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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
Maybe it's because I'm a mere resident of Spaceland [meaning my understanding of Flatland (2D), Lineland (1D) and Pointland (0D??) is innate, while I can't comprehend "Thoughtland" (4D)], but the explanations used to explain Thoughtland seemed weak when compared to those put forward for all the other lands.
Other than that, funny concept, great book.
Other than that, funny concept, great book.
Truly one of the oddest things I have ever read. It is so far removed from reality that I can't even begin to wonder what it is parodying or commenting on, nor what perspective it takes. Is it about women's rights? Social control? Eugenics? Religion? Who knows! Not me.
Fun and thought provoking little book. Geometry has never been my strong suit but this short novel got me thinking about the different dimensions that exist. I will never look at a square in the quite the same way.
Me ha parecido una novela muy, muy interesante y original. El autor ha desarrollado distintas sociedades de seres que viven en dimensiones diferentes, y desde el punto de vista de un cuadrado, con una imaginación desbordante. Lo que más he disfrutado ha sdio observar como un ser de una determinada dimensión intentaba entender la realidad de una dimensión más avanzada. La recomiendo: es cortita y curiosa, muy fácil de leer.
Spoiler
(frustrada e inútilmente)
“Behold yon miserable creature. that point is a being like ourselves, but confined to the nondimensional gulf. he is himself his own world, his own universe; of any other than himself, he can form no conception. He knows, not length nor breaths, nor height, for he has had no experience of them. he has no cognizance even of the number two nor has he thought of plurality, for he is himself his one and all, being really nothing. Yet mark his perfect self-containment and hence learn this lesson, that to be self-contented is to be vile and ignorant, and that to aspire is better than to be blindly and importantly happy”
this took me a couple of tries to finish this book, since I'm expecting more of a sci-fi novel. I mean it kinda is, but the "many dimensions" part is on the latter part of the book and more or less it's pretty much basic and it's not really "accurate" but I appreciate since it tried and is one of the first books that talked about the spatial fourth dimension.
Now, on the first half of the book it's already sci-fi----ish, with the A. Square explaining how their life is in Flatland - the hierarchy, how they we're able to perceive each other, rain, gravity, "luster", etc. It's interesting and horrific at the same time.
I kinda wished we see more of Lineland, but this is Flatland and not really Lineland. The vision about the Pointland is horrifying with higher dimensions telling you about "others" and since essentially you're at the bottom of the spatial dimensions.
It's an alright book, 3.5 rounded to 4.
Now, on the first half of the book it's already sci-fi----ish, with the A. Square explaining how their life is in Flatland - the hierarchy, how they we're able to perceive each other, rain, gravity, "luster", etc. It's interesting and horrific at the same time.
I kinda wished we see more of Lineland, but this is Flatland and not really Lineland. The vision about the Pointland is horrifying with higher dimensions telling you about "others" and since essentially you're at the bottom of the spatial dimensions.
It's an alright book, 3.5 rounded to 4.
there's something about 19th century scifi-ish books that are beyond anything we could create now, the wonder and guesswork is something i wish hadn't been lost over the years - one would hope were a little less misogynistic now though
challenging
slow-paced
I don't even know what to say about the weirdest book I've ever read. The satire is biting as hell, and strangely relevant to today. The whole concept is nuts. I feel like I just survived the worst possible nightmare about geometry.
An interesting intellectual exercise
This was not my cup of tea. I chose it for a reading challenge, a book out of my genre comfort zone, simply because I have never read mathematical fiction. It’s an interesting intellectual exercise, to imagine what it is like to exist in a two-dimensional world and what it would be like for someone to explain a three-dimensional world to you. I feel like I got the gist of the mathematical concepts, but perhaps there is a gap in my knowledge of which I am not aware that would have made this more enjoyable for me to read. The math aside, I didn’t care for the satire, which did nothing but make me feel angry and incredulous. I’m not sure if it was a particular society it was supposed to satirize? Or just society in 1884, when the book was first published? It felt very outdated. I guess I can say I’ve read it, and I will understand references that mention it, but beyond that, I feel like there are a couple hours of my life I am not going to get back.
This was not my cup of tea. I chose it for a reading challenge, a book out of my genre comfort zone, simply because I have never read mathematical fiction. It’s an interesting intellectual exercise, to imagine what it is like to exist in a two-dimensional world and what it would be like for someone to explain a three-dimensional world to you. I feel like I got the gist of the mathematical concepts, but perhaps there is a gap in my knowledge of which I am not aware that would have made this more enjoyable for me to read. The math aside, I didn’t care for the satire, which did nothing but make me feel angry and incredulous. I’m not sure if it was a particular society it was supposed to satirize? Or just society in 1884, when the book was first published? It felt very outdated. I guess I can say I’ve read it, and I will understand references that mention it, but beyond that, I feel like there are a couple hours of my life I am not going to get back.
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Interesting concept, it would be worth a much more indepth read and analysis. Would be very fun to annotate.