Scan barcode
marzell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
re_saxy's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
lentzar's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-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
1.5
alixelix's review against another edition
4.0
Although I had never really delved into the genre, I’d always felt that when I eventually did get around to it, me and cyberpunk would come together like peanut butter and jelly. The entire genre seemed made for me, and it’s only because I insist on reading everything that crosses my path that I’d never really got around to reading any of the cyberpunk classics. I put Neuromancer on this year’s reading list to make myself finally take the time to read something that I thought could really resonate with me.
I may have set myself up for a fall, placing Neuromancer on such a high pedestal. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, I did. I just should have read it a decade ago.
When you open the book you’re immediately thrown into the world. There’s no information dump, it’s sink or swim. It took me a while to get my bearings and I think I lost a bit along the way. I’ll have to reread it again in a year or so. That way I’ll be coming in already warmed up and I’ll be able to take in a lot more of the scenery.
The descriptive passages of what it’s like in the Matrix are so alien, that I feel like I only scratched the surface with the initial reading. It will take multiple reads to actually feel like it’s a landscape that I can picture. Part of the problem may be that I kept trying to interpret it through a modern technological lens of how we currently view data structures and networks and the general idea of cyberspace. I had trouble letting go of my existing preconceptions and I kept trying to relate it back to other points of reference, like Tron or The Matrix. You need to take away those preconceptions and read it on its own merit. I didn’t do that, and I hope I’ll be able to do so upon rereading it.
I struggle to relate to most female characters, and although I initially didn’t like Molly, she grew on me. At first, I thought she was just going to be there for a bit of titillation, but she turned out to be her own independent character. I find that too often as soon as you put a strong female character into a relationship they become submissive and their ability to make rational decisions goes out the window in favour of their new boyfriend. This wasn’t the case with Molly and I appreciated that. It’s hard to make a character tough and formidable but also retain their femininity without straight up throwing their sexuality in your face. I’m not saying Molly achieved all of that, but she hit a few marks and was a decent female character when she could have easily have been a one-dimensional cardboard cut out in tight pants with a lot of cleavage.
I think the struggles I had with this novel were all bourne of my own limitations and preconceptions coming into it. Even though I feel like I need to reread again, it was still a gripping story. The events and the characters drove the story on through landscapes I couldn’t always get my head around, but they were strong enough that it didn’t matter.
I may have set myself up for a fall, placing Neuromancer on such a high pedestal. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, I did. I just should have read it a decade ago.
When you open the book you’re immediately thrown into the world. There’s no information dump, it’s sink or swim. It took me a while to get my bearings and I think I lost a bit along the way. I’ll have to reread it again in a year or so. That way I’ll be coming in already warmed up and I’ll be able to take in a lot more of the scenery.
The descriptive passages of what it’s like in the Matrix are so alien, that I feel like I only scratched the surface with the initial reading. It will take multiple reads to actually feel like it’s a landscape that I can picture. Part of the problem may be that I kept trying to interpret it through a modern technological lens of how we currently view data structures and networks and the general idea of cyberspace. I had trouble letting go of my existing preconceptions and I kept trying to relate it back to other points of reference, like Tron or The Matrix. You need to take away those preconceptions and read it on its own merit. I didn’t do that, and I hope I’ll be able to do so upon rereading it.
I struggle to relate to most female characters, and although I initially didn’t like Molly, she grew on me. At first, I thought she was just going to be there for a bit of titillation, but she turned out to be her own independent character. I find that too often as soon as you put a strong female character into a relationship they become submissive and their ability to make rational decisions goes out the window in favour of their new boyfriend. This wasn’t the case with Molly and I appreciated that. It’s hard to make a character tough and formidable but also retain their femininity without straight up throwing their sexuality in your face. I’m not saying Molly achieved all of that, but she hit a few marks and was a decent female character when she could have easily have been a one-dimensional cardboard cut out in tight pants with a lot of cleavage.
I think the struggles I had with this novel were all bourne of my own limitations and preconceptions coming into it. Even though I feel like I need to reread again, it was still a gripping story. The events and the characters drove the story on through landscapes I couldn’t always get my head around, but they were strong enough that it didn’t matter.
stephlq's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
jordanrc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
5.0
Instant favorite.
merfy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.75
apathetic_teapot's review against another edition
5.0
Interesting book with some themes that seem ahead of their time considering when it was written.