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evadis's review against another edition
3.0
A lot of interesting ideas, cool hallucinations and fun jokes, but for me this book was too much about these ideas, hallucinations and jokes and not enough about people (I guess I like that better).
binstonbirchill's review against another edition
2.0
Advertising, pop culture, hallucinogenic drugs, and satire about the modern world. If that sounds good to you then you might enjoy the book. However, if the first three are rather unappealing and you feel satire is very difficult to do well then you may feel like I do about this book. I found a few of the ads pretty funny but honestly there’s not a lot that appealed to me about the book. I felt like the ideas where there and I agree with some of the things pointed about as absurd about society but something about the book just failed to connect. I read it in English so that might not have helped.
brennsteez's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
sisteray's review against another edition
3.0
Clearly Victor Pelevin wrote the bulk of this book sitting on the toilet or standing in the shower. He collected all his stray thoughts and tried to make them anecdotes in the life of a cipher of a character. This book suffers from the same problems that Tom Robbins continually stumbles over, which is that he wants to convey some grand idea and then he has one character ask a couple questions to fake a dialog, while the other character expounds endlessly with the writer's voice. Whereas Robbins' books only make you sit through one or two chapters of it, the whole book is rife with exposition.
That said, some of it is really intriguing. I would even go so far as to say that you can skip the whole book and read nothing but the Homo Zapiens chapter and come out well ahead, missing virtually nothing. That chapter is truly incredible, and was clearly a stand alone essay that was the thesis from which the rest of the book loosely hangs on. BTW, this is the Che Guevara element that the cover copy talks about and this moment has no bearing or relevance at all to the rest of the plot and is there in namesake only. In fact the character later asks questions about things that were directly answered for him in that chapter.
About the rest of the book, well it gives an intriguing look into Post-soviet Russia. Most of it is fantasy, but the tone and timber are there. There were certainly some entertaining moments. Meanwhile, you have to put up with the flaccid ad copy. The reason why the Monty Python "Funniest Joke in the World" sketch worked is because you never heard the joke. Here you are shown time and again that his ad copy sucks, yet he's taken as being brilliant (and I'm pretty sure that it isn't supposed to be ironic).
As a straight read, I found it to be difficult, the book was dense, meandering and unclear. I can only assume that most of the problem was with the translation. The verbiage was awkward. There were tons of spelling errors. There were a number of sentences that use English words that would never be used that way by a native speaker. The clunky writing must come from the fact that no editor ever set eyes on this translation.
That said, some of it is really intriguing. I would even go so far as to say that you can skip the whole book and read nothing but the Homo Zapiens chapter and come out well ahead, missing virtually nothing. That chapter is truly incredible, and was clearly a stand alone essay that was the thesis from which the rest of the book loosely hangs on. BTW, this is the Che Guevara element that the cover copy talks about and this moment has no bearing or relevance at all to the rest of the plot and is there in namesake only. In fact the character later asks questions about things that were directly answered for him in that chapter.
About the rest of the book, well it gives an intriguing look into Post-soviet Russia. Most of it is fantasy, but the tone and timber are there. There were certainly some entertaining moments. Meanwhile, you have to put up with the flaccid ad copy. The reason why the Monty Python "Funniest Joke in the World" sketch worked is because you never heard the joke. Here you are shown time and again that his ad copy sucks, yet he's taken as being brilliant (and I'm pretty sure that it isn't supposed to be ironic).
As a straight read, I found it to be difficult, the book was dense, meandering and unclear. I can only assume that most of the problem was with the translation. The verbiage was awkward. There were tons of spelling errors. There were a number of sentences that use English words that would never be used that way by a native speaker. The clunky writing must come from the fact that no editor ever set eyes on this translation.
glasha's review against another edition
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
noleek's review against another edition
3.0
The best part is that deepfakes are now a real thing. Other than that it was meh.
nlgn's review against another edition
2.0
Stylish with flashes of brilliant (if dark) humour, well-captured by the translator. The theme of shallow consumer society and its cynical manipulation is universal. However, I suspect I missed some of the more specific cultural references and satirical barbs.
m_m_tucker's review against another edition
4.5
I really like how comical and absurd this book was. Best description is a Russian infinite jest, but easier to read and funnier. It’s pretty absurd and devolves quickly in plot. But that doesn't any me? Mostly it adds to the co fusion and conspiracy.
impressionblend's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 out of 5 stars
I first attempted reading this book when I was 17, and I didn't get far—I was quickly appalled by what I managed to read, closed the book, and didn't think I would ever read Victor Pelevin again. Well... I guess the years have made me a lot more cynical because this time around I not only finished the book, but also found it to be fascinating, clever, satirical, quotable, philosophical, and pretty damn funny. But also rather depressing, and still a bit appalling. I guess my cynicism still has a bit of room to grow.
I'm taking half a star off because there were a few parts that were unnecessarily drawn out, but really, I can't believe how much I ended up loving this whole thing.
If you're wondering what Generation "П"/ Homo Zapiens / Babylon (depending on the edition you read) is even about—well, it's generally about advertising in post-Soviet Russia. And manipulation. And human values. And addiction. And consumerism. And politics. And mythology. And... I just think you should read it because I'm too tired to write a long review at the moment that this book undeniably deserves.
I first attempted reading this book when I was 17, and I didn't get far—I was quickly appalled by what I managed to read, closed the book, and didn't think I would ever read Victor Pelevin again. Well... I guess the years have made me a lot more cynical because this time around I not only finished the book, but also found it to be fascinating, clever, satirical, quotable, philosophical, and pretty damn funny. But also rather depressing, and still a bit appalling. I guess my cynicism still has a bit of room to grow.
I'm taking half a star off because there were a few parts that were unnecessarily drawn out, but really, I can't believe how much I ended up loving this whole thing.
If you're wondering what Generation "П"/ Homo Zapiens / Babylon (depending on the edition you read) is even about—well, it's generally about advertising in post-Soviet Russia. And manipulation. And human values. And addiction. And consumerism. And politics. And mythology. And... I just think you should read it because I'm too tired to write a long review at the moment that this book undeniably deserves.
pilsdoughey's review against another edition
5.0
Misha’s best rec. Pure fun and absurdist comedy throughout while also proving extremely critical of consumerism in a way that remains funny and out there enough that it doesn’t feel stale. So heavy handed that it’s not heavy handed? Or so absurd that you don’t notice the heavy handed ness? Most fun I’ve had reading a book in a long while, despite not getting all the Soviet references that pop up