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beltari's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence, Animal cruelty, Trafficking, and Slavery
Minor: Child abuse and Adult/minor relationship
jhbandcats's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Reading this book is like watching an accident in slow motion where you know how awful it's going to be but you can't do anything to stop it.
Kentukis are cute little animals on wheels. People elsewhere in the world control them, seeing through the camera in the eyes. You can be either a keeper, who owns the little animal, or a dweller, who controls it with a tablet, moving around and interacting with the keeper.
The thing is, dwellers can't communicate with the keeper. There's translation software so the dweller can understand the keeper speaking - but the keeper only, not anyone else in the room - but no official way for the dweller to communicate. Some keepers use Ouija boards or Yes / No / Don't Know / Ask Another Question plots on the floor, and some keepers hold up signs with phone numbers and email addresses in hopes the dweller will get in touch.
These things are all over the world. In upscale areas, 25% of households have at least one kentuki, and the numbers are growing. Now imagine the worst possible types of dwellers - who are these unknown people hiding inside the kentukis, watching you in the bedroom and bathroom, seeing your important papers in your office? Are they sweet little old ladies or are they pedophiles? And what about the keepers? Who would want a technological spy in their home, even if it's benign?
Very, very thought provoking and, to be honest, terrifying. An excellent book.
Kentukis are cute little animals on wheels. People elsewhere in the world control them, seeing through the camera in the eyes. You can be either a keeper, who owns the little animal, or a dweller, who controls it with a tablet, moving around and interacting with the keeper.
The thing is, dwellers can't communicate with the keeper. There's translation software so the dweller can understand the keeper speaking - but the keeper only, not anyone else in the room - but no official way for the dweller to communicate. Some keepers use Ouija boards or Yes / No / Don't Know / Ask Another Question plots on the floor, and some keepers hold up signs with phone numbers and email addresses in hopes the dweller will get in touch.
These things are all over the world. In upscale areas, 25% of households have at least one kentuki, and the numbers are growing. Now imagine the worst possible types of dwellers - who are these unknown people hiding inside the kentukis, watching you in the bedroom and bathroom, seeing your important papers in your office? Are they sweet little old ladies or are they pedophiles? And what about the keepers? Who would want a technological spy in their home, even if it's benign?
Very, very thought provoking and, to be honest, terrifying. An excellent book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Bullying, Confinement, and Kidnapping
pages_with_a_preoccupied_prin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a really interesting read thar was incredibly unnerving. It felt like I was reading an episode of Black mirror.
I was really intrigued by the various characters portrayed in this novel and found the concept fascinating. I think this book looked really well at society and how people interact, considering how much everyone is interested in how other people live.
It was incredibly graphic at points, with one scene I had to actually skim read because I found it so gross.
I can't lie, but I am incredibly glad the Kentuki's don't actually exist.
I was really intrigued by the various characters portrayed in this novel and found the concept fascinating. I think this book looked really well at society and how people interact, considering how much everyone is interested in how other people live.
It was incredibly graphic at points, with one scene I had to actually skim read because I found it so gross.
I can't lie, but I am incredibly glad the Kentuki's don't actually exist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Sexual assault, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Torture, and Pedophilia
ctrl_shift_dlt's review
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Pedophilia
miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was super well written and very tense, i loved the short chapters and the building of tension but i just wish there had been slightly more horror that it built too
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Slavery, and Trafficking
literarylion's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Pros:
- A really unique and compelling premise fleshed out perfectly
- Structurally interesting -- vignettes that build off of one another but aren't interconnected
- The amount of consideration Schweblin put into the concept of kentuckis is evident and relevant -- a minor and relatively simple piece of tech with the capacity to change the world in vital ways given enough popularity
Cons:
- It felt slow at times
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Kidnapping
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