POISON takes place in 1918 at the height of the influenza epidemic; THE IMPOSSIBLE GIRL centers around the illegal grave robbing world; and forthcoming in July 2020 is OPIUM AND ABSINTHE, with--you guessed it--opium and absinthe. And possibly vampires!
I have three nonfiction adult titles written with Nate Pederson: QUACKERY: A Short History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything, 2017; PATIENT ZERO: A Curious History of the World's Worst Diseases; and PSEUDOSCIENCE: An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and Why We Love Them.
My most recent YA novel is releasing in October 2025, entitled K-Jane (Quill Tree Books) about a Korean American girl who doesn't feel Korean enough and decides to educate herself on all things K-Pop, K-food, K-drama, and things get pretty out of hand! I am also the author of TOXIC, a space opera about a created, teen girl who's abandoned on a biological spaceship, and the mercenary boy doomed to die on it. I've also written THE NOVEMBER GIRL, set on a remote island on Lake Superior. A girl with violence running through her veins meets a boy running away from an abusive home life.
I'm also the author of the Star Wars novel CATACLYSM, which is part of The High Republic series of books that take place several hundred years before the movies begin.
And as always, there are more books to come!
I'm a part time doc, full time family member, and if you offer me snacks, I'll be a friend for life.
My adult fiction centers around historical mysteries in New York City, with splashes of forensics, anatomy, apothecary medicine, and chemistry! A BEAUTIFUL POISON takes place in 1918 at the height of the influenza epidemic; THE IMPOSSIBLE GIRL centers around the illegal grave robbing world; and forthcoming in July 2020 is OPIUM AND ABSINTHE, with--you guessed it--opium and absinthe. And possibly vampires!
I have three nonfiction adult titles written with Nate Pederson: QUACKERY: A Short History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything, 2017; PATIENT ZERO: A Curious History of the World's Worst Diseases; and PSEUDOSCIENCE: An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and Why We Love Them.
My most recent YA novel is releasing in October 2025, entitled K-Jane (Quill Tree Books) about a Korean American girl who doesn't feel Korean enough and decides to educate herself on all things K-Pop, K-food, K-drama, and things get pretty out of hand! I am also the author of TOXIC, a space opera about a created, teen girl who's abandoned on a biological spaceship, and the mercenary boy doomed to die on it. I've also written THE NOVEMBER GIRL, set on a remote island on Lake Superior. A girl with violence running through her veins meets a boy running away from an abusive home life.
I'm also the author of the Star Wars novel CATACLYSM, which is part of The High Republic series of books that take place several hundred years before the movies begin.
And as always, there are more books to come!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 430 reviews
May 6, 2022
I’ve been wanting to read a book by Lydia Kang, and I finally did! The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding is an entertaining historical mystery. I don’t often read historical mysteries, but every time I do, I wish I read them more.
About the book: “Brimming with gracefully executed twists and turns, The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding is a suspenseful tale encompassing the shrouded early history of the Manhattan Project, set in its namesake city. Kang’s unforgettable characters, both courageous and sinister, play out their respective parts behind blackout-curtained windows, holding their cards close until the end. Packed with intrigue and secret assignations, this is a triumphant addition to the WWII canon by a masterful author.” —Paulette Kennedy, author of Parting the Veil
Have you heard of The Manhattan Project? This topic made the perfect backdrop for a captivating mystery. Set in Brooklyn in 1942, the war is occupying the world. Siblings Will and Maggie Scripps are helping stateside. Will works for the project while Maggie works in the Navy Yard. Everything changes when they find a woman underneath their stairs. This woman is Ruby Fielding, and she seems dangerous. Who is she and what does she want from the Scripps?
The second half of this book is when the twists really heat up. It’s well-written and full of surprises. I did not know what to think of Ruby Fielding when she entered the story, but what a fascinating character. There’s some great technical detail here, too. If you are looking for a unique, slow-burning WWII historical mystery, check this one out. I’ll definitely be reading some of Kang’s earlier books.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
About the book: “Brimming with gracefully executed twists and turns, The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding is a suspenseful tale encompassing the shrouded early history of the Manhattan Project, set in its namesake city. Kang’s unforgettable characters, both courageous and sinister, play out their respective parts behind blackout-curtained windows, holding their cards close until the end. Packed with intrigue and secret assignations, this is a triumphant addition to the WWII canon by a masterful author.” —Paulette Kennedy, author of Parting the Veil
Have you heard of The Manhattan Project? This topic made the perfect backdrop for a captivating mystery. Set in Brooklyn in 1942, the war is occupying the world. Siblings Will and Maggie Scripps are helping stateside. Will works for the project while Maggie works in the Navy Yard. Everything changes when they find a woman underneath their stairs. This woman is Ruby Fielding, and she seems dangerous. Who is she and what does she want from the Scripps?
The second half of this book is when the twists really heat up. It’s well-written and full of surprises. I did not know what to think of Ruby Fielding when she entered the story, but what a fascinating character. There’s some great technical detail here, too. If you are looking for a unique, slow-burning WWII historical mystery, check this one out. I’ll definitely be reading some of Kang’s earlier books.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
November 22, 2022
Ruby put on a smile. It was like adding a fresh coat of lipstick. Armor. Didn’t always change how she felt inside, which lately was wretched and heartsick and frightened of the world, but it helped.
We fight, because there’s no other choice. p336
Lydia Kang's THE HALF-LIFE OF RUBY FIELDING is one fun, twisty book! I went in having only read the blurb, which is more than I usually take with me, and I still had no idea what was going on, in the very best way! This plot has so many twists, and I thought Kang laid them well. None of the plot developments felt too far outside of the realm of possibility to me, even though this book is never about one thing for very long. Is this book about espionage? WWII? women's rights in the modern era? domestic abuse? something even more sinister than any of these?
The characters, including the antagonist and the seemingly morally gray Ruby are rich and well drawn. I loved seeing what these characters would do and reveal next.
I'm worried about saying too much and giving something away, so I will keep this uncharacteristically brief. But this is a good one! Have fun on this wild ride!
