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annikamcgraw's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
rocketiza's review against another edition
5.0
This book is so ambitious I don't know if it would have worked without the writing style that felt like an all out assault starting from page one. The satire set in the not too distance future was actually terrifying in how little it needed to hyperbolize, if at all.
failstaff's review against another edition
3.0
While the writing style was both witty and self-aware I think some of the stories main societal commentaries are lost with characters that I never seemed to care about. With that said, this near future introspection on American society and values hits close to home and will have you contemplating if we are all headed for a future where the reality is in the eye of the beholder and our privacy is up for grabs.
kfolezzz's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the writing, but it was just too over the top with it’s unlikeable characters. We get it, everyone is shitty.
mabellelovesfables's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I love the way this author is able to bring out the thoughts of his characters and write them in such a realistic way. He does a fantastic job of giving voice to that voice in our heads, to our hopes, anxieties, fears, and apathy
lilyaronovitz's review against another edition
2.0
I kind of had the feeling from the very start that this book wasn't for me. It was difficult to get into, and I found myself having to read really slow just to take in everything that was happening. There seemed to be a lot going on from the start that wasn't super well explained to the reader, but at the same time took a long time to build to the main action. Throughout the book, things just didn't get better and my confusion just accumulated. Looking back, I really could not tell you anything about what happened in this book or the storyline, I honestly just pushed through hoping it would get more engaging because the plot sounded really good. And every once in a while I would read a page or a chapter that I would understand, and it would actually be really good. These were some of the redeeming moments of this novel, and I found I tended to find them primarily in Wendy's perspective. I thought the premise of her job along with #Occupy and The Suit could've made a really good story on their own, had the details of the murder not been so confusing to keep track of the story as a whole.
However, in the early pages of the book when I was still trying really hard to get into it, I did find that the writing was witty and sophisticated, which led a little bit to me feeling like Wendy and Michael's voices were pretty similar, but I thought it was unique and enjoyed it nonetheless. Again, like I mentioned earlier, I did think the storyline of Wendy's work was really smart, and I'm sure the overall storyline was very smart too, (which is why it probably went over my head), but when I had those moments of clarity I did enjoy the plot. Despite the fact that it was a little hard for me to nail down the genre/time setting of the book in the beginning, the idea of it being set in the near future was also something kinda cool and one that I wish was seen in more novels.
However, in the early pages of the book when I was still trying really hard to get into it, I did find that the writing was witty and sophisticated, which led a little bit to me feeling like Wendy and Michael's voices were pretty similar, but I thought it was unique and enjoyed it nonetheless. Again, like I mentioned earlier, I did think the storyline of Wendy's work was really smart, and I'm sure the overall storyline was very smart too, (which is why it probably went over my head), but when I had those moments of clarity I did enjoy the plot. Despite the fact that it was a little hard for me to nail down the genre/time setting of the book in the beginning, the idea of it being set in the near future was also something kinda cool and one that I wish was seen in more novels.
gusiakos's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Sensation Machines is a novel set in the near future and focused on Wendy and Michael; a married couple living in Brooklyn. On the outside, they may look like a successful duo but we quickly learn that their marriage is irreparably damaged, haunted by the stillbirth of their daughter and the gigantic debt that Michael has accrued. He's been trying to prevent Wendy from finding out about their financial situation, but when the truth finally comes out, it immediately has to take a backseat to even more shocking news - Michael's best friend, Ricky, has been murdered. Now Wendy and Michael have to figure out how to navigate not only their strained marriage, but also the loss of their friend that quickly becomes politicized by strong, opposing forces.
Sensation Machines is part dystopia, part social commentary, part literary fiction. I have to admit that it took me a few chapters to really start enjoying it, but once I got used to the writing style, I couldn't put the book down. I loved how Wilson blends our present with the possible future. Every event and invention in the novel feels like something that could easily happen a few years from now, and the reader doesn't have to suspend their disbelief to feel like they could be a part of the story. The worldbuilding was phenomenal and the commentary on our society, economics, and politics was very thought-provoking and clever. The novel focuses mostly on Wendy and Michael and while I found them both to be quite unlikeable, they were still compelling characters that made me want to keep on reading. There are also other more or less likable characters we meet along the way, but the one I rooted for the most was Donnell, Ricky's doorman. His subplot affected me the most, and I wish we'd gotten more of him.
