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verenachiara's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
finsternuss's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
I'd say that this is one of Høegs weaker books but I still enjoyed it a lot. I think no other author can create so unique and absurd characters and no other author can withhold me information in the same way as he in that it doesn't annoy me but adds to the reading experience. I think it's a fine line that Høeg walks and maybe in the final third of the book he kinda overstretched it.
wispila's review against another edition
2.0
Antaisin tälle ehkä noin 2,5 tähteä. Mutta 3 on liikaa.
Lainasin tämän kirjaston scifi-aineistonäyttelystä takakansitekstin perusteella. Takakannessa Dagbladenes Bureau lupaa näin
"Peter Hoegin kauan odotettu romaani tarjoaa jännitystä, yhteiskuntakritiikkiä sekä eksistentiaalista provokaatiota. Lisäksi se on mahdottoman hauska."
Näistä neljästä kirja täyttää vain 3, ja nekin osittain. Hauska se ei missään nimessä ollut. Kertaakaan ei tarvinnut fyysisesti edes hymyillä, vain lopussa koin olevani yhden kerran jotenkin hauskuutettu.
Eksistentiaalista provokaatiota sen sijaan voin luvata jokaiselle lukijalle. Scifissä käsitellään usein tämän hetken ongelmia kärjistettynä. Viime aikoina dystopiahenkiset nuorten aikuisten romaanit ovat olleet suosittuja, ja niiden innokkaana lukijana on tullut ehkä liikaa toistoa. Susanin vaikutus tuntuu kuitenkin ratkaisevasti erilaiselta. Tieteen ja fiktion rajamailla hämyillään niin lahjakkaasti, että meinasi välillä jopa unohtua, että tässä ollaan kumminkin kaunokirjallisessa teoksessa. Eettinen pohdiskelu jätetään kuitenkin katsojalle. Ehkä se tässä onkin niin erilaista? Sama pätee myös teoksen yhteiskuntakritiikkiin. Onhan se siellä aiheena, mutta en pysty tekemään suoria linjoja, mitä oikeassa maailmassa pitäisi korjata ettei näin käy. Vaan eipä oikeassa elämässä olekaan yleensä yksinkertaisia vastauksia.
Sen sijaan jännitystä en juurikaan kokenut. Olen jännittäjä-lukija, koen fyysisesti kaikki jännittävät kohdat. Hyvän jännärin jäljiltä väsyttää kaiken sen lihasjännityksen ja hikoilun jälkeen! Tämä ei kuitenkaan tuntunut juuri miltään. Puolet kirjasta meni lähinnä tylsistyneenä tahkoten, sillä hahmoista tai mistään muustakaan ei saanut mitään otetta. Olen tottunut todennäköisesti ihan erilaiseen tekstin rytmitykseen, ja jokin ihan lauserakenteista lähtien ärsytti. Toisessa puolikkaassa vasta pääsi juoneen sisälle, ja jotenkin alkoi tutustua päähenkilöön. Siitä huolimatta jännityksen kehitys jäi puolitiehen, ja lopulta jäljelle jäi vain hiukan pettynyt olo ja helpotus seuraavaan kirjaan siirtymisestä.
Lainasin tämän kirjaston scifi-aineistonäyttelystä takakansitekstin perusteella. Takakannessa Dagbladenes Bureau lupaa näin
"Peter Hoegin kauan odotettu romaani tarjoaa jännitystä, yhteiskuntakritiikkiä sekä eksistentiaalista provokaatiota. Lisäksi se on mahdottoman hauska."
Näistä neljästä kirja täyttää vain 3, ja nekin osittain. Hauska se ei missään nimessä ollut. Kertaakaan ei tarvinnut fyysisesti edes hymyillä, vain lopussa koin olevani yhden kerran jotenkin hauskuutettu.
