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tkroeker's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Suicide
reggiethebird's review against another edition
4.5
Minor: Suicide
ehwesson's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Trafficking, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and War
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
kailanlovescats's review against another edition
The ick was immediate lol. Too bad, the plot and other characters sounded intriguing.
Graphic: Sexual content, Slavery, and Trafficking
Minor: Suicide, Violence, and Vomit
bites_of_books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Ray Nayler explores the topic of humans communicating with a different species, in this case the octopus, and in the process learning a lot about ourselves. Who are we in the octopus' eyes? Are we fellow living beings or are we invaders threatening their environment?
There are so many topics discussed in this book that it's hard for me to put it all into coherent thoughts. A big one was human to human interactions. Today a lot of us live our lives mostly online, communicating with people via text, video calls, etc., and have lower face to face interactions. In this book we see what might happen if we end up replacing humans with AI as part of therapy or just because it's convenient to have someone who is just there to listen to us without us having to reciprocate the energy.
Another big topic is that of individuals choosing a path of least resistance vs the path that leads to something good. It is about individuals being brave and making choices, choosing to live and stop being indifferent to fellow people and things going on in the world.
In one of the sub-plots we follow a man who ends up as a slave on a fishing vessel that is controlled by AI. The vessel's only goal is to get as much of the scarce protein left in the ocean and the interactions in this sub-plot really left me thinking. We accept that the things we consume have to come from somewhere but we rarely actually think and acknowledge the labor that each component requires and how ethical it all is or isn't.
All in all, I highly recommend this book for everyone. If you enjoy reading about science and where it might take us this is a must read. If you care about our world and our place in it definitely read this. This is not an easy read but it's definitely necessary, it should make you think and question what is happening around us all, and hopefully convince you to make the choices that will lead us all in a better direction.
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
wishbea's review
4.0
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Self harm
emelye's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Confinement, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Suicide, Vomit, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, and Injury/Injury detail
pvp_niki's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Slavery, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Blood
Minor: Child death, Suicide, and War
klosterphobia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Genocide, Physical abuse, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, and Murder
miniingrid's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: War