Scan barcode
thelauramay's review
2.0
This is a difficult book to rate, as while I genuinely believe it's a pretty good book (other than a flimsy ending), it turned out to be *totally* not my thing. It's a scifi cum mystery-drama-action-fantasy novel, set in a present-day South Africa in which apartheid is still alive and kicking. The two protagonists are a young African man who somewhat accidentally (??) becomes part of the resistance movement, and an Afrikaaner psychologist who is treating him, but has on the side developed a mind-reading machine. So yes, there are a LOT of things going on.
I just don't know how I feel about this book. It took me a *long* time to read, but I really believe there are audiences who will enjoy it. 2 stars? 3 stars?? I don't know.
**I received this book for free via LibraryThing 'Early Reads'; obviously this has in no way affected my review, as usual.**
I just don't know how I feel about this book. It took me a *long* time to read, but I really believe there are audiences who will enjoy it. 2 stars? 3 stars?? I don't know.
**I received this book for free via LibraryThing 'Early Reads'; obviously this has in no way affected my review, as usual.**
carwen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.25
chessakat's review
3.0
This is a tough book to review. Let me be upfront: I know so very little about South Africa and its history that it's pretty damn embarrassing. So reading a science fiction-ish, thriller-ish novel set in an alternative South Africa where Apartheid is still in full swing - well, it was confusing, educational, interesting and...confusing. I consulted Wikipedia *heavily* while reading this - for history, for explanations of acronyms and the groups behind them, and Google translate for the many, many words in Afrikaans sprinkled throughout.
In a lot of ways, it felt like I decided to jump into reading a comic series midstream, having no idea about what happened in previous issues or story arcs. You can do it, but you *always* are going to feel like you're missing something really important.
For me, the story started slowly. It did pick up, and I was glad, because I was a little afraid that I was going to abandon this read. But the black box is very interesting - but I feel that somehow it was also a missed opportunity? I feel like there could have been so much more done with it. Instead it was literally a device for the story. Oh well. It is a really cool idea.
The story is good. I didn't love it, but it was definitely an experience. And every book is not meant for every person, and I get that - this book was so not written with me as the audience in mind, and that is totally fine. I wish I connected a bit more with it, but it's definitely whet my appetite for finding out more about the real history of South Africa.
In a lot of ways, it felt like I decided to jump into reading a comic series midstream, having no idea about what happened in previous issues or story arcs. You can do it, but you *always* are going to feel like you're missing something really important.
For me, the story started slowly. It did pick up, and I was glad, because I was a little afraid that I was going to abandon this read. But the black box is very interesting - but I feel that somehow it was also a missed opportunity? I feel like there could have been so much more done with it. Instead it was literally a device for the story. Oh well. It is a really cool idea.
The story is good. I didn't love it, but it was definitely an experience. And every book is not meant for every person, and I get that - this book was so not written with me as the audience in mind, and that is totally fine. I wish I connected a bit more with it, but it's definitely whet my appetite for finding out more about the real history of South Africa.
More...