Eksistentiaalista provokaatiota sen sijaan voin luvata jokaiselle lukijalle. Scifissä käsitellään usein tämän hetken ongelmia kärjistettynä. Viime aikoina dystopiahenkiset nuorten aikuisten romaanit ovat olleet suosittuja, ja niiden innokkaana lukijana on tullut ehkä liikaa toistoa. Susanin vaikutus tuntuu kuitenkin ratkaisevasti erilaiselta. Tieteen ja fiktion rajamailla hämyillään niin lahjakkaasti, että meinasi välillä jopa unohtua, että tässä ollaan kumminkin kaunokirjallisessa teoksessa. Eettinen pohdiskelu jätetään kuitenkin katsojalle. Ehkä se tässä onkin niin erilaista? Sama pätee myös teoksen yhteiskuntakritiikkiin. Onhan se siellä aiheena, mutta en pysty tekemään suoria linjoja, mitä oikeassa maailmassa pitäisi korjata ettei näin käy. Vaan eipä oikeassa elämässä olekaan yleensä yksinkertaisia vastauksia.
Sen sijaan jännitystä en juurikaan kokenut. Olen jännittäjä-lukija, koen fyysisesti kaikki jännittävät kohdat. Hyvän jännärin jäljiltä väsyttää kaiken sen lihasjännityksen ja hikoilun jälkeen! Tämä ei kuitenkaan tuntunut juuri miltään. Puolet kirjasta meni lähinnä tylsistyneenä tahkoten, sillä hahmoista tai mistään muustakaan ei saanut mitään otetta. Olen tottunut todennäköisesti ihan erilaiseen tekstin rytmitykseen, ja jokin ihan lauserakenteista lähtien ärsytti. Toisessa puolikkaassa vasta pääsi juoneen sisälle, ja jotenkin alkoi tutustua päähenkilöön. Siitä huolimatta jännityksen kehitys jäi puolitiehen, ja lopulta jäljelle jäi vain hiukan pettynyt olo ja helpotus seuraavaan kirjaan siirtymisestä.
saarahn's review
4.0
Genius.
Think: The Incredibles except the Svendsen family's powers are not physical but of the mind. Psychological, Intellectual, Manipulative.
Susan has a power, just being in her proximity will inspire an urge within you to tell her something that's burdening you. A secret, a guilty confession. Always the truth. They call it the Susan Effect. When she is with her husband, the Effect is at its most powerful. Together they have two children, twins, who are also remarkably gifted. They put the children first. Always... And with the looming threat of her family facing imprisonment, their love is put to the test.
'Quantum physics has a theory that reality is forever completing itself and making itself whole'
With this book, every belief, realisation, discovery was constantly shifting. With every passing obstacle, a new reality yet to be understood. Pieces put together, paradigms rejected, new ones created... A new world, and a new world order, at the very centre of it: The Future Commission. To save her family, Susan must obtain some highly classified information.
Susan's ability borders just on the brink of believable. But if you, the reader, believe in the possibility... Well then, this book promises to be an unforgettable experience. Høeg writes with sophistication, and a passion for the study of physics. This is action filled with a large dose of dry humour. At times you are left questioning Susan's sanity or reeling at what you learn about her. This book is full of surprises and it remains unpredictable till its end.
I received this book through NetGalley.
Think: The Incredibles except the Svendsen family's powers are not physical but of the mind. Psychological, Intellectual, Manipulative.
Susan has a power, just being in her proximity will inspire an urge within you to tell her something that's burdening you. A secret, a guilty confession. Always the truth. They call it the Susan Effect. When she is with her husband, the Effect is at its most powerful. Together they have two children, twins, who are also remarkably gifted. They put the children first. Always... And with the looming threat of her family facing imprisonment, their love is put to the test.
'Quantum physics has a theory that reality is forever completing itself and making itself whole'
With this book, every belief, realisation, discovery was constantly shifting. With every passing obstacle, a new reality yet to be understood. Pieces put together, paradigms rejected, new ones created... A new world, and a new world order, at the very centre of it: The Future Commission. To save her family, Susan must obtain some highly classified information.
