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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Oh, was für interessanter früher Zukunftsroman (aus dem Jahr 1909)! Es ist ein kleine Dystopie, die vor der Entfremdung des Menschen und seiner Abhängigkeit von "der Maschine" warnt. Bemerkenswert ist die kaum antiquiert wirkende Sprache.
Up until reading this book, I had only known Forster through a couple of his novels, which I had really enjoyed (Merchant Ivory's production of A Room with a View is pure beauty). These two short stories are radically different, delving into scifi and fantasy, which I would have never expected from this author.
'The Machine Stops' is scarily prophetic, reminding me of The Matrix but also Wall-E weirdly enough. It is so interesting to see what Forster imagined in this dystopian future, and even more unsettling when we compare it with our present world! This is one of the reasons I love reading.
I somehow didn't enjoy 'The Celestial Omnibus' as much. There is plenty of irony in here, with tons of literary allusions, but I didn't connect in the same fashion. Good story nonetheless.
Well, Forster really did surprise me here. These Penguin Mini Modern Classics are gems!
'The Machine Stops' is scarily prophetic, reminding me of The Matrix but also Wall-E weirdly enough. It is so interesting to see what Forster imagined in this dystopian future, and even more unsettling when we compare it with our present world! This is one of the reasons I love reading.
I somehow didn't enjoy 'The Celestial Omnibus' as much. There is plenty of irony in here, with tons of literary allusions, but I didn't connect in the same fashion. Good story nonetheless.
Well, Forster really did surprise me here. These Penguin Mini Modern Classics are gems!
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's incredible that this book was written over 100 years ago, yet it's still so relevant, that if someone would have told me it was written recently, I'd totally believe it. While it's short, it gives so much food for thought, as it addresses so many important topics, their consequences and a very eerie what-if scenario. It's easily one of my favourite books in 2025!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Death, Genocide, Suicide attempt
challenging
dark
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
Not memorable, but I think that’s a flaw with the short story genre, not this book in particular. More human than a lot of sci fi, and an interesting concept. I know there were contemporary messages that I missed.