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doctorw0rm's review against another edition
3.75
this was very beautiful but was definitely not what i was expecting. I had assumed this would be a linear story that would explain more of the lore surrounding the City and the Company based on the way the two books before it were organized. It’s more a collection of connected vignettes about different people and creatures in the City, some we’ve seen before and some that we haven’t. The prose is incredible! It makes me want to re-read the southern reach trilogy, since I only listened to those on audiobook, so i can appreciate VanderMeer’s language more. But overall it just wasn’t what I had wanted it to be. I found it tedious at times. At other times I couldn’t put it down, but this is the longest it has ever taken me to finish one of his books. As a piece of art I love it and think it’s beautiful, but as an addition to the Borne story it’s not what I was looking for.
triplecitrus's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
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? No
5.0
A favorite. All the weirdness I could desire and then some.
al_sloan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- 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
4.0
yak_attak's review against another edition
2.5
Sorry Jeff. I trust in you, I fully believe in what I think you were going for, but I don't know if you can count on me to back you up on this one. I'm just too small brained for it. The experience of reading Dead Astronauts is a atmospheric, bizarre, and surprising one, it's just also a dense, obscure, aggravating one as well.
The first half of the book brings us back into the world described in Borne, and follows three.... people... travelers we'll say in an instantiation of doing. something. We're given visceral sensory description of so much, VanderMeer's ability to write a shocking, creepy, smelly sentence is unmatched. But to be sure, here unlike in Borne (or even Annihilation) there's *so* much less clarity to latch onto that it becomes a more sensual, poetic experience. It fills out the world of The City and The Company, but I don't know if any of it is very meaningful in the long run, or tells us anything that wasn't already present. I don't need this to be an "explanation of Borne" or anything like that, but - I guess I'm just saying whatever he was trying to get to in this half of the book went fully, utterly, beyond me.
Luckily, then we get to the second half, where the narrative switches and more importantly the writing switches from a detached omniscient 3rd person (if even something as vague as what's in the first half can be called a perspective) to a more direct, reflective 2nd person (and then 1st in the final chapter)... and this connected so much better. Unfortunately by that point I was fairly lost as to what these symbolic characters were meant to represent. I loved the chapter from Sarah's point of view. I Loved loved loved the chapter from the Fox's point of view, but having been introduced to them, and given information about them in the first section... well it's just not something I know how to put together.
So... I dunno. Weird review, not very meaningful, or poignant, and I'm not sure sticking this book with these meager stars is fair. I didn't understand this, but that's not to say that there isn't something to understand here. Or that I didn't have a good time (because again, the final chapter is brilliant!)... but to get there I had to read so much total nonsense it really had me questioning my choices pretty hard.
I'll read more VanderMeer, but.... please Jeff, please be more gentle with me.
The first half of the book brings us back into the world described in Borne, and follows three.... people... travelers we'll say in an instantiation of doing. something. We're given visceral sensory description of so much, VanderMeer's ability to write a shocking, creepy, smelly sentence is unmatched. But to be sure, here unlike in Borne (or even Annihilation) there's *so* much less clarity to latch onto that it becomes a more sensual, poetic experience. It fills out the world of The City and The Company, but I don't know if any of it is very meaningful in the long run, or tells us anything that wasn't already present. I don't need this to be an "explanation of Borne" or anything like that, but - I guess I'm just saying whatever he was trying to get to in this half of the book went fully, utterly, beyond me.
Luckily, then we get to the second half, where the narrative switches and more importantly the writing switches from a detached omniscient 3rd person (if even something as vague as what's in the first half can be called a perspective) to a more direct, reflective 2nd person (and then 1st in the final chapter)... and this connected so much better. Unfortunately by that point I was fairly lost as to what these symbolic characters were meant to represent. I loved the chapter from Sarah's point of view. I Loved loved loved the chapter from the Fox's point of view, but having been introduced to them, and given information about them in the first section... well it's just not something I know how to put together.
So... I dunno. Weird review, not very meaningful, or poignant, and I'm not sure sticking this book with these meager stars is fair. I didn't understand this, but that's not to say that there isn't something to understand here. Or that I didn't have a good time (because again, the final chapter is brilliant!)... but to get there I had to read so much total nonsense it really had me questioning my choices pretty hard.
I'll read more VanderMeer, but.... please Jeff, please be more gentle with me.
musingswithmiranda's review against another edition
5.0
I had to sit with my thoughts about this book before updating my review again. I have read multiple books by Jeff VanderMeer, and they are among some of my favorite novels. However, I was not sure what to expect from Dead Astronauts. All in all, it was a very unique experience.
The novel is complex and confusing at times, but it is beautifully written and compelling.
I’m still trying to wrap my mind around a few details, so this novel will definitely move to my pile of books to reread!
The novel is complex and confusing at times, but it is beautifully written and compelling.
I’m still trying to wrap my mind around a few details, so this novel will definitely move to my pile of books to reread!
sophiee1's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-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? No
3.0
mokydo's review against another edition
3.0
wasn't my fav. I liked borne and strange bird but tbh this one was just /too/ speculative fiction for me or smthg. I wasnt that invested cuz I couldnt follow the plot(s)
ddillon154's review against another edition
3.0
As much fever dream poetry as anything else. This book was an interesting read and pushed the limits of storytelling in a technical sense.