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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
This book was a good listen. It was nearly poetic in points, and adventurous in others. I think the underlying plot is one of those morality, ethics sort of stories. At what point does one step in and DO something about what is perceived as acceptable but is really a potential downfall for humanity?
Like the other Claire North book I read, the concept is good, but I found it hard to care about any of the characters or really understand their motivations. Yes, that one girl killed herself and maybe it was Perfection, but now Hope wants to tear the thing down? Obviously Perfection is a commentary on a lot of apps that really exist, but there was no depth to that analysis.
The whole thing goes on a bit too long, and the ending was not satisfying enough to redeem it.
The whole thing goes on a bit too long, and the ending was not satisfying enough to redeem it.
This had a great sfnal premise: a person no one can hold onto memories of our for more than a few minutes. Sort of a reverse Memento. How do you survive when you can't hold down a job or form relationships because no one can remember you?
This gets tied in with a very very Black Mirror plot (with all the good and bad that entails) about an app that changes people's behavior to make them "perfect".
This was mostly compulsively readable, and just enough social commentary to keep it interesting, but it had like 100 extra pages in the middle which I guess were fine, but where I was kind of just get on with it already.
This gets tied in with a very very Black Mirror plot (with all the good and bad that entails) about an app that changes people's behavior to make them "perfect".
This was mostly compulsively readable, and just enough social commentary to keep it interesting, but it had like 100 extra pages in the middle which I guess were fine, but where I was kind of just get on with it already.
Argh this book...
Honestly I don't know how I liked it. It took me 5 weeks to read. This is very long for me. I had a hard time with the writing style not because it wasn't good – it fitted the book but there was no flow to it for me. And that made it extremely difficult to stay focused and have (at times) a positive reading experience.
However this book contains so many snippets of knowledge, thoughts, ideas and philosophical sparks that I am pretty sure I only scratched on the surface. It is one of those books I believe where you'll find a new angle every time you pick it up. It stirred a lot of thinking while reading and it will continue to do so.
It's already on my "read again" list. For now I'll give it 3,5*.
Honestly I don't know how I liked it. It took me 5 weeks to read. This is very long for me. I had a hard time with the writing style not because it wasn't good – it fitted the book but there was no flow to it for me. And that made it extremely difficult to stay focused and have (at times) a positive reading experience.
However this book contains so many snippets of knowledge, thoughts, ideas and philosophical sparks that I am pretty sure I only scratched on the surface. It is one of those books I believe where you'll find a new angle every time you pick it up. It stirred a lot of thinking while reading and it will continue to do so.
It's already on my "read again" list. For now I'll give it 3,5*.
Welp I'm finished. Didn't enjoy it very much and it took me way too long to finish...
I liked Claire North's other book... it had very interesting premises... this too... about a woman who everyone forgets... it just wasn't for me... to be honest i probably wouldn't enjoy Harry August if I read it now...
welp... at least I finished it :PPP
I liked Claire North's other book... it had very interesting premises... this too... about a woman who everyone forgets... it just wasn't for me... to be honest i probably wouldn't enjoy Harry August if I read it now...
welp... at least I finished it :PPP
4+ stars
Claire North, aka Catherine Webb, is one clever cookie. Just saying.
She's also a very creative and modern writer.
"The Sudden Appearance of Hope" (great title, by the way) is a wondrous, thought-provoking novel.
It is kind of genre-less. Scratch that. There is a genre called 'urban magic'. Forgive me, I'm kind of ignorant when it comes to all these subgenres.
When I saw that some people categorised it as SciFi and/or fantasy, I was kind of dispirited, as those are not genres I enjoy reading. But for those of you who might have the same apprehensions as me, let me assure you that you shouldn't worry.
Sure, the main heroine, Hope Arden, is forgotten by everyone who sees her within one to two minutes of not seeing her. But other than that, it is in many ways a contemporary novel, about present day issues.
Hope Arden's forgettability affords her to get away with stealing, which she has to do in order to survive. She's become a professional thief.
Through Hope, Claire North is taking a good look at some of the new social matrices related and regarding the internet; the apps; the quest for perfection as deemed by the media and Hollywood; at the increasing divide between the rich and the poor. But all these things ultimately relate to identity.
What is wrong and what is right? How would you behave if you could get away with everything? Can you be your own person without the influence of parents, siblings, teachers, societal norms etc? There are lots of things to ponder.
