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pineneedles's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
momo916's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I found the alien backstories a little convoluted and hard to follow at times, but that was likely in part due to the fact that I listened on audiobook rather than reading it as a book. There were some scenes that felt like they had been added in to create a poignant moment rather than resulting from the natural progression of events. I found myself pulled out of the story at times by the quality of the prose, and there are a few phrases that are overused – the first that comes to mind being "at length." There were some open questions that never got answered, e.g. why the Fremdans stayed at the bunker so long, why the Fremdans tunneled through the mountain to escape instead of using their disc things, when/how exactly the fusion bonding between Cora and Ampersand occurred . There are probably a few more, but those are just the ones off the top of my head after finishing the book.
That being said, I definitely enjoyed the experience of watching the relationship between Cora and Ampersand develop as the story went on. It was a sort of self-insert kind of enjoyment, since the narrator doesn’t really seem to have any particular characteristics. Perhaps this could be attributed to the high-stress nature of most of the events of the plot, but I wouldn’t say this particularly detracts from the experience of reading the book. In a way, it allows you to look past the other flaws of the book and just kind of live in it.
A complaint I have that is particular to the audiobook is that the reader has this habit of exaggerating the inflections she adds to her voice when Cora is surprised/shocked by something (which, given the subject matter of the book, happens often). I got used to it after a while but it was annoying at first.
That being said, I definitely enjoyed the experience of watching the relationship between Cora and Ampersand develop as the story went on. It was a sort of self-insert kind of enjoyment, since the narrator doesn’t really seem to have any particular characteristics. Perhaps this could be attributed to the high-stress nature of most of the events of the plot, but I wouldn’t say this particularly detracts from the experience of reading the book. In a way, it allows you to look past the other flaws of the book and just kind of live in it.
A complaint I have that is particular to the audiobook is that the reader has this habit of exaggerating the inflections she adds to her voice when Cora is surprised/shocked by something (which, given the subject matter of the book, happens often). I got used to it after a while but it was annoying at first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Genocide, Suicide, and Excrement
Minor: Car accident
bigofheartdumbofass's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-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
5.0
Loved this book! Both the two main characters and their developing relationship are extremely compelling. The sci-fi aspects are interesting and the alien-human translation stuff is fun to read. Cannot recommend enough especially with the second book out now.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
bi_n_large's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Violence
arcaadepunk's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Medical content, and Suicide
Minor: Car accident, Confinement, Stalking, and War
A lot of people (especially on TikTok) label this book as a romance and/or a mnstrfkr novel; the "romance" is actually minimal and the main focus of the story is not on the human/alien relationship in regards to romantic attraction but rather on the barriers that would stand between an alien and a human trying to understand each others' cultures.apersonfromflorida's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Torture and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual content and Suicide
sugarpal's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
3.5 stars
Reread to refresh my memory, because I won a giveaway for an arc of the second book, Truth of the Divine.
Axiom’s End is Youtuber Lindsay Ellis’s debut novel. Set in 2007, the book explores what might have happened if the conspiracy theorists were right, and First Contact was real. Moreover, the public knows about it, thanks to the whistleblowing of the main character Cora’s father, Nils (basically the Julian Assange of this world). When she becomes the sole interpreter for one of the aliens, Cora gets wrapped up in the mess of alien politics and government secrecy, and as the secrets unravel and her relationship with the alien evolves, she finds herself caught between humanity and the otherworldly.
I stand by my original review of 3.5 stars. For whatever reason, it took a long time for me to feel very connected to the characters, or invested in their relationships –– I only really started to like them towards the end. The writing was also unremarkable, not terrible, but not beautiful either. Still, I found this book very thought-provoking: I remember the first time I read it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it for a week, so Ellis must have done something right. I was especially interested in Ellis’s exploration of humanity’s [hypothetical] relationship with aliens, the inherent gap in understanding between alien species, and how that might make conflict inevitable. (I was less interested in the debate in the theater of public opinion led by Nils, over whether ‘Truth is a human right.’)
I’m excited to see where Ellis takes the story in Truth of the Divine!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Gore, and Violence
stellamcvey's review
adventurous
informative
tense
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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
grapehead's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Genocide
stormwise's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Extraterrestrial life is such a fascinating concept and I love media that explores the possibilities of alien cultures and how we would interact with them. With this in mind, it's no surprise that I enjoyed Ellis' debut novel, an alternate history first-contact tale that examines if it is possible for two alien cultures to truly coexist.
I really enjoyed how the aliens were presented - I liked the main character's awareness of the human tendency to anthropomorphise. I also loved the discussion of linguistics within the text and found the way alien communication was portrayed very interesting.Oh, and there's a scene where a human and an alien play cards together.<\spoiler>
I'll admit that the book took a little while to set itself up and the tone felt a bit "young adult" at the beginning, but once the action started it really picked up steam and I found myself completely absorbed. Overall I thought the writing was excellent and incredibly effective at conveying horror, tension and anxiety in certain scenes.
I'm very excited for the sequel! I'd recommend this to any sci-fi fans who like aliens, government conspiracies, and mid-2000 pop culture references.
I really enjoyed how the aliens were presented - I liked the main character's awareness of the human tendency to anthropomorphise. I also loved the discussion of linguistics within the text and found the way alien communication was portrayed very interesting.
I'll admit that the book took a little while to set itself up and the tone felt a bit "young adult" at the beginning, but once the action started it really picked up steam and I found myself completely absorbed. Overall I thought the writing was excellent and incredibly effective at conveying horror, tension and anxiety in certain scenes.
I'm very excited for the sequel! I'd recommend this to any sci-fi fans who like aliens, government conspiracies, and mid-2000 pop culture references.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Gore, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gore, Kidnapping, Stalking, Vomit, and Torture