Overall, Sensation Machines is a complex, dark novel rich with ideas, reflections and predictions for our nearest future.
Sensation Machines is part dystopia, part social commentary, part literary fiction. I have to admit that it took me a few chapters to really start enjoying it, but once I got used to the writing style, I couldn't put the book down. I loved how Wilson blends our present with the possible future. Every event and invention in the novel feels like something that could easily happen a few years from now, and the reader doesn't have to suspend their disbelief to feel like they could be a part of the story. The worldbuilding was phenomenal and the commentary on our society, economics, and politics was very thought-provoking and clever. The novel focuses mostly on Wendy and Michael and while I found them both to be quite unlikeable, they were still compelling characters that made me want to keep on reading. There are also other more or less likable characters we meet along the way, but the one I rooted for the most was Donnell, Ricky's doorman. His subplot affected me the most, and I wish we'd gotten more of him.
Overall, Sensation Machines is a complex, dark novel rich with ideas, reflections and predictions for our nearest future.
lbandoch's review against another edition
2.0
This is one of those books where the author wrote it (it feels to me) to prove how insightful he his about American Society. But he refuses to acknowledge nuance in our society. My biggest grief is that he says at the end that now there’s wifi on the subway, people read less than ever and bookstores are going away. And that’s in contradiction of pretty much every trend in the book world.
It starts out really good - Michael and Wendy and their falling marriage as a backdrop to Ricky’s murder. And then we’re randomly thrown into various side characters chapters and I kept having to go back to remember who anyone was. And it seems like each of these momentum spoiling chapters was just so the author could once again show how WOKE he is.
I usually love near-future dystopia as a genre, and even literary fiction. But this one was super hard to power through. I wish we had just stuck with Wendy and Michael. But instead the reader is forced to slug through almost 400 pages of societal insight that isn’t really insightful (and a lot of Eminem references).
It starts out really good - Michael and Wendy and their falling marriage as a backdrop to Ricky’s murder. And then we’re randomly thrown into various side characters chapters and I kept having to go back to remember who anyone was. And it seems like each of these momentum spoiling chapters was just so the author could once again show how WOKE he is.
I usually love near-future dystopia as a genre, and even literary fiction. But this one was super hard to power through. I wish we had just stuck with Wendy and Michael. But instead the reader is forced to slug through almost 400 pages of societal insight that isn’t really insightful (and a lot of Eminem references).
reading_and_wheeling's review
4.0
Sensation Machines is set in the near future and is a combination of satire, social commentary, and crime story. The story starts from two points of view, Michael and Wendy. Two well off Manhattanites whose marriage is crumbling as a result of a miscarriage and Michael losing their money in some bad investments. Michael is trying to find a way to replenish the money they lost (approximately 3 million) while Wendy is working on a project that can only be called data mining via a special suit the user wears that sends all kinds of data to a company that Wendy is working with who in turn sells it to companies for profit. The suit also influences your purchases using your own voice. Creepy, right?
The second part of the book introduces the murder mystery part when Michael's best friend Ricky is murdered. There are a lot of characters introduced in this part and it is hard to keep track of who is who. There is a bit of social commentary regarding government and police corruption as we see the police investigation of who killed Ricky unfold. The final part is Wendy in the aftermath of the unveiling of the suit and how her life is now.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, although a bit out of my usual reads. The majority of the characters are well rounded and the plot is drawn out really well. Given the curry state of the US, you can see how easily this hits close to home rather than if it had been published a year or two earlier.
Thank you to Soho Press, author AdamWilson, and NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The second part of the book introduces the murder mystery part when Michael's best friend Ricky is murdered. There are a lot of characters introduced in this part and it is hard to keep track of who is who. There is a bit of social commentary regarding government and police corruption as we see the police investigation of who killed Ricky unfold. The final part is Wendy in the aftermath of the unveiling of the suit and how her life is now.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, although a bit out of my usual reads. The majority of the characters are well rounded and the plot is drawn out really well. Given the curry state of the US, you can see how easily this hits close to home rather than if it had been published a year or two earlier.
Thank you to Soho Press, author AdamWilson, and NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.