I hated this book at first. I didn't think I would gel with any of the characters, and the storylines seemed ridiculously cliché. I wasn't invested in any of them and didn't care about their absurd lockdown stories.

However, I do think the author is a really clever writer, capable of drawing the reader into the narrative. By the end of the book, I was invested in many of the characters and genuinely wanted them to overcome the various pitfalls they encountered.

There are still aspects of the story I find hard to believe. Did Mr Harris work 24 hours a day? Where did he go during his time off? Did he also live in the building? Were other workers allowed in, and if not, how was the desk manned at night? Couldn't they just leave then?

I also find it hard to believe there weren't some extenuating circumstances—pets, dependants, or those with caring responsibilities for older people. It was unrealistic to assume all these young, hip people had no other responsibilities beyond themselves and the situations they found themselves in, which made the story feel less believable to me.

Despite these shortcomings, I enjoyed the book more than I initially thought I would and congratulate Beth Reekles on being a truly clever writer. I thought this would be a DNF for me!