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eachz's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
God I hated this so much that I finished it out of spite. And then the ending was worse than I could have imagined.
I'm pretty sure the author has a humiliation fetish and I say this both because of the EXTREMELY nauseating way every unnecessary sexual encounter was described AND the fact that he put his name on this book.
The whole thing was extremely 12-year-old-who-thinks-hes-deep. Imagine taking a really interesting, nuanced topic like internet privacy and then writing a one-note book with the most BASIC take and no grey area. So much of the time was spent explaining the new tech being developed in this hypothetical era -- which has, by the way, wildly inconsistent levels of ability, which is a pet peeve of mine -- and zero time bringing any dimension or sign of life to the cast of boring, unlikeable, flat characters. No one's motivations remotely make sense, and no one seems to have any thoughts or conversations that aren't a ham-fisted monologue on one end or the other of the ideological spectrum.
For a while I wondered if I was just bothered because it was written 11 years ago and hasn't aged well in terms of the conversation around tech and privacy. But no, I've read plenty of outdated science fiction that was still extremely enjoyable. This was just a terrible book.
I'm pretty sure the author has a humiliation fetish and I say this both because of the EXTREMELY nauseating way every unnecessary sexual encounter was described AND the fact that he put his name on this book.
The whole thing was extremely 12-year-old-who-thinks-hes-deep. Imagine taking a really interesting, nuanced topic like internet privacy and then writing a one-note book with the most BASIC take and no grey area. So much of the time was spent explaining the new tech being developed in this hypothetical era -- which has, by the way, wildly inconsistent levels of ability, which is a pet peeve of mine -- and zero time bringing any dimension or sign of life to the cast of boring, unlikeable, flat characters. No one's motivations remotely make sense, and no one seems to have any thoughts or conversations that aren't a ham-fisted monologue on one end or the other of the ideological spectrum.
For a while I wondered if I was just bothered because it was written 11 years ago and hasn't aged well in terms of the conversation around tech and privacy. But no, I've read plenty of outdated science fiction that was still extremely enjoyable. This was just a terrible book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, Car accident, Fatphobia, Suicide, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Kidnapping, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Alcohol
Minor: Police brutality, Slavery, Colonisation, and Misogyny
oleducky's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Difficult to read due to excessive repetition and the dumbest main character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Minor: Car accident, Body shaming, Child abuse, and Child death
asafekindofhigh's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Suicide, Body shaming, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
phantomgecko's review
challenging
sad
slow-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? Yes
4.0
I hated this book. It's agonizing to read.
But the 4 star rating isn't a mistake. Eggers had a message and related it perfectly.
Science fiction is a critique of the present. The Circle uses hyperbole but like just barely. The real possibility of this particular dystopia is chilling and sooooo frustrating.
Mae is the perfect protagonist. I didn't agree with a single one of her choices. Everything she chose was wrong or stupid. Her thought processes were believable, though, so it unfortunately all made sense. To have a character that swallowed all the propaganda (and helped create it) as the main character made the message that much more effective. More effective than just having the "bad guys" do all the bad things.
Honestly, I could write a really in depth literary analysis of this novel, but I don't have the time, and doing so would be too depressing/aggravating. And also patronizing, I think. I was originally going to point out specific things that happen in the book and how insidious they are, but...as a reader I trust you to see it.
It's not subtle.
But the 4 star rating isn't a mistake. Eggers had a message and related it perfectly.
Science fiction is a critique of the present. The Circle uses hyperbole but like just barely. The real possibility of this particular dystopia is chilling and sooooo frustrating.
Mae is the perfect protagonist. I didn't agree with a single one of her choices. Everything she chose was wrong or stupid. Her thought processes were believable, though, so it unfortunately all made sense. To have a character that swallowed all the propaganda (and helped create it) as the main character made the message that much more effective. More effective than just having the "bad guys" do all the bad things.
Honestly, I could write a really in depth literary analysis of this novel, but I don't have the time, and doing so would be too depressing/aggravating. And also patronizing, I think. I was originally going to point out specific things that happen in the book and how insidious they are, but...as a reader I trust you to see it.
It's not subtle.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Classism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Death, Cursing, Fatphobia, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
theloveroflovers's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
The characters are so unlikable that at some point you get the urge to keep reading to see them realise their stupidity. The writting stile is good but to detailed, slow-paced. The book was too long and the end wasn't sadisfying.
If you wanr to read the book, listen to the audibook instead.
If you wanr to read the book, listen to the audibook instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Car accident, and Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Pedophilia, Cancer, Cursing, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Classism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Hate crime, Mental illness, and Murder
queen_of_vice's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
It's not worth it because it doesn't add anything new or relevant to the conversation within it's genre.
I'm so disappointed we read this garbage in school instead of a good dystopian novel.
The author literally bragged about not having researched anything about how the internet and technical stuff he tried to include in his story work and it shows.
All the characters are unlikable and the 'romance' plot was so unnecessary and bad. The sex scenes were even worse.
The author can't write realistic women either.
I'm so disappointed we read this garbage in school instead of a good dystopian novel.
The author literally bragged about not having researched anything about how the internet and technical stuff he tried to include in his story work and it shows.
All the characters are unlikable and the 'romance' plot was so unnecessary and bad. The sex scenes were even worse.
The author can't write realistic women either.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Body shaming
Moderate: Suicide, Lesbophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
emclean95's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Body shaming, Stalking, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical content, and Ableism
missjeann's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Suicide and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, and Classism
eule's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I like and loathe this book simultaneously. This book is important to read. It’s important to understand and stress the right to anonymity. „We must all have the right to disappear“ as a certain character (no spoiler) put it in the book. While I believe this book is crucial to read, I still hate it wholeheartedly. Why, you may ask?
