sff_reads's review against another edition
3.75
Perfect for lovers of unique and ambiguous characters, intrigue, world building, and an originally crafted story.
Unanimity presented a wealth of creativity and thought-provoking ideas. The cast of characters combined to make this a page-turner from start to finish. It did take a chapter or two to settle in and keep the characters straight– including their digital identities. The interactions between all of the characters was a huge highlight for me. Their dialogue and interaction created fluidity between scenes. The story was well paced.
I enjoyed the spiral world multiverse aspect. The world-building had to have been a daunting task to create and I applaud Almeida for a phenomenal job well done. I loved how each spiral world embodied something unique for the humans to confront. The story becomes quite immersive and exciting.
When you sit and wrap your mind around the idea of a digital world, the concept is incredibly fascinating. It was a cool take on the idea behind gods and miracles for those in the digital world.
The action starts immediately from page one and never relents as the characters are all vying for positions within this world that has the potential to bring about great change.
Unanimity presented a wealth of creativity and thought-provoking ideas. The cast of characters combined to make this a page-turner from start to finish. It did take a chapter or two to settle in and keep the characters straight– including their digital identities. The interactions between all of the characters was a huge highlight for me. Their dialogue and interaction created fluidity between scenes. The story was well paced.
I enjoyed the spiral world multiverse aspect. The world-building had to have been a daunting task to create and I applaud Almeida for a phenomenal job well done. I loved how each spiral world embodied something unique for the humans to confront. The story becomes quite immersive and exciting.
When you sit and wrap your mind around the idea of a digital world, the concept is incredibly fascinating. It was a cool take on the idea behind gods and miracles for those in the digital world.
The action starts immediately from page one and never relents as the characters are all vying for positions within this world that has the potential to bring about great change.
tinyelfarcanist's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Full of parallelisms to Le Petit Prince and delivered in lush prose, Unanimity supplies hard truths and defies the status quo. Spiral Worlds is a relevant story in today’s social climate and a cautionary tale of the future.
At first, the characters seem stereotypical, but their flaws and motivations become apparent as we delve into their pasts. Their lives are intertwined through decades of events, and their relationships are filled with as much pain as love.
The reluctance of the characters to curse (frack, ship, Leo the second) peeved me a little. And it isn’t ideal that the only nonbinary character is a non-human originally designed as androgynous.
At first, the characters seem stereotypical, but their flaws and motivations become apparent as we delve into their pasts. Their lives are intertwined through decades of events, and their relationships are filled with as much pain as love.
The reluctance of the characters to curse (frack, ship, Leo the second) peeved me a little. And it isn’t ideal that the only nonbinary character is a non-human originally designed as androgynous.
I don’t usually read sci-fi or stories in contemporary settings, but this book is a great reminder to read out of my comfort zone: good stories are independent of genre.
Read my full review: https://tinyelfarcanist.wordpress.com/2023/03/07/unanimity-alexandra-almeida/
Read my full review: https://tinyelfarcanist.wordpress.com/2023/03/07/unanimity-alexandra-almeida/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Grief, Homophobia, Self harm, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
Minor: Slavery, War, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Abandonment, Physical abuse, Genocide, Cursing, Racism, Rape, and Torture
lecari's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder
rissreviews_xx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
I love a good science fiction read, especially when we're given characters like Shadow (Tom) and Henry and Estelle are there. Shadow and Estelle are definitely some of the most interesting characters that I have read about but I love it. The storyline is different, unique, and something I could reread!
Almeida has created a read that will have readers turning the pages. The world-building is excellent and the plot pulls you in. I'm really excited to see that this is only book one, I can't wait to see what the next book is about.
Almeida has created a read that will have readers turning the pages. The world-building is excellent and the plot pulls you in. I'm really excited to see that this is only book one, I can't wait to see what the next book is about.
bridgets_books's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
4.0
Unanimity immerses the reader in an alternate world that is uniquely engaging and simultaneously terrifying.
Who decides the difference between heaven and hell when souls can be resurrected to exist in an alternative digital world? I am quite sure one person’s heaven can easily be another’s hell.
This hard science fiction novel has a bit of a cyberpunk feel to me. I was a little slow to feel my way into this story, but I was hooked once I wrapped my head around the premise and the spiral worlds.
The characters and worlds are so well-written that Unanimity played in my mind like a movie. Every scene and every word is used to further the story, making it a mesmerizing tale that is difficult to put down.
I’m having difficulty putting my thoughts down on paper for this one. Unanimity is a story that needs to be read to understand and develop your take on it. I feel like it’s a book that will mean different things to each reader. Where you are in your life journey will dictate what you think and feel about the Spiral Worlds.
I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
hardsffguy's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
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
spiralworlds's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
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
carlgunter's review
5.0
Enjoyed the multiple POVs and seeing each character from different perspectives. I related to Tom/Shadow right from the start. Having lived through depression and being a person who is, in general, an idealist, his journey felt real, even if there is more of it to come. Second to me were Storm and Thorn. There is something about their rage that reflects the times we live in now. I want to see more of Thorn's arc going forward, but that is clearly planned given the preview of book 2. I have to say, Stella is super annoying, in an entertaining way, and I laughed every time I was in her head. I look forward to more prick and preppy confrontations and more? The worlds are vast, loved what I saw, want too see more. Thank you SFBookClub for a copy of the book.
artcheyne's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The existential dread feels real and appropriate given the advancements in AI. The contrast between a young Tom and the Shadow he becomes is well executed so is the trauma he experiences. The strength of this book are the unique characters and their relationships and the themes explored. The girls are a lot of fun, and the queer romance an excellent representation on how to write LGBTQI characters right. The themes confronted could easily go wrong and fall into tropes, but they never do. Yes, some of the characters struggle with life, but the underlining thread that pulls this series forward is one of hope and idealism. I liked how the world building is connected with the characters and their traits, and look forward to exploring more of Spiral Worlds and its history. My only complaint is that It's a series starter, however based on book one I trust the author to answer the questions that remain open regarding the past and the five days remaining until the end of the worlds. I liked the narrative structure a lot. It''s unusual, but starting in the middle of the history and going back to fill the gaps added more weight to the backstory as we already know how things will end up.