Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Neuromancer by William Gibson

12 reviews

surelyinthefountain's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The writing is arresting -- gorgeous descriptions of ugliness throughout. The first 40% to half feels like a very different book than the latter half of the novel. I really liked the second half, which starts to skew a bit existential and pulls out of the viewpoint of Case more, giving a bit more perspective; I'd say if you're having trouble with the first half, keep in mind that this was written in the 80s and there was a...shall we say "certain kind of audience" that was into sci-fi at that time, especially hard science fiction. Gibson is very deliberately trying to hook in that kind of reader before punching them in the gut in the second half, so if you're not in that target audience, the first half can feel a little alienating, but I promise the second half earns the cult status this book has. It has so much to say that's still really relevant in 2021 (when I'm writing this review), even if a bit of a sledgehammer with those ideas in places, and it's cool to see the roots of what we now view as cyberpunk staples in their original context. There's some dated stereotypes, but I think overall the book holds up well, even in spite of its flaws.
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peachani's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

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