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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
dark
reflective
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
2.5 ⭐️
I had a hard time getting into this one. It’s difficult when an author jumps around with multiple characters and the reader can’t stay immersed with one. The writing reminded me of why I always enjoy Ken Follett’s precision and journalistic presence in a scene.
The World War III geopolitical scenario was not the reason I wanted to read this book. I don’t enjoy cautionary tales or thought experiments at the expense of character development. I did enjoy an exciting North Africa story line but it was just dropped and I had to skim several sections that didn’t interest me at all.
I had a hard time getting into this one. It’s difficult when an author jumps around with multiple characters and the reader can’t stay immersed with one. The writing reminded me of why I always enjoy Ken Follett’s precision and journalistic presence in a scene.
The World War III geopolitical scenario was not the reason I wanted to read this book. I don’t enjoy cautionary tales or thought experiments at the expense of character development. I did enjoy an exciting North Africa story line but it was just dropped and I had to skim several sections that didn’t interest me at all.
Follet delivers a patchy draft riddled with contradictions. For instance, the vice-president is fired, but 150 pages later a vice-president appears in the situation room. Similarly, the president is supposed to be a Republican, but one of her secretaries is a Democrat. No explanation is given.
More problematic, the 'Team America World Police' take on international affairs is never really questioned, not even at the apocalyptic end.
Finally, the descriptions are often forced, the worst one being when the president ponders about her romantic feelings in a cringe-worthy metaphor in the middle of a crisis. No male character would have been thus voiced.
All in all, disappointing.
More problematic, the 'Team America World Police' take on international affairs is never really questioned, not even at the apocalyptic end.
Finally, the descriptions are often forced, the worst one being when the president ponders about her romantic feelings in a cringe-worthy metaphor in the middle of a crisis. No male character would have been thus voiced.
All in all, disappointing.
Could have been 400 pages shorter. Great once the intrigue began, but that was only after the nonsensical romances (oh god, please don’t write this kind of thing again. It added nothing and was entirely cringeworthy - concentrate on the geopolitics!), and scene-setting that took an age.
A shame, because once it picks up pace, it concludes strongly. The final quarter of the book is great. Just sad that the preceding 75% is so plodding.
A shame, because once it picks up pace, it concludes strongly. The final quarter of the book is great. Just sad that the preceding 75% is so plodding.
adventurous
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Que historia más espectacular, y aterradora! Sigo en shock porque el autor nos narra una realidad que podría suceder en cualquier momento. Te abre panoramas que si en algún momento se te cruzaron por la cabeza y los desechaste por lo absurdo o poco razonables ahora leyéndolo aquí ya no lo parecen tanto.
Este libro tiene diferentes voces expresándose desde diferentes partes del mundo pero que al final todas están relacionadas de una u otra manera. Leer política y estrategia siempre me había parecido aburrida pero este autor me ha atrapado totalmente con su manera de narrarla.
Ufff sigo con los pelos de punta con ese final
Este libro tiene diferentes voces expresándose desde diferentes partes del mundo pero que al final todas están relacionadas de una u otra manera. Leer política y estrategia siempre me había parecido aburrida pero este autor me ha atrapado totalmente con su manera de narrarla.
Ufff sigo con los pelos de punta con ese final
This book was entertaining enough, but it wasn't edge-of-your-seat drama until 2/3 of the way through. The initial chapters dragged a bit. The book could have lost at least 200, maybe more, of its 800 pages and been made more thrilling. Saddest of all were some really gratuitous romance stories thrown in for no real purpose. They did serve to make some of the characters look weaker, with really sappy dialogue, especially the strong women, but except for Abdul, did nothing to advance the story. Overall, though, it was a good book, especially the last third, so worth sticking with it if you're a little bogged down in the beginning.
Not a typical Follet novel, nor a typical ending... Well worth the time.
I loved the concept of this book— a butterfly effect that leads to the possibility of all out nuclear war. However in reality, I found the book slow and the dialogue clunky. Things only started to really pick up around 400 pages in, which made the first part almost unbearable. I understand the necessity for setting the scene (and building the domino effect) but I feel as if we could have saved a hundred or so pages of unnecessary character interaction. If you are going to introduce a lot of characters at least follow up on them.
I also don’t know if Follett knows how to properly write a female character (though Pauline Green and Kiah are probably the closest to a human woman). This made most of the emotional and romantic scenes somewhat uncomfortable to read.
Anyway it was entertaining by the end at least. Love how it finished even if it wasn’t the most uplifting. Goes to show not everyone might get a happy ending.
I also don’t know if Follett knows how to properly write a female character (though Pauline Green and Kiah are probably the closest to a human woman). This made most of the emotional and romantic scenes somewhat uncomfortable to read.
Anyway it was entertaining by the end at least. Love how it finished even if it wasn’t the most uplifting. Goes to show not everyone might get a happy ending.