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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
This is an enjoyable and quick slice of science-fiction. It's a book Beukes wrote during her MFA (about a decade ago), and her afterword to this edition gives an interesting perspective from a woman who has grown as a writer and who has seen the world -- the world of technology, art, and corporatization -- grow as well, sometimes in line with the world she imagined, and sometimes beyond it.
While Beukes has grown as a writer and story teller, from this early work it's clear that she always had a handle on world-creation, pace, and character. I love her horror stories, but, after seeing what she imagines in this genre (Moxyland and the excellent Zoo City), I'd love to read a bigger, deeper science-fiction novel from her.
While Beukes has grown as a writer and story teller, from this early work it's clear that she always had a handle on world-creation, pace, and character. I love her horror stories, but, after seeing what she imagines in this genre (Moxyland and the excellent Zoo City), I'd love to read a bigger, deeper science-fiction novel from her.
I found this book on a list of recommendations of books to read if you've finished binge-watching Black Mirror, and it is definitely fitting. The story follows four young adults. It was hard at the beginning to follow the story-line but I couldn't put the book down (except for when I had to) until the end. The book is "supposed" to take place in 2018 ( there was a nice little blurb in the back of this paperback about where Lauren Beukes got her ideas for this dystopia), and maybe this isn't exactly where society has gone but it wasn't a bad guess. The story is realistic and the characters are flawed and interesting. I really liked the book.
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Second Read, still really like this book
I do agree after reading other books by Beukes that this one isn't her strongest story, but I'm not putting this one down! Honestly, I'd just suggest you read her other books as well because they're fantastic. I was having trouble getting through any books that I picked up after my semester was over, and so this book came (back) to me. It should be worth stating that I don't usually re-read books, and when I try I don't usually get through them, so that should speak for itself about this book.
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Second Read, still really like this book
I do agree after reading other books by Beukes that this one isn't her strongest story, but I'm not putting this one down! Honestly, I'd just suggest you read her other books as well because they're fantastic. I was having trouble getting through any books that I picked up after my semester was over, and so this book came (back) to me. It should be worth stating that I don't usually re-read books, and when I try I don't usually get through them, so that should speak for itself about this book.
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reminiscent of the best William Gibson without being derivative, this is a fresh, fascinating cyberpunk adventure with a real kicker of an ending.
adventurous
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
a lot of interesting ideas for a dystopia (surveillance state, tech + capitalism and health, apartheid) that I think could’ve been pared down or fleshed out a little bit more—ended up where each of the characters whose POV we got represented one of the society’s problems rather than each of them experiencing them simultaneously. also pretty specific to the South African context in some ways and could get needlessly complicated. easy enough read if you’re willing to accept that you won’t understand the mechanics of the world/terminology super well.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated