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maryclaire92's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.75
I really loved this. Essentially a short story collection with characters loosely related to each other, yet it takes place over the span of millennia. It begins at the outset of the release of an ancient arctic plague and shows snapshots of the ramifications throughout time and space. The author manages to take this borderline (and sometimes not borderline) sci-fi content and make it so devastatingly human. I needed time to digest each of these vignettes after listening and fell in love with the journeys of so many of these characters. City of Laughter and Pig Son were highlights for me, but the experience of listening to this entire audiobook was remarkable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Animal death, Child death, Terminal illness, and Pandemic/Epidemic
sarahweyand's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? Yes
3.75
I didn't realize going into this book that it was a collection of perspectives, similar to WORLD WAR Z but with tangentially connected characters. The first chapter really pulled me in and I was admittedly disappointed to see that we wouldn't be continuing the story with characters and a plot I was drawn into.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed most of the chapters and characters I was introduced to. My favorites were probably the opening chapter, the chapter about the theme park for terminally ill children, and the chapter about the search for a new home planet. I thought the scale, both in terms of the number of characters and the time frame for the story, was very impressive and well constructed. I appreciated the science fiction elements of the story paired with real experiences and thoughts derived from the pandemic in 2020.
I admit I don't think I fully understood or really enjoyed the final chapter, but I can appreciate it for what it was. This isn't a book to pick up lightly, but if you know what you're getting into I think it can certainly be impactful.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed most of the chapters and characters I was introduced to. My favorites were probably the opening chapter, the chapter about the theme park for terminally ill children, and the chapter about the search for a new home planet. I thought the scale, both in terms of the number of characters and the time frame for the story, was very impressive and well constructed. I appreciated the science fiction elements of the story paired with real experiences and thoughts derived from the pandemic in 2020.
I admit I don't think I fully understood or really enjoyed the final chapter, but I can appreciate it for what it was. This isn't a book to pick up lightly, but if you know what you're getting into I think it can certainly be impactful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Animal death
jcreads85's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
4.0/5 Stars
This may be the strangest book I’ve ever read.
To be honest, I'm not sure what to say about this book. It is written in parts, as if short stories. But they are all by the same author with the same undercurrent - an apocalyptic virus freed from the permafrost in Siberia. The stories are each unique points of view from all over the world, though most will have a character, place, or thing that was mentioned in another story. The stories span time and space, and even plains of reality. And the actual virus described is terrifying and other worldly.
I listened to this book on audio, the full cast was remarkable. And though disturbing content, the tale was very compelling.
I'd say, my biggest complaint, is that for each point of view you only get a moment in time. And some you really want to follow-longer. It's as if someone else has control of the channels, and flip them at will.
And while there isn't an ending, per se, there is an explanation of events...from an other worldly point of view.
This may be the strangest book I’ve ever read.
To be honest, I'm not sure what to say about this book. It is written in parts, as if short stories. But they are all by the same author with the same undercurrent - an apocalyptic virus freed from the permafrost in Siberia. The stories are each unique points of view from all over the world, though most will have a character, place, or thing that was mentioned in another story. The stories span time and space, and even plains of reality. And the actual virus described is terrifying and other worldly.
I listened to this book on audio, the full cast was remarkable. And though disturbing content, the tale was very compelling.
I'd say, my biggest complaint, is that for each point of view you only get a moment in time. And some you really want to follow-longer. It's as if someone else has control of the channels, and flip them at will.
And while there isn't an ending, per se, there is an explanation of events...from an other worldly point of view.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Chronic illness, Child death, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
cassiafied's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
tried not to cry in college bc of this book🌝🌝🌝
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Child death, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Terminal illness
citlalialvrod's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Child death
alexhodge's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
gut wrenching. beautiful writing. inventive stories. emphasis on gut wrenching. this is a book that sticks. it will keep me up at night. i highly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, Suicide, Child death, Death, and Chronic illness
otakatoe3's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Cancer, Abandonment, Infidelity, Chronic illness, Child death, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Confinement, and Grief
st_ender's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Last part sort of let me down but it's still a hit
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Animal death, Medical content, Death, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Medical trauma and Body horror
Minor: Chronic illness, Confinement, Cancer, Pregnancy, Body shaming, and Suicide
Extensive discussion of euthanasia, and anything that can possibly happen to a person once they die.hyuzen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
5.0
The quality of this book kind of crept up on me. Once it's over and you understand how things are connected it's a beautiful tapestry of vignettes featuring people living in the midst and aftermath of a devastating virus.
Filled with despair and grief in equal measure to hope and premise, this is a challenging read to start. It deals with very heavy subjects relating to death on a macro and micro scale, across all ages. Grief shatters people, shatters relationships. Sometimes the virus only accelerates issues that were under the surface before. But within all that are people seeking connection.
Across the chapters characters and objects reappear, with new perspectives giving new insight and knowledge that makes you want to go back and re-read earlier chapters to appreciate them in new ways.
As an aside, I think this book is a great example of why StoryGraph's review categories seem limiting. Trying to distill this down to whether it's character or plot focused, or whether the characters were loveable just feels like it's missing the point.
But that's beside the point. This was a remarkable read and if you can handle the darkness you'll be rewarded.
Filled with despair and grief in equal measure to hope and premise, this is a challenging read to start. It deals with very heavy subjects relating to death on a macro and micro scale, across all ages. Grief shatters people, shatters relationships. Sometimes the virus only accelerates issues that were under the surface before. But within all that are people seeking connection.
Across the chapters characters and objects reappear, with new perspectives giving new insight and knowledge that makes you want to go back and re-read earlier chapters to appreciate them in new ways.
As an aside, I think this book is a great example of why StoryGraph's review categories seem limiting. Trying to distill this down to whether it's character or plot focused, or whether the characters were loveable just feels like it's missing the point.
But that's beside the point. This was a remarkable read and if you can handle the darkness you'll be rewarded.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Death, and Animal death
ladyhunbun's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A really interesting view of individual stories and dynamic characters. I do wish we could have spent more time with some of the characters but liked that we got almost an overhead fire of the world in the aftermath of a pandemic so like our own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Grief, Child death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Death