Susan's ability borders just on the brink of believable. But if you, the reader, believe in the possibility... Well then, this book promises to be an unforgettable experience. Høeg writes with sophistication, and a passion for the study of physics. This is action filled with a large dose of dry humour. At times you are left questioning Susan's sanity or reeling at what you learn about her. This book is full of surprises and it remains unpredictable till its end.
I received this book through NetGalley.
lantisistan's review against another edition
5.0
Underbart att återknyta bekantskapen med Peter Høeg och hans säregna skrivande. Känns bekant och ändå nytt. Spännande från start till slut.
withfeathers's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't realize when I bought this that this is the author who wrote "Miss Smilla's Feeling for snow", which I *love*, but once I realized it I obviously had high expectations - unfortunately those aren't quite fulfilled. While the set up of the thriller is promising - a family in deep legal trouble given the chance to right things by finding out information about a mysterious organization for a shady government official - and the main character is complex and compelling, it doesn't really live up to its promise. The titular Susan effect never really becomes believable (the main character can supposedly make anyone spill their beans to them because of... physics???) and her sexual promiscuity feels very much written by a man. Furthermore . Overall, a decent thriller but one that stays behind its potential.
Spoiler
the central mystery - that the Danish government is building a secret island to save ~special~ people from impending catastrophe is interesting but doesn't really click in practicemissmesmerized's review
4.0
Susan Svendsen is everything but an ordinary woman. And she and her family are in danger. She is offered a bad deal by the Danish government: use her special ability to provide them with an important information to have all charges against her dropped. Thinking of her twin kids, she has to agree and thus brings herself and her family even more in danger. But what is it about her gift? In Susan’s presence, everybody feels relaxed and comfortable, people cannot keep from sharing their best concealed secrets with her and she is to exploits this for the government. But the politicians have not counted on her intelligence and survival instinct and a most unfair battle begins.
Peter Høeg has made special women his protagonist before. Individuals with a supernatural sense and an extraordinary will to survive. In his latest novel, Susan is equipped with a skill that allows her to manipulate the people unperceivably which in itself is quite remarkable. But what make the character even more interesting is the combination with a straight down-to-earth intellect which does not accept anything outside the world of natural sciences. Susan can explain anything with her knowledge of physics and chemistry or biology, other fields such as music or religion just don’t reach her. This makes her contradictory and ambiguous in a very fascinating way.
The story itself is a fast-paced thriller which combines political complotting with action-packed chases and quite high number of cruel murders. However, the author never forgets his characters and their complicated relationships. The emotional facet blends in smoothly and thus adds to the cleverly constructed plot.
Underlying the whole story is a scenario which nowadays might still be considered something of the faraway future: parts of the planet will not be inhabitable due to climate change. How will we, how will our politicians react to this? If just a limited number of persons can be saved, who will be the selected few? As in other novels before, Høeg creates an extreme setting in which his characters are brought to the edge and have to make hard decisions, decisions about life and death. It seems to be a topic he liked, to play with how human being react in extreme situations. Thus, he provides us with the opportunity the think it through ourselves. Definitely a thriller with a lot of food for thought.
Peter Høeg has made special women his protagonist before. Individuals with a supernatural sense and an extraordinary will to survive. In his latest novel, Susan is equipped with a skill that allows her to manipulate the people unperceivably which in itself is quite remarkable. But what make the character even more interesting is the combination with a straight down-to-earth intellect which does not accept anything outside the world of natural sciences. Susan can explain anything with her knowledge of physics and chemistry or biology, other fields such as music or religion just don’t reach her. This makes her contradictory and ambiguous in a very fascinating way.
The story itself is a fast-paced thriller which combines political complotting with action-packed chases and quite high number of cruel murders. However, the author never forgets his characters and their complicated relationships. The emotional facet blends in smoothly and thus adds to the cleverly constructed plot.