- I hate nearly all characters, especially the main character, Mae Holland (arrogant, naïve, selfish, indecisive, biased, disgusting, facile, ignorant, … the list goes on)
- I hate the weird relationships she has (never call the tip of a penis crown again)
- I hate Mae’s non-existing personality (why did they chose poor Emma Watson in the movie???)
- I hate that this book has no chapters (Is it meant to be a circle with no ending or beginning?)
- I hate that character development is missing (she had so many chances to change her behavior), even though that’s the whole point of the book: she is supposed to represent the people blindly following a monopoly system
- I hate the fatphobia and the CONSTANT MANIPULATION, HELP
- I hate and love simultaneously that the plot is „just“ about the life at the company and how it takes over the world
- I am confused about the tension. I was sometimes bored to death because she was rendering about her „dumb friends (Mercer and Annie) and family (her parents). And in the next moment I wanted to know if we will ever get revenge on this entitled bitch and the inveterate circle
You see, I am enraged about this book and that’s the whole point, I believe. We have to understand that this book, even though it was published 10 years ago, is a mirror to today’s reality (have Google, Facebook and co in mind). Still you could have easily shortened the book by 100/200 pages.
Ps: thank you to my friend Nex for letting me buy this book from him :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Medical content, Body shaming, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Car accident, Child abuse, Abandonment, Child death, and Colonisation
jayjaystrawbae's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Ok. This book was an interesting read. Reading one page left me wanting to read more. I loved how enjoyable the first section of this book was. I wanted to live in their world , until I didn’t. It delves into a technology dystopian world that is not too far off from our own. Many people have said this trope has been done before, but I cannot speak on that as this is the first dystopian book that I have read. But it was really scary to see the world become progressively more and more totalitarian. And I enjoyed it. You follow the main character Mae through life at the Circle. And i think Eggers did a good job at showing the effects of a lack of privacy.
Now, my one digression is with Mae. She constantly showed the readers how much she lacked a brain. While, I try to understand the fact that the Circle has become her life now, I’m also shocked that even after everyone leaves her, she still believes in the power of the Circle. Even after the death of Mercer, which had been done by her hands. Or the loss of a relationship with her parents. Even her best friend wanting to get out of it all. Who was obviously not mentally ok. Now I’m not sure if Annie tried to kill herself or not, but we can all agree Mae showed a lot of obliviousness to the entire situation.
One thing I can say, Eggers did an amazing job at making me dislike her. Which I don’t think is a negative quality. While annoying, i saw it as her being a product of her environment. She hated her life before the Circle. She hated not being seen and heard, but they gave her the chance to be loved in ways she never got before. Why would she leave that? To go back to an office job she hated. Or parents who don’t want anything to do with her.
The end of the book was a mess. But I’m glad she didn’t choose to be convinced by Kalden so easily. And it really exemplified how far the Circle would go to “know” everything.
“They needed to talk about Annie, the thoughts she was thinking. Why shouldn’t they know them? The world deserved nothing less and would not wait” (Eggers, 491)
Extra: I don’t have a problem with nothing happening with the sex tape between Francis and Mae. I just wish some accountability was taken by Mae. I would’ve loved anything that went against Mae and succeeded. A moment of failure for her. Apart from 368 people not liking her. Eyeroll. Mae was the example of a perfect person who still felt deeply troubled internally, while Annie’s family’s past led to her ultimate collapse. Mae was indeed not 100% transparent. About her feelings. Having to put on a show for the camera daily, when inside she just wanted to crumble away. What would’ve happened if she had done whatever she wanted, instead of whatever everyone else wanted. Ultimately, she became a slave to the Circle, leaving behind anyone and everyone who might actually care about her. And that, I think is her own personal punishment.
If you want to discuss more, dm me at @marklukesandman
Now, my one digression is with Mae. She constantly showed the readers how much she lacked a brain. While, I try to understand the fact that the Circle has become her life now, I’m also shocked that even after everyone leaves her, she still believes in the power of the Circle. Even after the death of Mercer, which had been done by her hands. Or the loss of a relationship with her parents. Even her best friend wanting to get out of it all. Who was obviously not mentally ok. Now I’m not sure if Annie tried to kill herself or not, but we can all agree Mae showed a lot of obliviousness to the entire situation.
One thing I can say, Eggers did an amazing job at making me dislike her. Which I don’t think is a negative quality. While annoying, i saw it as her being a product of her environment. She hated her life before the Circle. She hated not being seen and heard, but they gave her the chance to be loved in ways she never got before. Why would she leave that? To go back to an office job she hated. Or parents who don’t want anything to do with her.
The end of the book was a mess. But I’m glad she didn’t choose to be convinced by Kalden so easily. And it really exemplified how far the Circle would go to “know” everything.
“They needed to talk about Annie, the thoughts she was thinking. Why shouldn’t they know them? The world deserved nothing less and would not wait” (Eggers, 491)
Extra: I don’t have a problem with nothing happening with the sex tape between Francis and Mae. I just wish some accountability was taken by Mae. I would’ve loved anything that went against Mae and succeeded. A moment of failure for her. Apart from 368 people not liking her. Eyeroll. Mae was the example of a perfect person who still felt deeply troubled internally, while Annie’s family’s past led to her ultimate collapse. Mae was indeed not 100% transparent. About her feelings. Having to put on a show for the camera daily, when inside she just wanted to crumble away. What would’ve happened if she had done whatever she wanted, instead of whatever everyone else wanted. Ultimately, she became a slave to the Circle, leaving behind anyone and everyone who might actually care about her. And that, I think is her own personal punishment.
If you want to discuss more, dm me at @marklukesandman
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Car accident
Minor: Child abuse, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, and Death