Rating 4 stars
Finished November 2022
Read this if you like:
🪖 WWII historical fiction
🕶 Spy / espionage thrillers
🏠 Domestic thrillers
🪴 Plants / botany
🔪 Murder mysteries
👨👩👧👧 Family drama
We fight, because there’s no other choice. p336
Lydia Kang's THE HALF-LIFE OF RUBY FIELDING is one fun, twisty book! I went in having only read the blurb, which is more than I usually take with me, and I still had no idea what was going on, in the very best way! This plot has so many twists, and I thought Kang laid them well. None of the plot developments felt too far outside of the realm of possibility to me, even though this book is never about one thing for very long. Is this book about espionage? WWII? women's rights in the modern era? domestic abuse? something even more sinister than any of these?
The characters, including the antagonist and the seemingly morally gray Ruby are rich and well drawn. I loved seeing what these characters would do and reveal next.
I'm worried about saying too much and giving something away, so I will keep this uncharacteristically brief. But this is a good one! Have fun on this wild ride!
Rating 4 stars
Finished November 2022
Read this if you like:
🪖 WWII historical fiction
🕶 Spy / espionage thrillers
🏠 Domestic thrillers
🪴 Plants / botany
🔪 Murder mysteries
👨👩👧👧 Family drama
April 2, 2022
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
To be honest, I didn’t think this book really got going until I was half-way through. By that point, I felt committed enough to finish the novel and I am glad I persevered: the second half became really interesting and I liked the developing mystery. Therefore, if you are after a book that explodes from the beginning, you are likely to find this book tests your patience.
To be honest, I didn’t think this book really got going until I was half-way through. By that point, I felt committed enough to finish the novel and I am glad I persevered: the second half became really interesting and I liked the developing mystery. Therefore, if you are after a book that explodes from the beginning, you are likely to find this book tests your patience.
April 11, 2022
Started out great and ended horribly. Poor plot. Don’t waste your time on this one.
May 2, 2022
It's WWII, and we meet Will who is working on the Manhattan Project and Maggie, his sister who finally got a job.
Things were going well for the brother and sister team until they found Ruby hiding and frozen under their back porch.
They don't know what to make of Ruby...she has bruises, seems helpless, kills bugs, and knows a lot about poisons.
They also find a vial with poison in her pocket, learn that she tried to kill her fiancee, and her mother asked Will to keep her hidden.
What is going on? Could Ruby be a spy? Did Maggie hear her speaking German?
You will not know what to make of Ruby either or in fact any of the characters.
THE HALF-LIFE OF RUBY FIELDING has great characters, great writing, an interesting story line, and lot of secrets and surprises.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and mystery, you should enjoy this twisty read. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
Things were going well for the brother and sister team until they found Ruby hiding and frozen under their back porch.
They don't know what to make of Ruby...she has bruises, seems helpless, kills bugs, and knows a lot about poisons.
They also find a vial with poison in her pocket, learn that she tried to kill her fiancee, and her mother asked Will to keep her hidden.
What is going on? Could Ruby be a spy? Did Maggie hear her speaking German?
You will not know what to make of Ruby either or in fact any of the characters.
THE HALF-LIFE OF RUBY FIELDING has great characters, great writing, an interesting story line, and lot of secrets and surprises.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and mystery, you should enjoy this twisty read. 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
August 25, 2022
This had a unexpected twist. But it was kind of boring otherwise.
April 14, 2022
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review, however, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
t h e • c h a r a c t e r s
There are three main characters: siblings Will and Maggie Scripps, and a mysterious beautiful woman named Ruby Fielding.
Will is a simple and quiet man who works as a scout for the Manhattan Project (which was the name for the project that made the atomic bomb during ww2). He is Maggie’s older brother and her only family. He has devoted a lot of time to care for his sister, having dropped out of university in the past when Maggie attempted suicide. Now, his singular focus is on becoming an indispensable part of the war effort through the Manhattan Project and taking care of his sister.
Maggie on the other hand is a very anxious and isolated young woman. At the start of the book, she doesn’t have any friends, and spends most of her time trying to find work, but being unable to keep a job due to her constant anxiety. She also seemed very depressed as she misses her mom (who committed suicide some years before), and even writes to her despite her mom being dead. Maggie also helps the war effort, by plane spotting and encouraging her neighbors to turn off their lights at night.
These two are going to have their lives completely turned upside down by the arrival of a richly dressed stranger under the steps of their house. The woman is unconscious when Will and Maggie find her, so they bring her in (thanks to the pleading of Maggie; Will actually came home first and saw her beneath the steps and continued right into the house, determined not to make the stranger his problem. I found that hilarious lol).
We got to better understand the kind of people that Will and Maggie are through their reaction to finding the woman. Maggie is a caring, nurturing soul, and she was determined to keep the woman and take care of her till she got better. We also saw that it was sort of an adventure for Maggie, as she was very curious to know the woman’s story, and potentially make a friend.
Will on the other hand could not care less who she was, and wanted her gone as soon as she woke up. He thought of her as a rich woman who had had a rather wild night and would simply bring unnecessary drama with her stay at their place.
caption: how I imagine Will felt when Maggie pleaded to let the woman stay
Unfortunately, he was somewhat right. The woman did wake up, and proceeded to beg them to let her stay and not call the police. A day become two days, two days became a week, and soon enough, she had planted herself into their lives. She initially called herself Laurel, but with a bit of research in the newspapers, Maggie and Will guessed that she was really Ruby Fielding, the missing fiancé of a rich man who had been hospitalized after being poisoned.
You can imagine that Will wanted her out right away. A drunk woman was possibly a 3 on his annoyance scale, but a potential murderess was way beyond anything he wanted to deal with.
But Ruby spun a tale for them, told them how she was worried for her life, and Will’s protests to the situation eventually lessened and died. Even he became curious about her, and began to look forward to coming home from work to see her.
The rest of the book then focuses on the relationships between the three of them, and how Ruby essentially drove a wedge between the two siblings. There’s LGBT representation here, as both Maggie and Will fall in love/become infatuated with Ruby, and she has relationships with both of them.
Her first relationship was really with Maggie, one that Will had an inkling about but didn’t question. It made Maggie so much happier, and also brought the two women together, even considering the slightly creepy tendencies of Ruby,
And I mean creepy. She filled a sink once with dead spiders. Other times, Maggie or Will would find dead rats lined up neatly by the steps, or other creepy things of the sort. Ruby also admitted to having a fascination with poisons (remember, she’s the missing fiancé of a guy that was poisoned), and even started her own little poisonous flower/plant garden at their house. It was all really disturbing and made me seriously question why Ruby was there.
caption: Ruby’s logic it seems
In Ruby’s chapters, we learn that she fled her fiancé Felix’s house and ended up at the Scripps place after seeing their address on Felix’s desk. The question still remains as to why she fled from her fiance (after potentially poisoning him) and is planting herself in the Scripps’ lives.
There are other characters that were introduced, and Felix does come into the picture when he begins to…court? Maggie. Basically, Will had sent Maggie to Felix to find out more about Ruby since she wouldn’t tell them anything about herself. Then Maggie felt betrayed by Will and Ruby being together, so she started visiting Felix constantly and enjoying all his pampering and expensive gifts, kind of as a way to get back at her brother. However, it seemed that Felix was also using Maggie for his own purposes.
Basically, the web of deceit, betrayal, and manipulation just grew so much thicker as the book went on. I kind of grew annoyed as it continued, because I just wanted Ruby to pack up and leave so that Will and Maggie can reconcile and they can go back to their lives.
t h e • p l o t
Ruby’s appearance started the book off with a mystery. The main question for the first half or so of the book was “who is she, and why is she here”. As we slowly get to see the relationships and dynamics between the characters develop, we also get clues and answers to that mystery.
Ruby is running from her fiancé Felix. She’s convinced he will harm her if he knows where she is, and so she’s remaining at the Scripps’ place to protect herself.
At least, that’s the story that Will and Maggie believe.
Again, I was extremely skeptical of Ruby and took everything she said with a generous helping of salt. From reading chapters that were in her point of view, you know that there is more to this than just simply having a lovers’ quarrel with Felix.
There’s also Will’s job that has its own mystery. The Manhattan Project is understandably a huge secret, and though Will has guessed what the purpose of the project is, he isn’t technically supposed to know. The mystery begins when Felix is introduced in connection to the Manhattan Project, which is a reminder that Felix knew about Will before since Ruby found their address in Felix’s office to begin with. The question that remains is why?
I mentioned that Maggie had started a job at the Navy Yard, and she was actually able to keep that job down for the most part. She felt that it gave her purpose, and though it emotionally drained her, she was growing satisfied with it. She meets a woman also working there who becomes somewhat her friend, but even this friend seemed to be iffy and asked wayy too many questions for my liking.
All these questions, people, and sub-mysteries start to connect together in preparation for an amazing ending that I was not. expecting. at. all.
Never in a million years would I have guessed what was going to happen. I’m still pleasantly shocked about how it all came together. I’ll leave the rest of my thoughts on it in the spoiler tag below.
Basically, I very much enjoyed the mystery aspect of this, and I’m really glad that the ending managed to deliver one final epic twist.
f i n a l • r e f l e c t i o n s
In the end, I enjoyed the mystery/plot of the novel more than I did the characters. All the complications with the relationships, and the constant deceit and manipulation made me dislike most of the characters by the end of the book, which took away from my rating for it, but the surprise ending still made this a pretty good read.
---
trigger warnings (some not necessarily all): death, murder, depression, anxiety, abuse, suicide (both attempted and committed)
My review can also be found here: https://eternitybooksreview.wordpress...
---
December 18th, 2021
I'm not sure how I feel about this book just yet, hence the lack of a star rating. But it was interesting to say the least. Full review to come.
t h e • c h a r a c t e r s
There are three main characters: siblings Will and Maggie Scripps, and a mysterious beautiful woman named Ruby Fielding.
Will is a simple and quiet man who works as a scout for the Manhattan Project (which was the name for the project that made the atomic bomb during ww2). He is Maggie’s older brother and her only family. He has devoted a lot of time to care for his sister, having dropped out of university in the past when Maggie attempted suicide. Now, his singular focus is on becoming an indispensable part of the war effort through the Manhattan Project and taking care of his sister.
Maggie on the other hand is a very anxious and isolated young woman. At the start of the book, she doesn’t have any friends, and spends most of her time trying to find work, but being unable to keep a job due to her constant anxiety. She also seemed very depressed as she misses her mom (who committed suicide some years before), and even writes to her despite her mom being dead. Maggie also helps the war effort, by plane spotting and encouraging her neighbors to turn off their lights at night.
These two are going to have their lives completely turned upside down by the arrival of a richly dressed stranger under the steps of their house. The woman is unconscious when Will and Maggie find her, so they bring her in (thanks to the pleading of Maggie; Will actually came home first and saw her beneath the steps and continued right into the house, determined not to make the stranger his problem. I found that hilarious lol).
We got to better understand the kind of people that Will and Maggie are through their reaction to finding the woman. Maggie is a caring, nurturing soul, and she was determined to keep the woman and take care of her till she got better. We also saw that it was sort of an adventure for Maggie, as she was very curious to know the woman’s story, and potentially make a friend.
Will on the other hand could not care less who she was, and wanted her gone as soon as she woke up. He thought of her as a rich woman who had had a rather wild night and would simply bring unnecessary drama with her stay at their place.
caption: how I imagine Will felt when Maggie pleaded to let the woman stay
Unfortunately, he was somewhat right. The woman did wake up, and proceeded to beg them to let her stay and not call the police. A day become two days, two days became a week, and soon enough, she had planted herself into their lives. She initially called herself Laurel, but with a bit of research in the newspapers, Maggie and Will guessed that she was really Ruby Fielding, the missing fiancé of a rich man who had been hospitalized after being poisoned.
You can imagine that Will wanted her out right away. A drunk woman was possibly a 3 on his annoyance scale, but a potential murderess was way beyond anything he wanted to deal with.
But Ruby spun a tale for them, told them how she was worried for her life, and Will’s protests to the situation eventually lessened and died. Even he became curious about her, and began to look forward to coming home from work to see her.
The rest of the book then focuses on the relationships between the three of them, and how Ruby essentially drove a wedge between the two siblings. There’s LGBT representation here, as both Maggie and Will fall in love/become infatuated with Ruby, and she has relationships with both of them.
Her first relationship was really with Maggie, one that Will had an inkling about but didn’t question. It made Maggie so much happier, and also brought the two women together, even considering the slightly creepy tendencies of Ruby,
And I mean creepy. She filled a sink once with dead spiders. Other times, Maggie or Will would find dead rats lined up neatly by the steps, or other creepy things of the sort. Ruby also admitted to having a fascination with poisons (remember, she’s the missing fiancé of a guy that was poisoned), and even started her own little poisonous flower/plant garden at their house. It was all really disturbing and made me seriously question why Ruby was there.
caption: Ruby’s logic it seems
In Ruby’s chapters, we learn that she fled her fiancé Felix’s house and ended up at the Scripps place after seeing their address on Felix’s desk. The question still remains as to why she fled from her fiance (after potentially poisoning him) and is planting herself in the Scripps’ lives.
