In 2233 Hackney, a woman named Jones enters a tattoo parlour to have her many tattoos—each representing a life she has "remembered" by inhabiting different bodies across time—linked together with a final line of ink and blood. Through interconnected stories blending past, future, and speculative realities, the novel explores violence against women, queer identity, and the power of storytelling, all rendered in poetic, metaphor-rich prose.

Reader Review Summary

Set in Hackney in the year 2233, the novel centers on a woman named Jones who enters a tattoo parlour run by two women, Cass and Small, seeking a final tattoo that will connect the many others already covering her body. Each tattoo represents a 'remembering'—a life Jones has lived, either in the past, future, or alternate realities. As the tattooing process unfolds, Jones recounts the stories behind each tattoo, which range from 19th-century Lancashire coal mines to dystopian futures ruled by the 'Quiet Men,' from the world of vigilante sex workers to the aftermath of violence in a lesbian bar, and even to speculative scenarios involving genetic modification of female children. The narrative structure alternates between the present in the tattoo shop and these episodic stories, gradually revealing how Jones, her mother, and grandmother share the ability to 'fall into' other lives, and how these experiences are interwoven with the lives of the tattoo artists themselves. The book blends speculative fiction, queer and LGBT themes, and literary fiction, and is written in a style that reflects the author's background as a poet, with dense, metaphor-rich prose and experimental form.

Readers frequently praised the novel's prose, describing it as poetic, lyrical, and filled with striking metaphors and vivid imagery. Many highlighted the emotional impact of the stories, particularly those dealing with violence against women, survival, and the complexities of womanhood. The structure, which links short stories through the device of the tattoos and the act of storytelling, was noted as inventive and effective by some, with several readers mentioning that each story felt distinct yet thematically connected. Specific stories, such as the 'Gutter Girls,' the incel murderer perspective, and the depiction of the Maryville lesbian bar, were singled out for their power and resonance. The book's exploration of queer identity, intergenerational trauma, and the act of storytelling itself also received positive attention, as did the way the narrative wove together different times, places, and perspectives.

Some readers found the book challenging due to its abstract, metaphor-heavy writing style, which could be confusing or slow to read. The structure, which resembles a collection of linked short stories, was a drawback for those who prefer traditional, character-driven novels, with several noting difficulty in connecting to the overarching narrative or desiring more focus on Jones and the tattoo shop storyline. A number of readers described the book as feeling monotonous or repetitive, particularly in its thematic focus on violence against women, and some felt the stories were too numerous or lengthy, leading to a sense of drag or lack of narrative momentum. A few readers also mentioned that the prose sometimes obscured the explicitness of certain events, and that the book could benefit from more content warnings. There were multiple DNFs (did not finish) and lower ratings from those who struggled with the style or structure.

The book has been described as both a novel and a collection of interlinked short stories, with a speculative and queer feminist focus. It incorporates elements of time travel or 'remembering,' with Jones and her female ancestors experiencing lives across different eras and realities. The narrative is deeply concerned with the act of storytelling, memory, and the ways in which trauma and resilience are passed down and shared. The book has received a significant number of reader ratings and reviews, with an average rating above 4 out of 5, and has drawn comparisons to works by Margaret Atwood and Jeanette Winterson. The author, Joelle Taylor, is an award-winning poet, and her poetic sensibility is evident throughout the text. The book is noted for its exploration of identity, gender, and the body, and for its experimental approach to narrative form.