Reviews

Sirius by Olaf Stapledon

choco_bunbun's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

never have i ever felt so seen. and by a dog at that

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Animal death, and Gun violence

yharon_silva's review

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

What a joy it was to read. The story pulls you into his world through the lens of an alien looking at society from the outside, showing human nature's regular inability to handle 'unnatural' things. The world can suck sometimes, but in many ways, it can also be a treat. Stapledon's expertise in philosophy makes its way into the book by fleshing out Sirius' character, taking advantage of his alien nature to make him a complex character in morals and in action.

The book is a full account of Sirius' life from the perspective of the narrator who met him. I would of preferred it to be from Sirius' perspective. It would of made it much more personal and allowed for much more profound introspection, but nevertheless, the writing is still exceptional. Out of all the xenofiction I've read, this was my favorite. This was also the first book I've read by Stapledon, so I must read more.

lindsayflor_95's review

Thought the premise was nice but the execution was disappointingly boring to the way it's written. Feel no connection to it cannot bother to continue.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Animal cruelty

sophw1's review

dark reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

lydiamedhurst's review

challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

milo10000's review

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Stapledon's use of Sirius to look at humanity from the outside (the "human non-human") is very well done, though I found the ending to not stack up as well as I'd hoped. Regardless, the book explores deeply one's relationship to humanity in a moving way 

jennal13's review

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

obnoxiouslyollie's review

challenging emotional funny reflective 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

4.0

mxmlln's review against another edition

4.0

Story: 8 / 10
Characters: 7
Setting: 6
Prose: 6

Another fantastic adventure by Stapledon. Much like Star Maker, the reader is taken on the journey through one life. Sirius explores a host of interesting themes as he tries to find meaning in his unique, canine life: family, love, lust, nature, work, existentialism, friendship

tstevens3's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.25

Starts a little slowly, but picks up the pace nicely. Lots to think about. Ideas are fleshed out.