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secre's review
3.0
Fascinating novel that only misses out on four stars because of how much more detail I wanted to read. Body tourists take the idea of a life after death to a whole new level. With entire human minds downloaded into electronic memory, it becomes possible to bring people back from the dead. Not permanently of course and not in their own body. But it becomes possible to shut down someone's brain and download this dead personality and memories into the space that's left behind. This gives the dead a new lease of life... for two weeks at least, then the body is returned to its original owner.
It's all very experimental and very, very secret. It's likely not all that legal but that's what confidentiality agreements and £10,000 for volunteers is for. And what's the harm. In a country where most jobs have been taken over by bots and the poor are blindingly impoverished with no hope of a better life, is it a surprise young, healthy individuals from sink estates will jump at the chance? After all, it's meant to be perfectly safe. There are all kinds of safeguards in place. The problems begin though when one of the first volunteers doesn't come back. His relatives and family are told one thing, but Paula knows differently.
I found the premise fascinating and the execution of the novel largely stands up to scrutiny. You get a lot of third view perspectives, from the volunteers, family, the resurrected dead and the scientific mind behind the project as well as his financial support... this makes the novel very busy and somewhat choppy at points, but it works. Many of the characters are highly empathisable and the ethical dilemma's they are placed in are striking. My main issue here is that it feels to me that there could be so much more to this; with relative ease this could become a book to really sink your teeth into and wrestle with, but instead it's a light and easy read that glosses over many aspects I'd be really keen to hear more about.
Much of the focus is on the individual stories of the many characters in the book and whilst this does serve to drive the narrative, it doesn't work so well at bringing real depth to the novel. There is a huge wealth of things that could have been delved into; scientific aspects, ethical and morality questions, long flung consequences and varying reactions. You get a small sampling of this but it's all rather glossed over and it's that level of detail that would have moved this from good to bleeding fantastic. There are some decisions made from the scientific trial front that frankly made little sense to me and so if they made sense to the author, further explanation was needed.
For example, why let select 'tourists' go back to a family home but then not allow others to even see their family for more than an hour. You've brought them back from the dead. Surely the point of this - in addition to scientific research - is to make it worth it for them. I got the safe environment aspects, but it would have made more sense logically to bring all interested parties to that safe environment to be with the 'tourist'. Why is this considered an exception? And yet at least two of our other tourists are actively unleashed on the real world.
This is just one of many aspects I would love to see explored in more detail. Others would be the rationale behind choices; volunteers and tourists picked, body swaps chosen. Or the actual process, the explanations given to volunteer and tourist, the experience of the 'typical' tourist rather than the exceptions. The ethical issues and the safety concerns in more detail than just 'lock 'em on an island'; a thorough exploration of how the tourists might impact on direct friends and family or even society as a whole is difficult when you isolate them from any of those experiences. The way this research could be used in the future.
I admit, I enjoyed this, I really did. But i didn't find as much depth or bite as I might have expected or hoped for. Instead of giving me something to really chew on, I whistled through it. So yes. It's good. But it had the potential to be excellent and it didn't hit that mark.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this novel.
It's all very experimental and very, very secret. It's likely not all that legal but that's what confidentiality agreements and £10,000 for volunteers is for. And what's the harm. In a country where most jobs have been taken over by bots and the poor are blindingly impoverished with no hope of a better life, is it a surprise young, healthy individuals from sink estates will jump at the chance? After all, it's meant to be perfectly safe. There are all kinds of safeguards in place. The problems begin though when one of the first volunteers doesn't come back. His relatives and family are told one thing, but Paula knows differently.
I found the premise fascinating and the execution of the novel largely stands up to scrutiny. You get a lot of third view perspectives, from the volunteers, family, the resurrected dead and the scientific mind behind the project as well as his financial support... this makes the novel very busy and somewhat choppy at points, but it works. Many of the characters are highly empathisable and the ethical dilemma's they are placed in are striking. My main issue here is that it feels to me that there could be so much more to this; with relative ease this could become a book to really sink your teeth into and wrestle with, but instead it's a light and easy read that glosses over many aspects I'd be really keen to hear more about.
Much of the focus is on the individual stories of the many characters in the book and whilst this does serve to drive the narrative, it doesn't work so well at bringing real depth to the novel. There is a huge wealth of things that could have been delved into; scientific aspects, ethical and morality questions, long flung consequences and varying reactions. You get a small sampling of this but it's all rather glossed over and it's that level of detail that would have moved this from good to bleeding fantastic. There are some decisions made from the scientific trial front that frankly made little sense to me and so if they made sense to the author, further explanation was needed.
For example, why let select 'tourists' go back to a family home but then not allow others to even see their family for more than an hour. You've brought them back from the dead. Surely the point of this - in addition to scientific research - is to make it worth it for them. I got the safe environment aspects, but it would have made more sense logically to bring all interested parties to that safe environment to be with the 'tourist'. Why is this considered an exception? And yet at least two of our other tourists are actively unleashed on the real world.
This is just one of many aspects I would love to see explored in more detail. Others would be the rationale behind choices; volunteers and tourists picked, body swaps chosen. Or the actual process, the explanations given to volunteer and tourist, the experience of the 'typical' tourist rather than the exceptions. The ethical issues and the safety concerns in more detail than just 'lock 'em on an island'; a thorough exploration of how the tourists might impact on direct friends and family or even society as a whole is difficult when you isolate them from any of those experiences. The way this research could be used in the future.
I admit, I enjoyed this, I really did. But i didn't find as much depth or bite as I might have expected or hoped for. Instead of giving me something to really chew on, I whistled through it. So yes. It's good. But it had the potential to be excellent and it didn't hit that mark.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC copy of this novel.
tomcolter97's review
dark
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
1.75
Before the coffee gets cold but dark and problematic. The story’s premise of bringing the dead back to life in poor young bodies is interesting. However, some of the ideas presented in the book about being placed into a different body and the persons sexual identity changing is problematic and labelling a character who lacks morals as autistic is unnecessary and damaging. If these elements were not in the book I would have enjoyed it.
chrism81's review
4.0
“…that’s what I want to share with you dear reader; a ringside seat. At the spectacle of Luke’s first Body Tourists. Or should I call them guinea pigs? Let me call them beneficiaries.”
Do you have unresolved issues with a departed loved one? Body Tourists gives you a chance to right those wrongs, to gain closure. What an intriguing prospect this book offers.
I loved the plot. I'm usually not a fan of Sci-Fi/ Fantasy novels but this book was an exception. It tapped into modern worries- body concerns, politics, religion and it covered them sensitively. Easy to follow even though there are multiple character arcs. There was a good mix of characters. I wasn’t that bothered by Luke at the beginning of the novel but by the end I really hated him! That’s a skill for an author I believe- causing such transitional reactions.
I wasn’t keen on the Richard K storyline. It dragged slightly but I understand why it was part of the story though. This was a nicely paced and easy read overall. I can see why Hilary Mantel was a fan. The book is beautifully descriptive in parts and uses some wonderfully evocative language.
I recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley, Jane Rogers, Sceptre and Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced copy of this book.
Do you have unresolved issues with a departed loved one? Body Tourists gives you a chance to right those wrongs, to gain closure. What an intriguing prospect this book offers.
I loved the plot. I'm usually not a fan of Sci-Fi/ Fantasy novels but this book was an exception. It tapped into modern worries- body concerns, politics, religion and it covered them sensitively. Easy to follow even though there are multiple character arcs. There was a good mix of characters. I wasn’t that bothered by Luke at the beginning of the novel but by the end I really hated him! That’s a skill for an author I believe- causing such transitional reactions.
I wasn’t keen on the Richard K storyline. It dragged slightly but I understand why it was part of the story though. This was a nicely paced and easy read overall. I can see why Hilary Mantel was a fan. The book is beautifully descriptive in parts and uses some wonderfully evocative language.
I recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley, Jane Rogers, Sceptre and Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced copy of this book.
tmeehan's review
3.0
3.5 stars. Very interesting concept but not sure how I felt about the ending...
slg11s's review
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
graywacke's review
3.0
This is actually another follow-up on [b:Frankissstein|42123790|Frankissstein A Love Story|Jeanette Winterson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547329058l/42123790._SY75_.jpg|65720818], as it also pokes into what we might do with all these cryogenically frozen heads. Not my typical book, but I caught up in the take - downloading deceased brains into hired young healthy bodies (set up so everything can go wrong). Imagine what it would be like in the new, healthy, borrowed body, not to mention how you might feel about someone else borrowing your body. The concept is interesting, and she looks at it from several angles. And, it has left me thinking about it.
As it's a plot driven book, this was well out of my comfort zone. The prose is plot practical, sleekly efficient at defining characters in just a few lines. It's not unique to this book, but it's something I don't read much, so I spent some time thinking about, and, honestly, fighting with it. Part of me feels this style is very modern-life like, in way a painted metal sign is–informative, clear, but without anything else to see. But, that is just me dwelling on was is a clean effort at what I think is a normal writing style.
-----------------------------------------------
10. Body Tourists by Jane Rogers
published: 2019
format: 229-page hardcover
acquired: January
read: Feb 7-13
time reading: 6 hr 33 min, 1.7 min/page
rating: 2½
locations: England, Scotland and some tropical island
about the author born in London, July 21, 1952
As it's a plot driven book, this was well out of my comfort zone. The prose is plot practical, sleekly efficient at defining characters in just a few lines. It's not unique to this book, but it's something I don't read much, so I spent some time thinking about, and, honestly, fighting with it. Part of me feels this style is very modern-life like, in way a painted metal sign is–informative, clear, but without anything else to see. But, that is just me dwelling on was is a clean effort at what I think is a normal writing style.
-----------------------------------------------
10. Body Tourists by Jane Rogers
published: 2019
format: 229-page hardcover
acquired: January
read: Feb 7-13
time reading: 6 hr 33 min, 1.7 min/page
rating: 2½
locations: England, Scotland and some tropical island
about the author born in London, July 21, 1952
toofondofbooks's review
4.0
This is not my usual kind of read but I spotted it on SJHigbee’s blog and her post made me want to read it and I’m so glad I did. This is set in a future where a private clinic has pioneered a medical technique that enables people to be brought back to life by having their memory bank transferred into young people’s bodies for fourteen days at a time. It’s a chance for people to put things right, to say a proper goodbye to their loved ones. The story is told from multiple viewpoints – the people who are brought back, the people who agree to give up their body for a time and the people running the clinic. There is so much in this novel, it’s so moving to think of having the chance to spend time with a loved one again and to have one more conversation so that really got to me. The novel is also so much about the ethics of paying people to sacrifice their own body for two weeks, the secrecy surrounding what actually happens and the way the truth is buried if anything goes wrong. It really is such a thought-provoking novel and it’s one that I’m sure I’ll be thinking about for a long time to come. I recommend this one, and if you’re not sure it’s your type of book I urge you to give it a try.
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
This review was originally posted on my blog https://rathertoofondofbooks.com
eloisebell's review
Set in 2045 the story follow multiple points of view that a affected by the ability to implant minds of the dead into living donor bodies for 2 weeks.
I really enjoyed the varied voices of the different characters, it really did a lot to expand the story enabling you to see it from multiple points of view.
The plot was terrifyingly likely and I did a really great what would be realistic portrayals of the situation.
However I don’t feel this book was any different to other books of its type; Zed, Suicide Girls, and The Farm (a look at the plausible future and advancements)
I really enjoyed the varied voices of the different characters, it really did a lot to expand the story enabling you to see it from multiple points of view.
The plot was terrifyingly likely and I did a really great what would be realistic portrayals of the situation.
However I don’t feel this book was any different to other books of its type; Zed, Suicide Girls, and The Farm (a look at the plausible future and advancements)
wanderingjay's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
edward_leviathan's review
4.0
The fact that I finished this book in a day speaks for itself. I haven't read a book that quickly in a very long time. A very enjoyable read that provided just the right amount of world building to intrigue without getting worked up on all the details.