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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
adventurous
mysterious
slow-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:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-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
Is OMG a word now? It has been a long time since a novel has filled the space between my breaths. I could not put it down. It simultaneously fills you with hope, and dispair. I had to read it before I saw the movie. After finishing the book I know the movie will do little more than disappoint.
Stunning. This book was fantastic!
This book is one cohesive novel, written as a series of six short stories. Each story takes place in a different location and time period, and is written in a completely different style, narrative tone, etc. They are each individual, self-contained stories, and yet each one has a connection to the one before and after it and all six have little ties. We are given the first half of each story until we reach the sixth. The sixth is uninterrupted, and then we go back in reverse order and get the second half of the first five. The book spans across centuries, beginning in 1850s and stretching to a post-apocalyptic world in the distant future. The author cleverly and poignantly stresses the overall themes of power, greed and prejudice and leaves you feeling awed and strangely hopeful.
Strengths: The themes are strong. The writing is excellent. Most writers these days are considered successful if they can write one captivating story and then re-sell it again and again after changing the title and character names. (And in all honestly, if it's entertaining enough, what's really wrong with that?) But Mitchell succeeds in writing six completely different stories in one book. Even if you don't enjoy the narrative or the message, you have to read this book if only to marvel at Mitchell's skill. He even takes a moment here and there to poke fun at his own plot devices.
My favorite story was the fifth. Even as just a short story in the context of a much larger novel, this piece is a strong piece of dysutopian fiction. This story is fascinating, compelling, heart-wrenching and deeply disturbing. It holds its own among such classics as 1984 and Brave New World. (Mitchell even mentions Orwell and Huxley, referring to them as 'optomists.')
Weaknesses: The only real weakness is that it can take awhile to get into. This isn't a light read (which is a good thing!). For me, it didn't really get rolling until the third story and I wasn't really hooked until the fifth. But once you get there, you will be unable to put it down. When I reached the last page, I closed the book and said "Wow."
Hopefully you'll take the opportunity to read this amazing novel and have the same reaction I did.
This book is one cohesive novel, written as a series of six short stories. Each story takes place in a different location and time period, and is written in a completely different style, narrative tone, etc. They are each individual, self-contained stories, and yet each one has a connection to the one before and after it and all six have little ties. We are given the first half of each story until we reach the sixth. The sixth is uninterrupted, and then we go back in reverse order and get the second half of the first five. The book spans across centuries, beginning in 1850s and stretching to a post-apocalyptic world in the distant future. The author cleverly and poignantly stresses the overall themes of power, greed and prejudice and leaves you feeling awed and strangely hopeful.
Strengths: The themes are strong. The writing is excellent. Most writers these days are considered successful if they can write one captivating story and then re-sell it again and again after changing the title and character names. (And in all honestly, if it's entertaining enough, what's really wrong with that?) But Mitchell succeeds in writing six completely different stories in one book. Even if you don't enjoy the narrative or the message, you have to read this book if only to marvel at Mitchell's skill. He even takes a moment here and there to poke fun at his own plot devices.
My favorite story was the fifth. Even as just a short story in the context of a much larger novel, this piece is a strong piece of dysutopian fiction. This story is fascinating, compelling, heart-wrenching and deeply disturbing. It holds its own among such classics as 1984 and Brave New World. (Mitchell even mentions Orwell and Huxley, referring to them as 'optomists.')
Weaknesses: The only real weakness is that it can take awhile to get into. This isn't a light read (which is a good thing!). For me, it didn't really get rolling until the third story and I wasn't really hooked until the fifth. But once you get there, you will be unable to put it down. When I reached the last page, I closed the book and said "Wow."
Hopefully you'll take the opportunity to read this amazing novel and have the same reaction I did.
I read the book in Spanish because the English was far too complicated for me; a non-native speaker. And I did enjoy it even more because I could understand it. Though half the narrative with certain characters sometimes felt like a bit extensive and boring, the overall concept is magnificent, and I have to add that Robert Frobisher is by far the best character on the book.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix