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cappallo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
abigail_lo's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
it really was a solid 3 or 3.5 until the last few pages. i could feel how meticulously planned this book’s plot was — if anything, it was almost too convoluted to follow. my critique of the first 90% of the book is that i had to spend quite a bit of my brain cells just figuring out the timeline, which means i couldn’t get invested in the characters. but for the last bit, the plot (and specifically the mechanics) just made no sense to me. the book presents itself as a harder sci-fi book, but then it completely glosses over any explanation of the ending? i get the poeticism of it and everything coming full circle, but like — i’m still a bit annoyed that after wracking my brain over this plot for 300+ pages, it doesn’t even make sense in the end.
Graphic: War, Violence, Police brutality, and Gore
Moderate: Xenophobia
athnyx230's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: War, Death, and Gore
Minor: Death of parent
fedak's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyed the first third or so, reasonable MilSciFi with some heavy borrowing/homage to Starship Troopers
The time travel narrative kinds collapsed under its own weight and the deus ex machina ending seemed like it was rushed. (In the notes, the author admitted to needing a flow chart to keep track of the time travel plotlines, and as a readers we probably needed the same)
The college freshman anti-corporation political manifesto that permeates the whole book was a bit overdone. And the gender reveal gimmick left me somewhat confused prompting me to google what was going on rather than what I presume was an intended "aha" moment of me revisiting my expectations.
The time travel narrative kinds collapsed under its own weight and the deus ex machina ending seemed like it was rushed. (In the notes, the author admitted to needing a flow chart to keep track of the time travel plotlines, and as a readers we probably needed the same)
The college freshman anti-corporation political manifesto that permeates the whole book was a bit overdone. And the gender reveal gimmick left me somewhat confused prompting me to google what was going on rather than what I presume was an intended "aha" moment of me revisiting my expectations.
luminous's review
3.0
I really liked it but ultimately the plot and mechanics were unsatisfying. However, I would still like to read more by this author.
elfsara's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25