There are other characters that were introduced, and Felix does come into the picture when he begins to…court? Maggie. Basically, Will had sent Maggie to Felix to find out more about Ruby since she wouldn’t tell them anything about herself. Then Maggie felt betrayed by Will and Ruby being together, so she started visiting Felix constantly and enjoying all his pampering and expensive gifts, kind of as a way to get back at her brother. However, it seemed that Felix was also using Maggie for his own purposes.
Basically, the web of deceit, betrayal, and manipulation just grew so much thicker as the book went on. I kind of grew annoyed as it continued, because I just wanted Ruby to pack up and leave so that Will and Maggie can reconcile and they can go back to their lives.
t h e • p l o t
Ruby’s appearance started the book off with a mystery. The main question for the first half or so of the book was “who is she, and why is she here”. As we slowly get to see the relationships and dynamics between the characters develop, we also get clues and answers to that mystery.
Ruby is running from her fiancé Felix. She’s convinced he will harm her if he knows where she is, and so she’s remaining at the Scripps’ place to protect herself.
At least, that’s the story that Will and Maggie believe.
Again, I was extremely skeptical of Ruby and took everything she said with a generous helping of salt. From reading chapters that were in her point of view, you know that there is more to this than just simply having a lovers’ quarrel with Felix.
There’s also Will’s job that has its own mystery. The Manhattan Project is understandably a huge secret, and though Will has guessed what the purpose of the project is, he isn’t technically supposed to know. The mystery begins when Felix is introduced in connection to the Manhattan Project, which is a reminder that Felix knew about Will before since Ruby found their address in Felix’s office to begin with. The question that remains is why?
I mentioned that Maggie had started a job at the Navy Yard, and she was actually able to keep that job down for the most part. She felt that it gave her purpose, and though it emotionally drained her, she was growing satisfied with it. She meets a woman also working there who becomes somewhat her friend, but even this friend seemed to be iffy and asked wayy too many questions for my liking.
All these questions, people, and sub-mysteries start to connect together in preparation for an amazing ending that I was not. expecting. at. all.
Never in a million years would I have guessed what was going to happen. I’m still pleasantly shocked about how it all came together. I’ll leave the rest of my thoughts on it in the spoiler tag below.
Basically, I very much enjoyed the mystery aspect of this, and I’m really glad that the ending managed to deliver one final epic twist.
f i n a l • r e f l e c t i o n s
In the end, I enjoyed the mystery/plot of the novel more than I did the characters. All the complications with the relationships, and the constant deceit and manipulation made me dislike most of the characters by the end of the book, which took away from my rating for it, but the surprise ending still made this a pretty good read.
---
trigger warnings (some not necessarily all): death, murder, depression, anxiety, abuse, suicide (both attempted and committed)
My review can also be found here: https://eternitybooksreview.wordpress...
---
December 18th, 2021
I'm not sure how I feel about this book just yet, hence the lack of a star rating. But it was interesting to say the least. Full review to come.
May 13, 2022
A real let down
I fully enjoyed this book up until the 75% mark, but it fell off hard for me at that point. The ending was maddening, implausible, overly complicated and kind of boring. A disappointment for sure.
I fully enjoyed this book up until the 75% mark, but it fell off hard for me at that point. The ending was maddening, implausible, overly complicated and kind of boring. A disappointment for sure.
May 8, 2022
Ugh. This is my favorite genre. I really struggled with it. I wanted to quit many times but stuck with it.
Laurel-Ruby annoyed me so much. "I'm trying to get away from my abusive fiance so I'll get an address I found on his desk and hide there- he'll never find me there".
Why did she have to be so weird at Will's house? These people are willing to feed you and hide you, why are you killing rats and lining them up on the porch? Why are you planting plants in October in New York? Why not explain your situation to Will and Maggie so they can continue to help you? Sure, they don't need every detail but give them a basic understanding. When you find out that Maggie is visiting your absuve fiance and is wearing your clothes, Why do you just blow it off? Again, why not explain your situation so they understand that Felix is someone to avoid at all costs? You see that Felix drops off Maggie in front of your hideout house and you blow it off. And you continue to stay at the house knowing that Felix knows that your there. What is with the weird scene in the German part of town with Holly and Ruby sneaking and speaking German? I didn't understand that entire scene. They weren't speaking German to each other in the greenhouse at the end. They weren't speaking German when they were killing Maggie's dad. So why are they sneaking and speaking German that one day?
Do I remember correctly that Holly says she figured out that Ruby was the mysterious guest staying at Maggie's? Because Maggie said a random person just showed up at her house? In a city of millions of people, Holly figured it was Ruby because of that vague response Maggie gave?
I could go on. I'll end it there.
Laurel-Ruby annoyed me so much. "I'm trying to get away from my abusive fiance so I'll get an address I found on his desk and hide there- he'll never find me there".
Why did she have to be so weird at Will's house? These people are willing to feed you and hide you, why are you killing rats and lining them up on the porch? Why are you planting plants in October in New York? Why not explain your situation to Will and Maggie so they can continue to help you? Sure, they don't need every detail but give them a basic understanding. When you find out that Maggie is visiting your absuve fiance and is wearing your clothes, Why do you just blow it off? Again, why not explain your situation so they understand that Felix is someone to avoid at all costs? You see that Felix drops off Maggie in front of your hideout house and you blow it off. And you continue to stay at the house knowing that Felix knows that your there. What is with the weird scene in the German part of town with Holly and Ruby sneaking and speaking German? I didn't understand that entire scene. They weren't speaking German to each other in the greenhouse at the end. They weren't speaking German when they were killing Maggie's dad. So why are they sneaking and speaking German that one day?
Do I remember correctly that Holly says she figured out that Ruby was the mysterious guest staying at Maggie's? Because Maggie said a random person just showed up at her house? In a city of millions of people, Holly figured it was Ruby because of that vague response Maggie gave?
I could go on. I'll end it there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2022
Brimming with gracefully executed twists and turns, The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding is a suspenseful tale encompassing the shrouded early history of the Manhattan Project, set in its namesake city. Kang's unforgettable characters, both courageous and sinister, play out their respective parts behind blackout-curtained windows, holding their cards close until the end. Packed with intrigue and secret assignations, this is a triumphant addition to the WWII canon by a masterful author.
