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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Deep meanings, relatable ideas. However, a couple stories were too "sciencey" / complex for my likimg.
A master of the short story form, Chiang pulls you in with intricate worldbuilding and deeply relatable characters. My favorite piece in this collection was Seventy-Two Letters, which explores two types of von Neumann machines. Around the 80% mark, I tried to predict how it would end—I was nearly right about the outcome, but completely wrong about how it would come to pass.
Each story compels with its elegant structure and delivers one mind-bending thought experiment after another, challenging your worldview at every turn. I loved them.
Each story compels with its elegant structure and delivers one mind-bending thought experiment after another, challenging your worldview at every turn. I loved them.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
So good! I started this collection mostly for the "Arrival" story, but they're all worth reading. Obviously, "Stories of your Life" is original and compelling. There are two others that I especially enjoyed: the one about "lookism" and the one about a world where angels visit Earth.
Re: the first, you're kidding yourself if you don't think that physical attractiveness doesn't play a big role in who is successful in society and who is not, but it is rarely, if ever, talked about. I instinctively recoil at the tech discussed as the solution, but Chiang covers the ethical issues around both it and "lookism" well. I especially liked the account of the person who embraces radical ugly-ism. Re: the second, on God and justice, what an ending! Frankly, that world is horrifying; almost a religious 1984.
I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrators have fantastic "explaining scientist" and "college student" impressions. Overall? Thought-provoking and fun.
Re: the first, you're kidding yourself if you don't think that physical attractiveness doesn't play a big role in who is successful in society and who is not, but it is rarely, if ever, talked about. I instinctively recoil at the tech discussed as the solution, but Chiang covers the ethical issues around both it and "lookism" well. I especially liked the account of the person who embraces radical ugly-ism. Re: the second, on God and justice, what an ending! Frankly, that world is horrifying; almost a religious 1984.
I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrators have fantastic "explaining scientist" and "college student" impressions. Overall? Thought-provoking and fun.
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
It’s a book of short stories, many questions don’t really apply!
I really enjoyed Chiang's other book (Exhalation) so I was excited to read this - it didn't disappoint! I especially liked 'Story of Your Life', which inspired the 2016 film Arrival (sci-fi + languages - sign me up!!). He's so good at employing a fantasy world to explore a specific theme (e.g., human creation, beauty, linear time), leaving the reader with many questions to ponder. Even though it can get quite technical, the stories are grounded in emotional truths. A great sci-fi read :)
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes