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heyheyhaley's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
How does one go about rating a book that was good yet you did not enjoy?
I always have this problem when I find books that I can acknowledge are good and have good themes and are well written, but I did not enjoy reading nor do I want to read similar books. I tend to just rate upon my enjoyment with the acknowledgement of its good features
The Employees cemented that poetry is not for me. It explored some very interesting ideas regarding what it means to be human and feelings of isolation but while I could like individual poems or lines, I could not fully connect as poetry is not a medium I enjoy.
3 stars but it would be higher if I liked poetry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Confinement
Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Body horror
goldencinder's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It had a very interesting premise and it was fun to piece together the story through the context of personal reports. This book was a great exploration into humanity, the need for connection, and loneliness. If a reader didn’t or couldn’t read too much into it, it still made for an entertaining journey.
This book reminds me of what it’s like to gather little pieces of lore in video games (through scattered notes, lost tapes, environmental clues, etc.)
This book reminds me of what it’s like to gather little pieces of lore in video games (through scattered notes, lost tapes, environmental clues, etc.)
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror
Anybody with an active imagination and trypophobia, this is your content warning.fermentedsorcerer's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
plainjanereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Poignant read, gave me a lot of space to think for such a short read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Minor: Death and Murder
missmali's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Death and Body horror
abagoflobsters's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Not entirely sure, but I think I loved this once I was done. Found it slow going despite the shortness. Lots of poetic language, and clearly a lot going on to think about once you understand what it is the book is about.
the mysterious plot and fragmented style makes it hard to untangle who exactly is speaking or how it relates to the plot. One of those books that is puzzling and odd as you read it but fulfilling once you are done. Lots to meditate on. The vivid, descriptive prose is a weird mix with such short bursts of information. Makes a lot of sense as a sort of poetic hybrid. Kind of brilliant! Would only recommend it to people who can dig weird experimental novels.
A strange mix of cosmic horror, sci-fi, work metaphor, and museums.
the mysterious plot and fragmented style makes it hard to untangle who exactly is speaking or how it relates to the plot. One of those books that is puzzling and odd as you read it but fulfilling once you are done. Lots to meditate on. The vivid, descriptive prose is a weird mix with such short bursts of information. Makes a lot of sense as a sort of poetic hybrid. Kind of brilliant! Would only recommend it to people who can dig weird experimental novels.
A strange mix of cosmic horror, sci-fi, work metaphor, and museums.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
maeverose's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t know that I fully understood it but this book is an experience. It feels kind of like a weird nightmare or dream that leaves you feeling a bit gross and unsettled. I’m not sure if I liked it or not but I think I did? I’ll have to re read this sometime.
It’s very abstract and nothing is explained to the reader. There’s multiple povs but few of them are named and we don’t have any way of knowing how many there are or when exactly it switches to a new person. This is done intentionally. It’s very disorienting, and I was left at the end not fully knowing what I just read. I’m pretty sure the main takeaway is that people, whether human or not in this case, are not meant to spend their lives working and are meant to live for themselves. How we need connections to other people and to nature and the world around us. It’s not natural for any living thing to dedicate their entire life to work. That’s not living. And of course exploring what it means to be human and whether AI can become human, which yes is an overdone theme in sci fi but personally I’m not sick of it yet.
Definitely check content warnings. Body horror, trypophobia, and questioning of reality are the main things I would say to be aware of.
It’s very abstract and nothing is explained to the reader. There’s multiple povs but few of them are named and we don’t have any way of knowing how many there are or when exactly it switches to a new person. This is done intentionally. It’s very disorienting, and I was left at the end not fully knowing what I just read. I’m pretty sure the main takeaway is that people, whether human or not in this case, are not meant to spend their lives working and are meant to live for themselves. How we need connections to other people and to nature and the world around us. It’s not natural for any living thing to dedicate their entire life to work. That’s not living. And of course exploring what it means to be human and whether AI can become human, which yes is an overdone theme in sci fi but personally I’m not sick of it yet.
Definitely check content warnings. Body horror, trypophobia, and questioning of reality are the main things I would say to be aware of.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Body horror, Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Blood, Gore, and Violence
Graphic trypophobia descriptions. A significant theme throughout the whole book is existential questioning of reality and what makes someone human. It’s also a very abstract book and is very disorienting, with a lot of body horror (most of which isn’t exactly gory, but some is)lilybear3's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.75
I added this book to my TBR so long ago that I forgot what it was about/why I added it. For me, this book is a slow burn at first and then it really ramps up. It's told in Statements, each of those being 1-2 pages long. This translation is captivating and flowed so well. I wrote down so many quotes I thought were incredible. I don't remember if A.I. was becoming more mainstream in 2018, when this was published/translated, but if it wasn't, this book was ahead of the curve. I am very interested in what it means to be human or not, artificial intelligence, technological advancements & morality issues, all that good stuff.
I love that the statements are so short because we only get glimpses of the humans' and humanoids' stories. I also love that not everything is explained, the reader gets to speculate what is happening and what the objects are. It just adds to the mysteriousness.
This is probably because the song just came out and I've been obsessed with it that I'm making this connection, but oh my god does it fit well. V.A.N. by Bad Omens and Poppy is an awesome song that's about A.I. taking over and learning human behavior.
I love that the statements are so short because we only get glimpses of the humans' and humanoids' stories. I also love that not everything is explained, the reader gets to speculate what is happening and what the objects are. It just adds to the mysteriousness.
This is probably because the song just came out and I've been obsessed with it that I'm making this connection, but oh my god does it fit well. V.A.N. by Bad Omens and Poppy is an awesome song that's about A.I. taking over and learning human behavior.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Body horror
itsybitsygingie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have literally no idea what I just read. It was weird. I’m confused. I enjoyed every second of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Death
directorpurry's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Medical content, and Body horror
Minor: Violence