August 21, 2023
The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding by Lydia Kang is a historical mystery in wartime, Brooklyn.
This wasn't a bad story, you see, I did manage to finish it, didn't I? Just wasn't my cup of tea.
Will and Maggie Scripps are siblings has quiet lives. Will secretly scouts for the Manhattan Project and Maggie is working at the Navy Yard. She seems to be coping with the loss of her mother by secretly writing letters to her.
Their routine change by finding a beautiful woman in their yard, hurt and scared. This stranger with hidden past and an obsession with poisons and killing small creatures.
There is news of spies in the world’s first atomic bomb, Will and Maggie begin to suspect she’s quite dangerous and both ridiculously fall in love with her.
but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. The beginning was promising, and the plot started off strong, but I was let down by the unbelievable and underdeveloped characters and unrealistic and fake relationships.
My personal disappointment don't make yours!
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for ARC via NetGalley, I have given my honest review.
This wasn't a bad story, you see, I did manage to finish it, didn't I? Just wasn't my cup of tea.
Will and Maggie Scripps are siblings has quiet lives. Will secretly scouts for the Manhattan Project and Maggie is working at the Navy Yard. She seems to be coping with the loss of her mother by secretly writing letters to her.
Their routine change by finding a beautiful woman in their yard, hurt and scared. This stranger with hidden past and an obsession with poisons and killing small creatures.
There is news of spies in the world’s first atomic bomb, Will and Maggie begin to suspect she’s quite dangerous and both ridiculously fall in love with her.
but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. The beginning was promising, and the plot started off strong, but I was let down by the unbelievable and underdeveloped characters and unrealistic and fake relationships.
My personal disappointment don't make yours!
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing for ARC via NetGalley, I have given my honest review.
April 13, 2022
Becoming too politically correct
I have been disappointed with the last 2 books I’ve read by what was once my favorite historical fiction writer. Lydia Kang’s knowledge of medicine combined with historical facts made for a great book called A Beautiful Poison. The Half-Life deviated from her expertise as she tried to focus on a characters partner preferences. Totally missing on a potential story about uranium and the war. All we got was a study in plant poison and how a very misguided girl couldn’t make up her mind about what sex she wanted in a partner. The other disappointing book was Patient Zero where she used a whole chapter on Covid 19 to rail against President Trump and politicize the virus while supporting WHO and saying we shouldn’t politicize the virus; I think she just argued against herself. Lydia Kang needs to stick to what she knows best and stop trying to use her books to push an agenda. I’ve read her last book and will not be reading anymore.
I have been disappointed with the last 2 books I’ve read by what was once my favorite historical fiction writer. Lydia Kang’s knowledge of medicine combined with historical facts made for a great book called A Beautiful Poison. The Half-Life deviated from her expertise as she tried to focus on a characters partner preferences. Totally missing on a potential story about uranium and the war. All we got was a study in plant poison and how a very misguided girl couldn’t make up her mind about what sex she wanted in a partner. The other disappointing book was Patient Zero where she used a whole chapter on Covid 19 to rail against President Trump and politicize the virus while supporting WHO and saying we shouldn’t politicize the virus; I think she just argued against herself. Lydia Kang needs to stick to what she knows best and stop trying to use her books to push an agenda. I’ve read her last book and will not be reading anymore.
May 13, 2022
I never thought this would happen, but I am actually dnf-ing a book by Lydia Kang.
The Impossible Girl is on my list of favourite books, after all.
But The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding? No. Just. This is not it.
Keep in mind, this is an ARC, so some of my criticism may have changed in the published version. Alas, let's get to work.
First off, I can't quite tell if I like the setting. I usually stay far away from WWII settings, because frankly, I have spent so many hours in history class learning about the horrors of it that I've had quite enough. Sue me. This, for a change, doesn't take place in Europe though, but in Brooklyn. The war is far away but still important in the way the characters interact with each other and the environment, so it's... I don't want to say more enjoyable, but it's more easy to digest. So, let's say I have completely neutral feelings bordering on mild dislike for the setting.
Which also goes for the characters. I was completely neutral on what Ruby has going on. I don't know if it's the lack of depth the character had or my lack of interest in rich people. I. Liked Maggie, I suppose. I had nothing against her, to be more specific. She's shy, she has depression, and she's gay, which makes her sound a lot like me. But there's not much else to her, except what we learn through her brother Will.
Oh, Will. God I dislike that man. First off, he's a dick about Maggie. He expects the worst of her constantly, expects her to lose her job after a few hours only, is surprised she keeps it and in general, his opinion of her is Not Good. Maybe it's just because me and my own brother get along very well, but they're siblings! Shouldn't he at least care about her more than that.
Also, he's like twentyfive and gets a boner from seeing Ruby's naked back for like fifteen seconds, like what the fuck. That's actually the part that I dislike most about him. Right before I stopped reading, which was page 112, he saw like, half of her boob, and I quote my uncorrected copy here, "refusing to touch himself, Will would take a cold bath and recite relativity equations in his head. This was how he put himself to sleep [...] over and over again"
What the fuck man. Why. No, actually, don't tell me why. I do not want to know.
Leaving that whole... Thing behind, the plot. There's not much to it yet. Will has his whole Manhattan Project thing going on, Ruby has alledgedly tried to kill her alledgedly abusive fiance, Maggie probably also has her own side plot of emancipation and finding happiness in her smelter work thing. But I can't tell you much how it progresses past the point I stopped reading, just that, at this point, which, again, is about page 113, I did not care for it. I was not invested in Ruby's story and I disliked anything Will had to say and/or do on principle.
@NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing: Thank you guys for this ARC!
The Impossible Girl is on my list of favourite books, after all.
But The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding? No. Just. This is not it.
Keep in mind, this is an ARC, so some of my criticism may have changed in the published version. Alas, let's get to work.
First off, I can't quite tell if I like the setting. I usually stay far away from WWII settings, because frankly, I have spent so many hours in history class learning about the horrors of it that I've had quite enough. Sue me. This, for a change, doesn't take place in Europe though, but in Brooklyn. The war is far away but still important in the way the characters interact with each other and the environment, so it's... I don't want to say more enjoyable, but it's more easy to digest. So, let's say I have completely neutral feelings bordering on mild dislike for the setting.
Which also goes for the characters. I was completely neutral on what Ruby has going on. I don't know if it's the lack of depth the character had or my lack of interest in rich people. I. Liked Maggie, I suppose. I had nothing against her, to be more specific. She's shy, she has depression, and she's gay, which makes her sound a lot like me. But there's not much else to her, except what we learn through her brother Will.
Oh, Will. God I dislike that man. First off, he's a dick about Maggie. He expects the worst of her constantly, expects her to lose her job after a few hours only, is surprised she keeps it and in general, his opinion of her is Not Good. Maybe it's just because me and my own brother get along very well, but they're siblings! Shouldn't he at least care about her more than that.
Also, he's like twentyfive and gets a boner from seeing Ruby's naked back for like fifteen seconds, like what the fuck. That's actually the part that I dislike most about him. Right before I stopped reading, which was page 112, he saw like, half of her boob, and I quote my uncorrected copy here, "refusing to touch himself, Will would take a cold bath and recite relativity equations in his head. This was how he put himself to sleep [...] over and over again"
What the fuck man. Why. No, actually, don't tell me why. I do not want to know.
Leaving that whole... Thing behind, the plot. There's not much to it yet. Will has his whole Manhattan Project thing going on, Ruby has alledgedly tried to kill her alledgedly abusive fiance, Maggie probably also has her own side plot of emancipation and finding happiness in her smelter work thing. But I can't tell you much how it progresses past the point I stopped reading, just that, at this point, which, again, is about page 113, I did not care for it. I was not invested in Ruby's story and I disliked anything Will had to say and/or do on principle.
@NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing: Thank you guys for this ARC!
August 21, 2022
Up until this point, I have consistently loved everything I've read by Lydia Kang. She is a thorough researcher and incorporates that research effortlessly into rich prose that builds her historical settings with vibrancy and life. Her characters are often flawed but likable, and her profession as a physician adds a layer of medical authenticity to the mysteries present in her stories. I really can't praise her enough for all of these accomplishments in all of her past novels.
Ruby Fielding, however, was a big swing-and-a-miss for me.
The research, beautiful writing, and historical world building was still there, which made it pleasantly readable, but I missed a lot of that medical-mystery twist so many of her stories have - it wasn't very present until the last few chapters. I also found it abundantly easy to find the flaws in all the characters present - and I do mean all of them - but struggled to find anything to like about any of them. It's really hard for me to care about anything happening in the book if I don't like any of the characters enough to care about what happens to them. None of them behaved in a way that made any sense to me at all, but more on that later. Anyways.
The biggest letdown for me was Ruby Fielding herself. My thoughts here might come across as a little rude, but as these were the thoughts I encountered every time I picked up the book, I need to include them here. So here goes:
I absolutely cannot stand when a character's most explored trait is how sexually desirable they are.
Sure, Ruby was also a keen chemist/toxicologist and had a creepy tendency to kill small animals that unfortunately wandered into her proximity. She may be a German spy and she may have tried to kill her fiancé. She grows her own poison garden in the home of the people she's hiding away with. But no, let's downplay all of those things about her that are actually intriguing in favor of making it super clear every time she's on the page that every little thing she does just oozes sex appeal. It made me lose interest in her very quickly, especially because Will and Maggie and just about everyone else who laid eyes on her were so lust-blind to all of the dark, creepy, sinister, potentially treasonous, potentially homicidal things about her that it just defied believability. I lost count of how many times Will and Maggie each were like, "Wow, she's super shady, but she's hot, so I'll continue my relationship with her." That was the extent and basis of both of them deciding to continue allowing her to live in their house and sleep with both of them.
Also, can I just say that the thought of two siblings, uh, "sharing" a partner gives me the big ick? Under the roof of the same house, no less? Especially because, even though both of them acknowledge and question the oddity of it, it's never enough for them to actually stop what they're doing. This was a big nose-wrinkling point of contention that I was not able to overcome.
Even with the big twist at the end - which didn't really land for me this time, like they usually do - I had a hard time forgetting all of my aforementioned problems with the story. Two stars for Kang's gorgeous writing and thorough research, but I can't give any more than that. Too many other hurdles got in the way.
Ruby Fielding, however, was a big swing-and-a-miss for me.
The research, beautiful writing, and historical world building was still there, which made it pleasantly readable, but I missed a lot of that medical-mystery twist so many of her stories have - it wasn't very present until the last few chapters. I also found it abundantly easy to find the flaws in all the characters present - and I do mean all of them - but struggled to find anything to like about any of them. It's really hard for me to care about anything happening in the book if I don't like any of the characters enough to care about what happens to them. None of them behaved in a way that made any sense to me at all, but more on that later. Anyways.
The biggest letdown for me was Ruby Fielding herself. My thoughts here might come across as a little rude, but as these were the thoughts I encountered every time I picked up the book, I need to include them here. So here goes:
I absolutely cannot stand when a character's most explored trait is how sexually desirable they are.
Sure, Ruby was also a keen chemist/toxicologist and had a creepy tendency to kill small animals that unfortunately wandered into her proximity. She may be a German spy and she may have tried to kill her fiancé. She grows her own poison garden in the home of the people she's hiding away with. But no, let's downplay all of those things about her that are actually intriguing in favor of making it super clear every time she's on the page that every little thing she does just oozes sex appeal. It made me lose interest in her very quickly, especially because Will and Maggie and just about everyone else who laid eyes on her were so lust-blind to all of the dark, creepy, sinister, potentially treasonous, potentially homicidal things about her that it just defied believability. I lost count of how many times Will and Maggie each were like, "Wow, she's super shady, but she's hot, so I'll continue my relationship with her." That was the extent and basis of both of them deciding to continue allowing her to live in their house and sleep with both of them.
Also, can I just say that the thought of two siblings, uh, "sharing" a partner gives me the big ick? Under the roof of the same house, no less? Especially because, even though both of them acknowledge and question the oddity of it, it's never enough for them to actually stop what they're doing. This was a big nose-wrinkling point of contention that I was not able to overcome.
Even with the big twist at the end - which didn't really land for me this time, like they usually do - I had a hard time forgetting all of my aforementioned problems with the story. Two stars for Kang's gorgeous writing and thorough research, but I can't give any more than that. Too many other hurdles got in the way.
