Reviews

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

tylerdoucet's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective 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

4.0

jvk14's review against another edition

3.0

I feel so bad giving this book a 3 star review and maybe I wasn't focused while reading this book but I often found myself getting bored or distracted while reading it. I think the concept is amazing but I wish the writing was deeper. I really wanted to like this book more but it just didn't do what I hoped it would.

addywalker's review against another edition

5.0

Bruh. SO GOOD I highly recommend but wow sad as shit

mariss_o's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

joetatum24's review against another edition

4.0

Was just okay for most of the duration, with a few lovely and surprising moments. A lot of it felt way too on the nose. I genuinely think this would’ve been a better short story or novella. However, I’m a sucker for a good ending, so thus the 4 stars.

ptgooty's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

strigine's review against another edition

3.0

A lovely elegy for our planet and the possibilities of life beyond, tainted (for me) by autism-parent woo.

maryvdb2024's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 * another great book. Very powerful and chastening. Our dying world seen through the eyes of an exceptional child. So many messages about politics, marketing, social media, science and AI to name a few. Beautifully written and a must read.

sevseverance's review against another edition

2.0

My dad had mentioned this book and I saw it on a bookstore excursion and the first few pages were intriguing. I admit this is the first book by a white man I’ve read in a while, and let me tell you, this makes me feel like I’ve been making the right choices for me. Also I want to have a talk with my dad about his taste in books.

I hated this book. I don’t like the sci fi elements- I didn’t fully understand them or their purpose. And I want to finish books so I was so close so I stayed up way a little late to finish this. and then his son dies, literally freezes to death while they’re camping in the Smokies. I’m so angry I read this book instead of literally any other book. I can’t believe this almost won a booker prize.

Also maybe I am just too angry that he wrote out a storyline that was ended with his son dying.

There were some lines in the beginning that I liked:
"THEY SHARE A LOT, ASTRONOMY AND CHILDHOOD. Both are voyages across huge distances. Both search for facts beyond their grasp. Both theorize wildly and let possibilities multiply without limits. Both are humbled every few weeks. Both operate out of ignorance. Both are mystified by time. Both are forever starting out." (Richard Powers, Bewilderment)

"Teaching is like photosynthesis: making food from air and light. It tilts the prospects for life a little." (Richard Powers, Bewilderment)

"I’d missed something obvious, in over thirty years of reading and two thousand science fiction books: there was no place stranger than here." (Richard Powers, Bewilderment)

"What’s grief? The world stripped of something you admire." (Richard Powers, Bewilderment)

toniab's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad 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

4.75