Cassandra in Reverse
Finished: April 2024
Book Source: Library
Book Publication Date: May 2023
If you had the power to change the past…where would you start?
Cassandra Penelope Dankworth is a creature of habit. She likes what she likes (museums, jumpsuits, her boyfriend, Will) and strongly dislikes what she doesn’t (mess, change, her boss drinking out of her mug). Her life runs in a pleasing, predictable order…until now.
• She’s just been dumped.
• She’s just been fired.
• Her local café has run out of banana muffins.
Then, something truly unexpected happens: Cassie discovers she can go back and change the past. One small rewind at a time, Cassie attempts to fix the life she accidentally obliterated, but soon she’ll discover she’s trying to fix all the wrong things.
Trigger Warnings:
Death of parents, autism
Characters
- Cassandra – main character, works at a PR firm but hates PR
- Will – Cassandra’s ex boyfriend/boyfriend
- Sophie – Cassandra’s coworker
My Review
Holly Smale’s Cassandra in Reverse is a quirky and fun ride through love, time loops, and self-discovery. The story kicks off with Cassandra Penelope Dankworth having a really bad day—she gets dumped and fired. But things get even weirder when she realizes she’s stuck in a time loop, reliving the same day over and over.
Cassandra’s neurodivergence adds a unique twist to the story, making her journey both relatable and a bit heart-wrenching. You can’t help but want her to be honest with her boyfriend, Will, and hope he’ll love her just as she is. Watching her try to fix their relationship by tweaking time is both fascinating and a little frustrating.
One of the best parts of the book is Cassandra’s growing friendship with her coworker, Sophie. As the days repeat, their bond gets stronger, adding a sweet and supportive element to the story. Cassandra’s relationship with her roommate is also a highlight as the story progresses and makes you feel good inside with the females supporting females.
The constant time resets can be a bit much, but they highlight the importance of self-acceptance and real connections. This was a charming read full of some humor, heart, and the ups and downs of living with neurodivergence. It’s all about embracing who you are and finding the people who love you for it.
Spoilers/Summary
SPOILERS BELOW. Stop here if you do not want to read spoilers.
Cassandra Penelope Dankworth is dumped and fired on a Wednesday. She leaves work, panics on a busy London street, and wakes up in a pub doorway. That evening, her boyfriend Will, who dumped her earlier, arrives for a date, seemingly unaware of the breakup. Confused by the repeating events, Cassandra realizes she’s stuck in a time loop and discovers she can alter her fate.
She only goes back four months when she tries to go back to save her parent’s lives. Since she can’t save them, she then focuses on fixing her relationship with Will, replaying events until they go right. However, she begins to question the ethics of her time travel, especially when hiding her panic attacks from Will. Cassandra also avoids her sister Artemis, who inadvertently meets Will at a gallery in one of the timelines Cassandra alters. Realizing the universe wants her to mend her relationship with Artemis, not Will, Cassandra reconnects with her sister. She quits her job to study Greek mythology and resets time to give Artemis and Will a chance at love.