Underlying the whole story is a scenario which nowadays might still be considered something of the faraway future: parts of the planet will not be inhabitable due to climate change. How will we, how will our politicians react to this? If just a limited number of persons can be saved, who will be the selected few? As in other novels before, Høeg creates an extreme setting in which his characters are brought to the edge and have to make hard decisions, decisions about life and death. It seems to be a topic he liked, to play with how human being react in extreme situations. Thus, he provides us with the opportunity the think it through ourselves. Definitely a thriller with a lot of food for thought.
readbydanni's review
2.0
The Susan Effect is a long-winded, confusing story of Susan; a woman with a special ability that makes people be completely honest and open with her. When people fall under "The Effect", they feel compelled to tell Susan things about themselves; things they've never told anyone else, secrets and their true feelings. Over the years Susan has learned to exploit her ability to build the life she wants for herself and her family. Her husband Laban has his own "ability" that he can combine with Susan's "effect" to allow them both to manipulate people. Susan and Laban have twin teenager children; daughter Thit and son Harald. As a family unit, they hone their abilities as one.
My first issue with this book is that absolutely none of the characters are likeable or relate-able. Susan especially is an awful character. I think she is meant to be strong and fiercely independent but she is just awful. Selfish and manipulative, she treats everyone as if they are beneath her - the part about what she said to her children's fellow nursery parents infuriated me. She uses men for her own sexual gratification and offers her husband no affection or attention. They talk about divorce multiple times but don't seem to actually have any intention of doing it. Their entire family dynamic is odd and unbelievable.
The abilities of the family as a unit are confusing and don't seem to make sense. All this talk of "turning left" ... what!?!! I understood what Susan's ability was but felt that the ability of Laban and the children was made overly complex and I couldn't really grasp what they were trying to achieve.
The plot of the book is unbelievable and not in a good way. I don't want to spoil it for anyone else wanting to read the book but when I finally finished it (after almost giving up on it 4/5 times!) I felt that about 75% of the book was completely pointless unrelated filler. When you look at what exactly happened and the reasons why things happened, I couldn't help but look at it like that. If the 75% was valuable plot lines or backstory then I'm sure they would've contributed and made the book more enjoyable but I just found it dull, boring nonsense that I was tempted to skim-read.
This review seems so harsh and I really don't like being so negative and mean but this is not an enjoyable book for me. It's unnecessarily complicated, long-winded and unbelievable on so many different levels that I could not get into it at all.
I gave The Susan Effect 2 stars because while I didn't enjoy it, the secret reason for everything in the book (I feel) does actually have the potential to happen. This could've been a much better book but I was frustrated and annoyed by a book that just wasn't enjoyable.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
My first issue with this book is that absolutely none of the characters are likeable or relate-able. Susan especially is an awful character. I think she is meant to be strong and fiercely independent but she is just awful. Selfish and manipulative, she treats everyone as if they are beneath her - the part about what she said to her children's fellow nursery parents infuriated me. She uses men for her own sexual gratification and offers her husband no affection or attention. They talk about divorce multiple times but don't seem to actually have any intention of doing it. Their entire family dynamic is odd and unbelievable.
The abilities of the family as a unit are confusing and don't seem to make sense. All this talk of "turning left" ... what!?!! I understood what Susan's ability was but felt that the ability of Laban and the children was made overly complex and I couldn't really grasp what they were trying to achieve.
The plot of the book is unbelievable and not in a good way. I don't want to spoil it for anyone else wanting to read the book but when I finally finished it (after almost giving up on it 4/5 times!) I felt that about 75% of the book was completely pointless unrelated filler. When you look at what exactly happened and the reasons why things happened, I couldn't help but look at it like that. If the 75% was valuable plot lines or backstory then I'm sure they would've contributed and made the book more enjoyable but I just found it dull, boring nonsense that I was tempted to skim-read.
This review seems so harsh and I really don't like being so negative and mean but this is not an enjoyable book for me. It's unnecessarily complicated, long-winded and unbelievable on so many different levels that I could not get into it at all.
