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prismatical's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
elly29's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-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
2.0
It started out really exciting and interesting, but ended tediously. I think there were too many things the author was trying to do, and so she ended up doing none of them well (with the exception of making me think she knew what she was talking about with archaebacteria). The world dies, not a single survivor in San Francisco, some Hopi survive, and the Base folks survive, but we hear of no one else. The US is still referenced, but the US would have collapsed entirely. They spend resources building the most improbable survival tactic of individual machine mothers -- poised no less to shoot at any enemies --, rather than, say, building Arcology domes (did this person never play Sim City 2000). Also, ugh, I hate when poor communication is a plot device. It's lazy writing.
Go play Horizon Zero Dawn; it has similar themes that are better executed.
I did think it was very interesting that an essential characteristic of the Mother bots was indeed that they were coded along with the biological mothers of the children. That was interesting. But I didn't think it had much unique to say about the relation of children and mothers, or of love, or what it means to be human.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
ghostbird12's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kind of average, could tell it was a debut novel. not really the plot i was expecting and i didn’t really like the plot that it ended up being. liked some of the characters but REALLY disliked rick not sure why the author decided to make his distrust of james such a big point, didn’t like the implications, like i really didn’t need another example of skepticism of muslims/pakistanis. it wasn’t an endearing trait for rick. . i thought the emotions of the characters could have been displayed better. like sela’s literal death wasn’t even focused on that much??? even though she was kai’s best and first friend??? . anyway, overall was fine but not great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
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