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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
I enjoyed this one! Such an interesting twist on an apocalypse story. Imagine an alien invasion, where the only hope of survival is to move to Antarctica.
It does make you wonder...how far would humans go to protect 'humanity.'
It does make you wonder...how far would humans go to protect 'humanity.'
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
Well written description but not at all what I expected or hoped for. Too bizarre and the action seemed minor and insignificant after all the build up. I feel disappointed and a little uncomfortable after reading this. The book is like the creatures it contains: a strange experiment without real emotion, unnatural, and needlessly disruptive.
I love books by this author so I was so excited to receive a proof copy. I wasn't expecting a dystopian sci fi when I picked it up but I absolutely loved it! The story was extremely original and I had no idea where it was going to go next. As a result I couldn't put it down.
The book starts when an alien ship threatens the earth and gives humanity 30 days to reach Antartica which is the only place they will be allowed to exist. There are no negotiations, no demands and no reasons given for their actions. What follows is a frantic attempt by the world to reach Antartica and survive its extreme climate. The inhabitants will need to evolve in order to survive in such a cold place. Can they build a new life and sustain a future in such cold conditions?
I found this book fascinating and loved the storyline. I did have to slightly suspend belief with the alien invasion but there was little mention of them through the story which was mostly about the survival of humanity. I would actually have liked to have known more about them, who they were and what their intentions were.
I loved reading about the arrival of Liza and Atto and how they began life in such a harsh environment as they arrived in Antartica. I felt it would have been interesting to have followed these characters more in their early years on the new continent. The story jumps another 20 years as genetic engineering advances have been made and a new group of 'cold people' are emerging. We meet Echo, the daughter of Atto and Liza who is adapted to life in Antartica and Eitan who is the most radically advanced of the 'cold people' and still living in confinement in the Science facility in McMurdo.
Although there is a satisfying ending to the book I would love to follow the new generation of 'cold people' and their life in Antartica. A sequel would be fab!
I don't normally read Science Fiction but this book is a fabulous mixture of a multitude of genres; science fiction, dystopian, thriller and romance. I loved it!
The book starts when an alien ship threatens the earth and gives humanity 30 days to reach Antartica which is the only place they will be allowed to exist. There are no negotiations, no demands and no reasons given for their actions. What follows is a frantic attempt by the world to reach Antartica and survive its extreme climate. The inhabitants will need to evolve in order to survive in such a cold place. Can they build a new life and sustain a future in such cold conditions?
I found this book fascinating and loved the storyline. I did have to slightly suspend belief with the alien invasion but there was little mention of them through the story which was mostly about the survival of humanity. I would actually have liked to have known more about them, who they were and what their intentions were.
I loved reading about the arrival of Liza and Atto and how they began life in such a harsh environment as they arrived in Antartica. I felt it would have been interesting to have followed these characters more in their early years on the new continent. The story jumps another 20 years as genetic engineering advances have been made and a new group of 'cold people' are emerging. We meet Echo, the daughter of Atto and Liza who is adapted to life in Antartica and Eitan who is the most radically advanced of the 'cold people' and still living in confinement in the Science facility in McMurdo.
Although there is a satisfying ending to the book I would love to follow the new generation of 'cold people' and their life in Antartica. A sequel would be fab!
I don't normally read Science Fiction but this book is a fabulous mixture of a multitude of genres; science fiction, dystopian, thriller and romance. I loved it!
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Containing spoilers:
suspending disbelief for aliens that are a convenient plot devise, and genetics that don't work like that, I am still frustrated with this book. The author completely flattens the complexity of humanity to railroad the story where Smith wants it to go. Using the antartic to oversimplify things (forced to have a "healthier diet" there was no more obesity and diabetes! Forced to work together, there was no conflict or hording of resources! Etc) there could have been a complex story about survival and still included genetic experimentation. Instead, Smith wanted to a story of contrived othering and sacrificed all inconvenient complications that would draw away from that narrow plot.
Needless to say, not a fan.
Needless to say, not a fan.
A quick paced, haunting Sci fi novel with aliens, genetic modification and more! No words are wasted in this plot driven book that takes you all the way from Lisbon to Antartica following one families journey throughout. Pushing the reader to question morals, ethics and more.