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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
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
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF page 70. I just have no interest in this one??? Couldn’t tell you why but I’m annoyed 😂
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
An engaging book with an interesting concept - something of a cross betwen I, Robot and And Then There Were None. I liked the social/media openings to several chapters (a similar format to that used in The Three by Sarah Lotz and I'm sure other books too), it creates an added dimension, a bit of variety and some humour! The gradual unveiling of the Passengers' stories kept me hooked and questioning what we knew so far.
Lacked a little finesse in places and rather overt in its social commentary, I generally prefer a bit more subtlety. Part Three felt forced and at times unnecessary - very heavy on the exposition and did it really need the extra twist in the identity reveal? Up until then I had it as a 4 star, but it lost its pace, and came across as a little farcical and absurd. A slightly disappointing end to a good story.
Overall an enjoyable read, and would probably make a useful coursework text for A-Level Ethics classes.
Lacked a little finesse in places and rather overt in its social commentary, I generally prefer a bit more subtlety. Part Three felt forced and at times unnecessary - very heavy on the exposition and did it really need the extra twist in the identity reveal? Up until then I had it as a 4 star, but it lost its pace, and came across as a little farcical and absurd. A slightly disappointing end to a good story.
Overall an enjoyable read, and would probably make a useful coursework text for A-Level Ethics classes.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
A suspenseful book about 8 hacked, autonomous cars on a collision course towards each other. Who is responsible for the hacking, and what secrets are those 8 hiding?
John Marrs, you can certainly write, and I will enjoy your books. I can't wait to read another book by him.
John Marrs, you can certainly write, and I will enjoy your books. I can't wait to read another book by him.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
Dark, disturbing, and in the very near future. It's disturbing because the concept of driverless cars is very near. Right now we have cars that can steer itself as well as park. I've driven both kinds and it's nice. However, even I know in today's technology everything can be hacked. However, Marrs digs deeper into the psyche of humanity. Everyone is not whom they portray. Most amazing story.
dark
mysterious
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
I loved this book—In a near future world where self driving cars dominate the roads, eight passengers are trapped in autonomous vehicles programmed to crash in 2.5 hours—unless the public votes to save one.
The passengers and their fates:
- Claire –
A pregnant woman who was seemingly a murderer, but actually trying to alter her husband’s aneurysm death for insurance money. She is voted to live but ends up giving birth while still locked in the car
- Jude -
From the family that created the self-driving cars. Suicidal but plays a key role in the unfolding events. Ultimately frees the remaining passengers
- Sofia & Oscar –
A celebrity who covered up her husband’s extensive pedophilia, including the abuse of her niece and nephew. When his crimes were exposed, she killed herself. The public voted her to die first
- Sam & Heidi –
A married couple in separate cars who despise each other, each trying to manipulate the system to survive. Sam had a secret second family for eight years, and Heidi, aware of his cheating, was blackmailing him
- Shabana –
A victim of severe domestic abuse. One of the few passengers worth rooting for, but she was the third to die, along with rioters and police officers caught in the chaos
- Bilquis –
Her five year old daughter was killed before she could flee her country. A refugee who saved 15 people when she left, but was chosen to die for being an illegal immigrant without a job. She was initially voted to die first
- Victor –
A veteran with cancer who was given eight to ten years left. The first victim to die after his car exploded
Some twists and events I liked:
- The eight cars were set to crash into each other at 70 mph, with only one survivor chosen by vote
- Schools were
threatened with violence if the public didn’t comply with the system At the last second, the four cars turned and braked, preventing the mass crash - Jude
was the hacker who overrode the system and freed the passengers - The hacking
was part of a nationwide crisis, with mass vehicle collisions happening across the country - Also,
Cadman made an appearance in this book!
I really didn’t like Libby’s character, nor did I like her romance with Jude/Noah/Matt. I found all of them to be uninteresting. I found it so ridiculous that the majority of everyone who was voting picked Jude to live over the other contestants because of his spark with Libby.
I really enjoyed Jacks storyline in the beginning. I loved the Inquests. They were created to judge whose fault it was in the in the case of vehicle crashes. What the “jurors” didn’t know, was that the AI behind these cars, designed by Jack, determined life or death decisions based on personal data, knowing everything about each passenger. Jack created AI that chose who would survive in vehicle accidents based on their status and level in life. Unfortunately, his storyline was another that I came to not like, the last third of the book ruined it for me.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A