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hieronymusbotched's review against another edition
I'd rate this with the usual number of stars but it would genuinely change page by page.
I think genre might have done this one a disservice (being broken up into a trilogy) by not releasing as a single, massive volume as this book slightly suffers from Oryx and Crake syndrome: the main story arguably only progresses on the last five pages. Besides, there are so many threads, characters, and subplots that I genuinely couldn't tell you if there's a (proper noun) Protagonist or if that's even a problem.
All of which is me saying wait for the final book to release then read them all in a row, unless you thought Pinocchio should have been a trilogy, too, and you're happy for Episode 1 to just be a slow pan of his father shaving off the exposition.
...3-5-3-4-2-5...
I think genre might have done this one a disservice (being broken up into a trilogy) by not releasing as a single, massive volume as this book slightly suffers from Oryx and Crake syndrome: the main story arguably only progresses on the last five pages. Besides, there are so many threads, characters, and subplots that I genuinely couldn't tell you if there's a (proper noun) Protagonist or if that's even a problem.
All of which is me saying wait for the final book to release then read them all in a row, unless you thought Pinocchio should have been a trilogy, too, and you're happy for Episode 1 to just be a slow pan of his father shaving off the exposition.
...3-5-3-4-2-5...
rubyxjoy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.25
ked90's review against another edition
A bit too disturbing for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
tad_pole's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
alf1e_'s review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
wearysighs's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
i don’t know that i’ve ever had such a toxic relationship with a book before. the prose is like nothing i’ve ever read before, and there were many times i almost didn’t finish this book, but i find myself glad that i did.
a challenge for sure, more flowery language than plot or substance, but somehow weirdly fascinating all the same. if you’re looking for a book with a clear cut takeaway this isn’t for you.
a challenge for sure, more flowery language than plot or substance, but somehow weirdly fascinating all the same. if you’re looking for a book with a clear cut takeaway this isn’t for you.
milamber67's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-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? No
0.5
ocurtsinger's review against another edition
1.0
I'm not really sure what I just read or why I should have read it. Some characters and scenes were compelling, others were heavy-handed, atrocious, or insignificant. Many were unnecessary. I'm still struggling to see the connecting thread between all of the disparate figures and symbols in this novel, but I won't struggle for too much longer. It's not worth it.
One thing I do know, however, is that it is not what Alan Moore calls "this century's first landmark work of fantasy." Instead, it reads as an echo of the nineteenth century European literature's lurid and perverted fascination with and exploitation of African culture and geography. And who better to write such a work than an old white man, complimented by another old white man about how he's this new century's great fantasy writer. Sorry. The twenty-first century has had plenty of African and African-American, not to mention other writers of color writing great fantasy. I wish I hadn't wasted my time here.
One thing I do know, however, is that it is not what Alan Moore calls "this century's first landmark work of fantasy." Instead, it reads as an echo of the nineteenth century European literature's lurid and perverted fascination with and exploitation of African culture and geography. And who better to write such a work than an old white man, complimented by another old white man about how he's this new century's great fantasy writer. Sorry. The twenty-first century has had plenty of African and African-American, not to mention other writers of color writing great fantasy. I wish I hadn't wasted my time here.
alisonjfields's review against another edition
3.0
I have absolutely no idea what to make of this book, which is perhaps the idea. I was sold on a surrealist Post-Colonial saga and what I actually ended up with was something more like over-written steam punk Africa. There are beautiful passages here (though they often strain at the very edge of trying too hard), and some fascinating vignettes. You might love this book (a lot of people do). It's just not for me.