Scan barcode
frankda's review
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
dazzy's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, and Murder
ioananana's review
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This novel leaves you in goosebumps, staring in the distance, wondering why you haven’t read it sooner.
I could perhaps describe it as a distant cousin of The Handmaid’s Tale, but perhaps they are similar in only the female-centred dystopian universe. I devoured it in a couple days, only because of work, otherwise I’d have finished it in a day. It’s the type of novel you can’t physically put down and you binge it in one go.
It’s wonderfully written; it makes you appreciate your everyday mundane objects and habits. It surprised me over and over, but not with your generic ‘plot twists’, but rather elegantly and realistically (as realistic as possible in a dystopian novel!).
A wonderful short novel that would be worthy of considered a classic; it’s a must read.
wybohoukes's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
thegroovycowgirl's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
knochie's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
honeywolf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Haunting, not enjoyable, and sits with me still
knkoch's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Fascinating, mysterious, conceptual book I could picture so vividly. The prose was remarkably spare, clear, and smooth, which immersed me inside the unusual speculative story. It worked well that I went in knowing nothing, as I couldn’t really predict each new development.
This reminded me of Jesse Jacobs’ graphic novels in that there were no references, allusions, adornments, or distractions from the premise. It’s pared down to ideas, applied to a specific scenario, and it’s open-ended and rich enough to lead thought in many directions. I imagine rereading could be fruitful.
The afterword in this edition was really interesting, and learning a bit about Harpman’s life gave potential context to certain setup choices. But overall, I liked how enigmatic this was and enjoyed where it led my thinking.
This reminded me of Jesse Jacobs’ graphic novels in that there were no references, allusions, adornments, or distractions from the premise. It’s pared down to ideas, applied to a specific scenario, and it’s open-ended and rich enough to lead thought in many directions. I imagine rereading could be fruitful.
The afterword in this edition was really interesting, and learning a bit about Harpman’s life gave potential context to certain setup choices. But overall, I liked how enigmatic this was and enjoyed where it led my thinking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Death
thejessiejoy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5