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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I vacillated between four and five stars, wishing again that I had half stars, and came down this time on five. The main reasons for this are that as I was reading this book I kept telling my sons that they all need to read it; that I really hope that there is more to come; and that this was a very well-crafted post-apocalyptic story. The characters were interesting. The writing was good in the "I never thought about the writing, I just kept reading the story" way of being good.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Good overall, but I note the author has a pattern (seen also in Silo Stories) of writing women characters who lure reluctant men into extramarital affairs. This combined with some of the other patterns of representing women — with an undercurrent of latent misogynistic bias — are disappointing: it would be so easy to do better.
I also have questions about race representation. The TV series features racial diversity but there is a distinct lack of engagement on this in the books.
I also have questions about race representation. The TV series features racial diversity but there is a distinct lack of engagement on this in the books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Violence, Excrement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Ableism, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
WOOL rates a 5 star. The characters are well-developed and very engaging. The premise of post-apocalyptic life in a silo meant to preserve humanity as seeds for the future of the race captures the imagination, even if the lack of a realistic scale of things challenges belief. The second story SHIFT rates a 3 because it basically spirals into a huge, less-engaging backstory of the anti-hero. DUST finishes out the first story, meanders a bit, but I personally felt the intriguing relationship plot lines were lost and lamented the somewhat anticlimactic, unsatisfying ending.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated