Reviews with content warning for Death - The Three-Body Problem

When I first picked up this book, I did so after being advised that the less I knew about its plot going in, the better the book would be. That is absolutely correct. This book is so unfathomable to me in concept (not that I didn't understand it, Liu ensures that the average reader will)- I cannot comprehend the intellect and creativity that is required to write this work. It was in every way a page-turner. Loved.

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lesejaguar's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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saint_eleanor's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Ok i think i did not like this as much as everyone else, maybe because i was not reading it in its’ original language. I felt like the characters were so incredibly dry. I also was not as scared as i wanted to be i think again because some of the descriptive language was so basic

and also wtf w the aliens like speaking English and stuff like why would they know how to do that??idk

but it was super interesting and i think i will read the second one in the series for sure, i think the history parts/combined with the sci-fi is the main hook for me

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nhewitt99's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I'm a little conflicted on this one. The combination of near-future science, factional infighting, and suspense remind me of some of my favorite SCP flash fiction. When this is combined with the vibrant and vulnerable details from the author's lived experience, it should result in something I adore. However, the matter-of-fact dialogue and extraterrestrial tech cause the book to become almost silly in its final act.
I especially liked the introduction, pacing, Ye's character arc, and

the thematic parallels of self-preservation and loss of identity in the face of the Cultural Revolution or extraterrestrial invasion

. I particularly disliked the heavyhanded worldbuilding, flat dialogue, and

the creation of the Trisolaris Sophon

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