Reviews

Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer

palpino's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

n_h_'s review against another edition

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4.0

True existential horror loses its bite when the terror is unmasked. But to Jeff VanderMeer's credit, there is no Scooby-style reveal in Acceptance. He has left the reader to sort out just how much of each character's fate is their own doing and just how much can be attributed to Area X. I'm undecided on the new narratives that are added in this book, but I found it to be a pretty satisfying resolution to those of Annihilation and Acceptance.

geekwayne's review against another edition

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4.0

'Acceptance' by Jeff VanderMeer is the final volume in the Southern Reach trilogy. While we get more hints of what is going on, the book still left me scratching my head.

The book starts shortly after events in 'Authority.' Control is on the hunt for the subject known as Ghost Bird, and Area X appears to be spreading. We also go back in time and learn about Saul, the lighthouse keeper. We find out about the Science and Seance brigade that first began investigating Area X, and we learn who the people in the photograph with Saul are. We also reacquaint ourselves with the psychologist from the first book.

In a narrative that shifts from first to second to third person, depending on the story being told, the reader is pulled deeper into the mystery. Each book is so short, that I wondered about the choice to split the story up into three distinct book, but I think this gives a decided pause between segments. One that I needed just to stop and think about what I'd actually read.

While I don't think the third volume is as compelling as the third one, I still enjoyed it, and I am glad that I found my way to Area X.

mtnlaurel's review against another edition

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5.0

This trilogy is utterly gorgeous. It is like a desperate, howling psalm of love, despair, and defiance.

_jacket_oil_'s review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

soapythebum's review against another edition

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1.0

What a waste of time.

thinksync_'s review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

deremie's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

karism576's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

I’m sorry but this book pissed me off. Annihilation piqued my interest and had some great imagery and mystery, but Authority was an absolute slog, so I was hoping this book would be a satisfying finale, and I was disappointed. I found the explanations in this book super confusing -- I was always just as confused as before anything was explained, if not more confused. The parts that weren't confusing were just boring and didn't feel like they contributed/mattered toward anything that happened in the end of the book. I wish I'd stopped after Annihilation and just let myself wonder about the mysteries because the rest of the series just felt like a waste of time to me.