March 3, 2022
Ive loved Kang's novels since I read one of her books years ago. This one was so fantastic! Full of twists and turns I could not put this one down. You will not forget these characters or this story until long after you finish. I don't want to give anything away so I will say that this story is full of amazing and unforgettable characters and one wondrous world. ~UR
April 24, 2022
Confusing and muddled without a clear plot
I wanted to like this book based purely upon its catchy title However, the plot was choppy and unclear, the ending too convoluted. There were unexplained details and an attempt to weave the story points together in the last 50 pages. Hints about uranium and the Manhattan Project are never really fleshed out.
I wanted to like this book based purely upon its catchy title However, the plot was choppy and unclear, the ending too convoluted. There were unexplained details and an attempt to weave the story points together in the last 50 pages. Hints about uranium and the Manhattan Project are never really fleshed out.
April 4, 2022
not for me
Another kindle first fail. Plodding and character development was so slow. Too much telling and not enough showing. Not my cup of tea.
Another kindle first fail. Plodding and character development was so slow. Too much telling and not enough showing. Not my cup of tea.
May 27, 2022
Every time I read a suspense or mystery, I feel torn on how to rate it. I will always be sucked into a story that I must know the ending to, but often times they are poorly written, lack consistencies, and overall just aren't very good. This was indeed a book I couldn't put down, but at the end of the day, it's truly awful and I wouldn't recommend it. I appreciate a WWII story set in the US, as I don't come across those as much, but I couldn't get past the inconsistencies, impracticalities, and overall contrived nature of this book.
April 12, 2022
What did I just read? So boring, so repetitive, so lacking in depth of character or a real plot. I really enjoyed her other book, but this was just not good, unfortunately.
May 8, 2022
Piece of trash
Don’t waste your time. Not worth trying to read. Too many good books out there to waste your time on this.
Don’t waste your time. Not worth trying to read. Too many good books out there to waste your time on this.
June 3, 2022
Unfortunately, I simply did not believe the characters would act the way they did. I thought the author was really reaching for a trick ending. Not a favorite.
September 7, 2023
Plot is set in New York City in the 1940s when WW-2 was at its peak . a fine historical suspense starts with a slow phase but tight holds attention as soon as mystery starts revealing . creates a strong sense of lifestyle during WW-2 where nobody trusts nobody and everything is suspicious . Thread of story meets an end of Manhattan Project was surprisingly interesting for me. if you are more into historical suspense's and historical fictions then this book is definitely for you.
May 12, 2022
It surprised me that I rated this 4 stars. I almost stopped reading because by 40% it was not interesting and I felt I was going thru the motion of reading. But around 55%, the story telling, the characters, the plot shifted and suddenly became very interesting. Honestly had the hardest time until the end of the story figuring out Ruby’s roll in all of this. All in all a good twist of events to make it a good mystery.
November 11, 2022
Quick thoughts - love this author & really enjoyed this take on a WWII story set in NYC.
____
Thank you to the author and Brilliance Audio for the gifted copies.
I have been a fan of Lydia Kang’s books for quite a while now, so it was a no-brainer when she reached out to me asking if I wanted a copy of her latest book. Her writing is just so smart and engaging and this latest one is no exception.
It’s no secret that I love a good WWII story and this one is a completely different take on that, which I so appreciated. Set in NYC, we have the backdrop of the beginning stages of the Manhattan Project coming to life and I honestly don’t think I’ve read anything that has even mentioned this before, so that was pretty neat. Of course, there are the typical nuances that I’ve come to love when reading something by this author – her trademark pieces if you will. There’s the use of plants and how their poisonous parts can be used for extreme distress – I find this to be so fascinating and love how Kang is able to masterfully weave this into her stories without it ever feeling hokey. There are also other bits of science that come into play and again, it’s never overbearing to the story but just fits quite naturally.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book, too. Who is this strange woman that shows up at the siblings’ house one day and what is hiding from? I was so conflicted throughout the book as to what she was really up to and felt quite anxious until we got to the bottom of it. That paired with the mysterious backdrop of all the happenings with the secret project Will was working on and Maggie trying to keep her new job and the Navy Yard while also trying to help Ruby really kept me guessing as to where everything was headed.
This book was quite a delightful surprise in the way it all wrapped up and as I already mentioned I was fascinated by the many pieces that come into play. Historical mysteries really have become my favorite of late and this one definitely fit the bill.
Audio thoughts: This was narrated by one of my all-time favorite narrators, Saskia Maarleveld and she did a fantastic job bringing this book to life. Her pacing and intonation are spot on and she gives each character their own unique voice.
You can see all my reviews at: https://www.alwayswithabook.com/
____
Thank you to the author and Brilliance Audio for the gifted copies.
I have been a fan of Lydia Kang’s books for quite a while now, so it was a no-brainer when she reached out to me asking if I wanted a copy of her latest book. Her writing is just so smart and engaging and this latest one is no exception.
It’s no secret that I love a good WWII story and this one is a completely different take on that, which I so appreciated. Set in NYC, we have the backdrop of the beginning stages of the Manhattan Project coming to life and I honestly don’t think I’ve read anything that has even mentioned this before, so that was pretty neat. Of course, there are the typical nuances that I’ve come to love when reading something by this author – her trademark pieces if you will. There’s the use of plants and how their poisonous parts can be used for extreme distress – I find this to be so fascinating and love how Kang is able to masterfully weave this into her stories without it ever feeling hokey. There are also other bits of science that come into play and again, it’s never overbearing to the story but just fits quite naturally.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book, too. Who is this strange woman that shows up at the siblings’ house one day and what is hiding from? I was so conflicted throughout the book as to what she was really up to and felt quite anxious until we got to the bottom of it. That paired with the mysterious backdrop of all the happenings with the secret project Will was working on and Maggie trying to keep her new job and the Navy Yard while also trying to help Ruby really kept me guessing as to where everything was headed.
This book was quite a delightful surprise in the way it all wrapped up and as I already mentioned I was fascinated by the many pieces that come into play. Historical mysteries really have become my favorite of late and this one definitely fit the bill.
Audio thoughts: This was narrated by one of my all-time favorite narrators, Saskia Maarleveld and she did a fantastic job bringing this book to life. Her pacing and intonation are spot on and she gives each character their own unique voice.
You can see all my reviews at: https://www.alwayswithabook.com/
September 1, 2025
2022? I had difficulty deciding what the main focus of this story was supposed to be. It took forever for the story to take off, venturing into several avenues without seeming purpose and to make matters worse the author decided to throw in some kinky sex as though she was concerned that her story wasn't good enough otherwise. The basic elements were in place at the beginning of the novel for an entertaining read but I became disappointed the more the kinky sex began to take center stage.
2025: Holiday Weekend, alone with nothing to read so I picked this book up out of desperation and found I just couldn't stomach it. A piece of disjointed nonsense with ridiculous sexual threads throughout the story.
2025: Holiday Weekend, alone with nothing to read so I picked this book up out of desperation and found I just couldn't stomach it. A piece of disjointed nonsense with ridiculous sexual threads throughout the story.
April 14, 2022
A good read, but weak ending
I did enjoy reading this. A tricky little plot that had me guessing who would be the bad guy and who would save the day at the end. Then the end came and t was “meh”. Too much left undone.
I did enjoy reading this. A tricky little plot that had me guessing who would be the bad guy and who would save the day at the end. Then the end came and t was “meh”. Too much left undone.
June 20, 2022
One of the most disappointing books I’ve read recently, after a great start. First 70-75% had me at a full 5-stars. Struggled to believe ending was written by the same author. Giving it two stars with a heavy caution to not bother reading past 70%.
May 16, 2022
I was intrigued by this mystery being set during World War II. I have not read much World War II fiction and definitely not a mystery set during that era. The premise of the novel : a mysterious woman shows up on the doorstep of siblings living in Brooklyn’s Gravesend neighborhood. The siblings are Will and Maggie. Will secretly works on the Manhattan project and Maggie works as a welder in the shipyards. The pair has to find out who the mystery woman is and navigate their work toward the war effort.
I quickly read through the first half of the book. Around the midpoint, the book slowed. There were some odd happenings that slowed the pace of the book by causing me to wonder “where is this going?” I also became unsure of what the actual mystery of the novel was going to be.
The way this book is written, it does not read like a mystery. It reads like historical fiction with a little mystery thrown into it. Mystery readers will be disappointed in the flow of the novel if they are looking for a good mystery read.
Thanks to Kaye Publicity for an advanced copy of the book for review.
I quickly read through the first half of the book. Around the midpoint, the book slowed. There were some odd happenings that slowed the pace of the book by causing me to wonder “where is this going?” I also became unsure of what the actual mystery of the novel was going to be.
The way this book is written, it does not read like a mystery. It reads like historical fiction with a little mystery thrown into it. Mystery readers will be disappointed in the flow of the novel if they are looking for a good mystery read.
Thanks to Kaye Publicity for an advanced copy of the book for review.
April 4, 2022
What’s the last book you’ve read that you think would be a great movie?
Thank you so much to @lydiakang for sending me an ARC of her upcoming release, The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding. The official publication date is May 1st, but if you are an Amazon Prime person, the book is in their First Reads program for April, so you could read it early!
This book should be made into a movie, specifically a film noir movie. It has a noir feel more than a historical mystery feel. Don’t expect goody-two-shoes characters that you can root for unequivocally. Instead, the characters in this book are needy, mysterious, and morally problematic. You never feel you have the whole truth about anyone, and you will be frustrated by the characters’ choices. Like in great noir movies, characters are never totally in control of their actions or the situations that surround them.
Because of this unique lens, this is a very different WWII book from much of what saturates the market. It takes place in New York and explores some of the manufacturing and scientific research going on in the area. The moral ambiguity of the characters matches the moral ambiguity of the atomic bomb that is being worked on during this time. Lydia Kang’s knowledge of the physical setting and the scientific aspects of the story - especially in relation to poisons - is fully on display.
There are many twists in the plot, and I doubt you will guess them all. I definitely didn’t!
Thank you so much to @lydiakang for sending me an ARC of her upcoming release, The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding. The official publication date is May 1st, but if you are an Amazon Prime person, the book is in their First Reads program for April, so you could read it early!
This book should be made into a movie, specifically a film noir movie. It has a noir feel more than a historical mystery feel. Don’t expect goody-two-shoes characters that you can root for unequivocally. Instead, the characters in this book are needy, mysterious, and morally problematic. You never feel you have the whole truth about anyone, and you will be frustrated by the characters’ choices. Like in great noir movies, characters are never totally in control of their actions or the situations that surround them.
Because of this unique lens, this is a very different WWII book from much of what saturates the market. It takes place in New York and explores some of the manufacturing and scientific research going on in the area. The moral ambiguity of the characters matches the moral ambiguity of the atomic bomb that is being worked on during this time. Lydia Kang’s knowledge of the physical setting and the scientific aspects of the story - especially in relation to poisons - is fully on display.
There are many twists in the plot, and I doubt you will guess them all. I definitely didn’t!
November 28, 2022
The Half-Life of Ruby Fielding
By: Lydia Kang
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Brooklyn, 1942-Will and Maggie Scripps work for the war effort. A dynamic sister and brother duo.
They have lost their mother and part of the grieving process had Maggie writes letters to her deceased mother. She works at the Navy Yard and Will looks for people to work for the Manhattan Project. They live together and share expenses. One day they discover a woman hiding near their place. Ruby is beautiful and they take her in.
The lady is very mysterious, and has some strange tendencies. They are both taken in by this lady. As people start to talk about spies they start to suspect this secretive lady. Is Ruby a spy? This novel is filled with intrigue and mystery. Grab your favorite beverage and cozy up to this intriguing novel. The narrator is fabulous.
#thehalflifeofrubyfielding, #lydiakang, #audible, #brillianceaudio, #audiobook, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #stamperlady50, #booksconnectus,
By: Lydia Kang
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Brooklyn, 1942-Will and Maggie Scripps work for the war effort. A dynamic sister and brother duo.
They have lost their mother and part of the grieving process had Maggie writes letters to her deceased mother. She works at the Navy Yard and Will looks for people to work for the Manhattan Project. They live together and share expenses. One day they discover a woman hiding near their place. Ruby is beautiful and they take her in.
The lady is very mysterious, and has some strange tendencies. They are both taken in by this lady. As people start to talk about spies they start to suspect this secretive lady. Is Ruby a spy? This novel is filled with intrigue and mystery. Grab your favorite beverage and cozy up to this intriguing novel. The narrator is fabulous.
#thehalflifeofrubyfielding, #lydiakang, #audible, #brillianceaudio, #audiobook, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #stamperlady50, #booksconnectus,
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