Scan barcode
cchapple's review against another edition
5.0
Great memorable characters, and a clear eyed but hopeful outlook at the future, and generally an enjoyable and compelling read. Definitely a recommend
evenstr's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
almondraids's review
felt just like a blur of people and events that i couldn’t grasp or get into
midici's review against another edition
3.0
*3.5 stars
This is one of the strangest books I've ever read. There is a plot, but the plot is a vehicle for exploring various philosophical ideas and contrasting ideologies that occur throughout: philosophies about societies, about people, about meritocracies and capitalism, about self-sufficiency and creating your own place in the world, about the final frontier of space and death, etc.
In a somewhat futuristic dystopian-esque world, three people decide they are sick of the way things are and go walkaway. Walkaways, as the name implies, are people who have left behind the world of inequality and authoritarian rule in order to live freely, outside of cities, by using technologies that already exist to create micro-communities where everything is shared freely.
Seth, Natalie, and Etcetera are the initial main characters but the cast grows as the story follows them learning how to be walkaways, how to resist the "Default" world they left behind, and how they become involved in the revolution that eventually brings Default crumbling down.
I was not into this at first. I thought all three main characters were obnoxious at first, and I'm not overly fond of long philosophical debates that they all needed to have in every conversation for a good chunk of the beginning of the book. However, I was very interested in the ongoing conflict between Default and Walkaway societies, and Natalie trying to escape her "zotta" family, and the romances the three of them eventually fall into.
This is one of the strangest books I've ever read. There is a plot, but the plot is a vehicle for exploring various philosophical ideas and contrasting ideologies that occur throughout: philosophies about societies, about people, about meritocracies and capitalism, about self-sufficiency and creating your own place in the world, about the final frontier of space and death, etc.
In a somewhat futuristic dystopian-esque world, three people decide they are sick of the way things are and go walkaway. Walkaways, as the name implies, are people who have left behind the world of inequality and authoritarian rule in order to live freely, outside of cities, by using technologies that already exist to create micro-communities where everything is shared freely.
Seth, Natalie, and Etcetera are the initial main characters but the cast grows as the story follows them learning how to be walkaways, how to resist the "Default" world they left behind, and how they become involved in the revolution that eventually brings Default crumbling down.
I was not into this at first. I thought all three main characters were obnoxious at first, and I'm not overly fond of long philosophical debates that they all needed to have in every conversation for a good chunk of the beginning of the book. However, I was very interested in the ongoing conflict between Default and Walkaway societies, and Natalie trying to escape her "zotta" family, and the romances the three of them eventually fall into.
crimsoncor's review against another edition
4.0
Liked it but didn't love it. Parts of it were fantastic and unlike much other near future scifi I've read (except some other Doctorow stuff like Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom). Parts of it dragged on a bit. Worth reading as a thought experiment about our future.
izzy_obert's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
corymackenziegray's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
komali_2's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? No
5.0
kwsydney's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
⭐️: 3.5/5
- The book is really trying hard to be uniquely futuristic. Coffee doesn’t need to be “coffeeum”. And I know they end up describing the differences, but that’s way too late in the book to not feel *irony intended* like they’re trying to be special snowflakes with the terminology
- The descriptions of events are either very elementary (mostly dialogue with the bare minimum world descriptions and action) or incredibly unnecessarily scientific (talking about synapses firing to say it felt good)
- This book does not need open door sex scenes. Especially when phrases like “boy nipple”, “they played with muscles and gravity”, and “his armpits smelled like clean sweat” are used.
- Incredibly interesting topic. Really, what WOULD happen is people just started walking away from normalized society?
- This book touches on, arguably too many, heavily debated and thought provoking topics. Just some of these topics include: economic class divide, distribution of wealth and resources, what it means to be human, and what defines a valuable life.
- The lovability of the characters really sneaks up on you
- There’s a huge difference in the interest between POVs
Notes: political conflict, runaways, uploaded consciousness,
foureyesflorez's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25