There really is a lot packed in this novel, a very ambitious project.
I do feel it was a tad too long, it could have done with a tighter editing.
But other than that, it was a brilliant, original and a very compelling novel.
I will definitely read more novels by Claire North/Catherine Webb/Kate Griffin because I'm intrigued. (Really authors, what the? Way to confuse us. I can deal with an author writing different genres, I totally can. I have more of a problem remembering names. Rant over.)
I've received this novel via a Goodreads giveaway (my first! :-) and only :-( ). Many thanks to Orbit Books, Hachette for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Cover:5 stars
Claire North, aka Catherine Webb, is one clever cookie. Just saying.
She's also a very creative and modern writer.
"The Sudden Appearance of Hope" (great title, by the way) is a wondrous, thought-provoking novel.
When I saw that some people categorised it as SciFi and/or fantasy, I was kind of dispirited, as those are not genres I enjoy reading. But for those of you who might have the same apprehensions as me, let me assure you that you shouldn't worry.
Sure, the main heroine, Hope Arden, is forgotten by everyone who sees her within one to two minutes of not seeing her. But other than that, it is in many ways a contemporary novel, about present day issues.
Hope Arden's forgettability affords her to get away with stealing, which she has to do in order to survive. She's become a professional thief.
Through Hope, Claire North is taking a good look at some of the new social matrices related and regarding the internet; the apps; the quest for perfection as deemed by the media and Hollywood; at the increasing divide between the rich and the poor. But all these things ultimately relate to identity.
What is wrong and what is right? How would you behave if you could get away with everything? Can you be your own person without the influence of parents, siblings, teachers, societal norms etc? There are lots of things to ponder.
There really is a lot packed in this novel, a very ambitious project.
I do feel it was a tad too long, it could have done with a tighter editing.
But other than that, it was a brilliant, original and a very compelling novel.
I will definitely read more novels by Claire North/Catherine Webb/Kate Griffin because I'm intrigued. (Really authors, what the? Way to confuse us. I can deal with an author writing different genres, I totally can. I have more of a problem remembering names. Rant over.)
I've received this novel via a Goodreads giveaway (my first! :-) and only :-( ). Many thanks to Orbit Books, Hachette for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Cover:5 stars
Claire North is a fantastic writer. I'm not sure I love this book as much as her other books but that was bound to happen at some point, right? I still like the idea of this book; it's a clever premise that's explored in a believable and interesting way. For the first section of the book you're not totally sure how/if everything is connected but by the end it all makes sense. Good read.
I would describe this book as being about a girl who everyone immediately forgets (like if she goes to the restroom then by the time she gets back to the table, no one will remember who she is) and it's about an app that rewards certain kinds of behaviors/decisions. If any of that sounds interesting to you then give this book a try.
I'm going to count this as "a novel set in a country that is not your own" for #vtReadingChallenge because the story takes place outside the United States.
I would describe this book as being about a girl who everyone immediately forgets (like if she goes to the restroom then by the time she gets back to the table, no one will remember who she is) and it's about an app that rewards certain kinds of behaviors/decisions. If any of that sounds interesting to you then give this book a try.
I'm going to count this as "a novel set in a country that is not your own" for #vtReadingChallenge because the story takes place outside the United States.
(4.75)
i really enjoyed this book.
Claire North's writing is wonderful.
Although people forget Hope in this book, i know i won't.
i really enjoyed this book.
Claire North's writing is wonderful.
Although people forget Hope in this book, i know i won't.
My first time not actually finishing a Claire North books. Usually they're a big hit for me, but this one fell a bit short--honestly, it was just too long and so I got distracted and forgot about it. Awesome idea, just didn't work for me.
I am torn between wanting to give this book a 4 star vs 3 star.
I love North's narration, and premise for this book and the unusual protagonist. I struggled to actually sympathize with Hope Arden and her motives. I understood them but I didn't want to take her side in an argument. And that's not because she is a thief but I think because her motives to do some crimes don't really justify themselves.
Between these conflicting feelings, I finished this book, because it was an easy read.
I love North's narration, and premise for this book and the unusual protagonist. I struggled to actually sympathize with Hope Arden and her motives. I understood them but I didn't want to take her side in an argument. And that's not because she is a thief but I think because her motives to do some crimes don't really justify themselves.
Between these conflicting feelings, I finished this book, because it was an easy read.