I gave The Susan Effect 2 stars because while I didn't enjoy it, the secret reason for everything in the book (I feel) does actually have the potential to happen. This could've been a much better book but I was frustrated and annoyed by a book that just wasn't enjoyable.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
readbydanni's review against another edition
2.0
The Susan Effect is a long-winded, confusing story of Susan; a woman with a special ability that makes people be completely honest and open with her. When people fall under "The Effect", they feel compelled to tell Susan things about themselves; things they've never told anyone else, secrets and their true feelings. Over the years Susan has learned to exploit her ability to build the life she wants for herself and her family. Her husband Laban has his own "ability" that he can combine with Susan's "effect" to allow them both to manipulate people. Susan and Laban have twin teenager children; daughter Thit and son Harald. As a family unit, they hone their abilities as one.
My first issue with this book is that absolutely none of the characters are likeable or relate-able. Susan especially is an awful character. I think she is meant to be strong and fiercely independent but she is just awful. Selfish and manipulative, she treats everyone as if they are beneath her - the part about what she said to her children's fellow nursery parents infuriated me. She uses men for her own sexual gratification and offers her husband no affection or attention. They talk about divorce multiple times but don't seem to actually have any intention of doing it. Their entire family dynamic is odd and unbelievable.
The abilities of the family as a unit are confusing and don't seem to make sense. All this talk of "turning left" ... what!?!! I understood what Susan's ability was but felt that the ability of Laban and the children was made overly complex and I couldn't really grasp what they were trying to achieve.
The plot of the book is unbelievable and not in a good way. I don't want to spoil it for anyone else wanting to read the book but when I finally finished it (after almost giving up on it 4/5 times!) I felt that about 75% of the book was completely pointless unrelated filler. When you look at what exactly happened and the reasons why things happened, I couldn't help but look at it like that. If the 75% was valuable plot lines or backstory then I'm sure they would've contributed and made the book more enjoyable but I just found it dull, boring nonsense that I was tempted to skim-read.
This review seems so harsh and I really don't like being so negative and mean but this is not an enjoyable book for me. It's unnecessarily complicated, long-winded and unbelievable on so many different levels that I could not get into it at all.
I gave The Susan Effect 2 stars because while I didn't enjoy it, the secret reason for everything in the book (I feel) does actually have the potential to happen. This could've been a much better book but I was frustrated and annoyed by a book that just wasn't enjoyable.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
My first issue with this book is that absolutely none of the characters are likeable or relate-able. Susan especially is an awful character. I think she is meant to be strong and fiercely independent but she is just awful. Selfish and manipulative, she treats everyone as if they are beneath her - the part about what she said to her children's fellow nursery parents infuriated me. She uses men for her own sexual gratification and offers her husband no affection or attention. They talk about divorce multiple times but don't seem to actually have any intention of doing it. Their entire family dynamic is odd and unbelievable.
The abilities of the family as a unit are confusing and don't seem to make sense. All this talk of "turning left" ... what!?!! I understood what Susan's ability was but felt that the ability of Laban and the children was made overly complex and I couldn't really grasp what they were trying to achieve.
The plot of the book is unbelievable and not in a good way. I don't want to spoil it for anyone else wanting to read the book but when I finally finished it (after almost giving up on it 4/5 times!) I felt that about 75% of the book was completely pointless unrelated filler. When you look at what exactly happened and the reasons why things happened, I couldn't help but look at it like that. If the 75% was valuable plot lines or backstory then I'm sure they would've contributed and made the book more enjoyable but I just found it dull, boring nonsense that I was tempted to skim-read.
This review seems so harsh and I really don't like being so negative and mean but this is not an enjoyable book for me. It's unnecessarily complicated, long-winded and unbelievable on so many different levels that I could not get into it at all.
I gave The Susan Effect 2 stars because while I didn't enjoy it, the secret reason for everything in the book (I feel) does actually have the potential to happen. This could've been a much better book but I was frustrated and annoyed by a book that just wasn't enjoyable.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.