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morvram's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
erichart's review against another edition
5.0
A brilliant novel made of separately published short stories, shifting focus from one character to another. Each character struggles to find his or her own humanity and individuality in a cyberpunk future of shared experiences and virtual worlds. I could easily see this being adapted as a miniseries.
alibrareads's review against another edition
3.0
If you enjoy stories that are mostly world building and slice of life you’ll probably enjoy this. Perhaps this book has plot in a way I am not familiar with, but it was a little... Boring.
The future depicted here was definitely cool to imagine and read about. Familiar enough but with lots of unfamiliar technology. I’d say a future like this is not unreasonable at all, with so many people already attached to their cell phones in a primitive form of Conversation.
The whole book was an exercise in what-ifs. What risks and benefits could come from artificial intelligence? Then again, isn’t most sci-fi just an exercise in what-ifs?
I thought it was interesting, but it wasn’t exciting enough for my tastes.
The future depicted here was definitely cool to imagine and read about. Familiar enough but with lots of unfamiliar technology. I’d say a future like this is not unreasonable at all, with so many people already attached to their cell phones in a primitive form of Conversation.
The whole book was an exercise in what-ifs. What risks and benefits could come from artificial intelligence? Then again, isn’t most sci-fi just an exercise in what-ifs?
I thought it was interesting, but it wasn’t exciting enough for my tastes.
stacy08's review against another edition
4.0
The insight into the future is engaging. Now that we know the characters a story would be great. Please work on it, I'll be waiting.
garrow's review against another edition
5.0
Such a vividly painted extraordinarily good world building, and intertwining stories. I want to know more of the universe.
layres's review against another edition
3.0
Not so much a novel as a collection of character sketches in a very interesting universe. I kept waiting for the story to come together; it never did.
yhtgrace's review against another edition
2.0
This book reads to me like a more lyrical version of Necromancer. It is apt that it is named for its setting because Central Station is the most compelling part of the book, though we visit it for but a short time through a series of short stories that I think would have worked best apart rather than woven together as an afterthought. My biggest complaint would be the same complaint that I had for Necromancer-- that the characters are too alien, that I was never given much time to connect with them, that they fleet in and out of chapters like ghosts, somehow more intangible than the world they inhabit.
snazel's review against another edition
4.0
This book is absolutely a tour de force, and I mean that both in the colloquial "dude, that's so cool, that's awesome" way and the more literal "wow, that's amazing how did you DO that" way. It functions as both a short story collection and a novel, seamlessly weaves together no less than twelve POV characters, integrates languages both real and invented (including poetry in invented languages), and brings forward modern cultural and faith heritages in a realistic way, adds in invented heritages that feel like they've got history, and makes the whole thing read as both dreamlike and incredibly grounded. So yes. Tour de force.
I had no idea what was going on but I was 100% there for the ride, and true only real misstep for me was the ending. If you're looking for resolution of the mystery of some characters, it does not come. We never see what happens to the children, or the shamleau, or anyone really past their moment in POV— with one exception. We do get to see the final triumph of an ailing character asbut I had been reading a tone of hope and community for previous stories, so that coming right at the end of the book rather left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm sure it's a studied artistic decision and a meditation on the nature of closure in general, I just didn't like it.
Overall though, 4.5 stars.
I had no idea what was going on but I was 100% there for the ride, and true only real misstep for me was the ending. If you're looking for resolution of the mystery of some characters, it does not come. We never see what happens to the children, or the shamleau, or anyone really past their moment in POV— with one exception. We do get to see the final triumph of an ailing character as
Spoiler
he kills himself. The doctors make clear that there is no cure for what ails him, he's happy to finally be done,Overall though, 4.5 stars.