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sofi19's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Over the years, this has become one of my go-to comfort books. I love all of the characters (especially Abuelita)! I also love how the philosophical questions and quotes from classic literature balance so well with the lighter sci-fi and romance elements. The action keeps the story moving quickly, and I get caught up in the suspense each time I read the book, even when I know what will happen. The author brings up so many questions about how memory shapes identity, and the relationship between reality and perception, and these questions keep me thinking about the book long after I've finished it.
farmv8's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book. There was romance, action, ethical concerns, and a diverse cast. The love and commitment the characters experienced was felt, and there were many plot points that came unexpectedly which kept me on my toes as i read. I really appreciated how the author included Lucy’s Christianity in a meaningful way without it overwhelming the story. But, there were some points in which the actions and motivations of characters (especially Nick) seemed unclear and unrealistic.
On the other hand, the narrator did an amazing job of distinguishing the different characters, both male and female, taking into consideration their age and personality traits. I would listen to it again. Overall, the book was interesting as it investigated morals, pondered dystopias and discussed themes of forgiveness, change, and memory.
On the other hand, the narrator did an amazing job of distinguishing the different characters, both male and female, taking into consideration their age and personality traits. I would listen to it again. Overall, the book was interesting as it investigated morals, pondered dystopias and discussed themes of forgiveness, change, and memory.
adamskiboy528491's review against another edition
3.0
I spy with my little eye…something you can't see.
[b:Deleted|50525620|Deleted|Ruth Mitchell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1579292326l/50525620._SX50_.jpg|73910437] by [a:Ruth Mitchell|19935480|Ruth Mitchell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1579292710p2/19935480.jpg] is a fantastic speculative fiction novel that I could hardly put down once I started. It is an intriguing cautionary tale that feels all too feasible. Not only is it an exciting tale, but Mitchell also gets the reader to contemplate the nature of our thoughts and memories and the importance of agency for the individual and society. It's a story that is sure to appeal to both adults and young adults.
In the not too distant future, most everyone wears smart eyeglasses, called Spex. A person wearing Spex's can record their experiences, communicate, search the Internet, read, watch movies, etc., without touch or voice. The glasses are controlled by the wearer's thoughts, called a mindseye. Two different people (Nick and Mollie) have figured out how to hack the mindseye to read and erase memories.
There is excitement and intrigue, romance, philosophy and thought-provoking aspects. The future setting feels very plausible and relatable, and plenty that applies to us even now. Thinking about all the nuances of memory was my favourite part. As I was reading, my mind kept going to the thought that we could all be faced with similar decisions these people faced as our technology progressed beyond our imagination in the not too distant future.
julesrouth's review against another edition
4.0
I stayed up till 2 am to finish it, so you know it had to be good. The Thoreau quotes got me hooked and then the adorable romance. Add some scifi twists, boom the perfect read.
wolfshine's review
5.0
Lucy is a philosopher, and the only one of her friends who isn’t in love with the technological revolution of the “Specs.” She believes that it could be dangerous to have people that close to your thoughts. What if someone hacked it? Everyone laughs her off, until it turns out Lucy is right. When Lucy is erased from everyone’s memory, she goes on the run in an attempt to save her own memories, and potentially herself, from oblivion.
This was an absolute rollercoaster. Lucy was a fantastic MC. Easy to root for from start to finish. I thought she had a very unique voice, and the bit of her personality based around philosophy was refreshing from similar books in the genre.
My only qualm is that I feel as if Marco and Nick had more of a history than what was discussed in the book. The very first time we meet Nick, we see him lamenting over why people admire Marco, and it felt as if they had a deeper relationship than simple jealousy. Maybe I’m overanalyzing.
This book though was amazing. Different from anything I’ve read in a while. While it has all the suspense of an action-packed thriller, the addition of the Specs gave it a fantastic technothriller feel.
Not to mention the bits of philosophy give you plenty to think about. The entire idea that who are is based on our memories is deep because if those memories are erased, are we really us or are we someone else. Will we make the same mistakes over and over to find our true selves or become someone else entirely? It’s amazing food for thought.
Narration was perfect.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
This was an absolute rollercoaster. Lucy was a fantastic MC. Easy to root for from start to finish. I thought she had a very unique voice, and the bit of her personality based around philosophy was refreshing from similar books in the genre.
My only qualm is that I feel as if Marco and Nick had more of a history than what was discussed in the book. The very first time we meet Nick, we see him lamenting over why people admire Marco, and it felt as if they had a deeper relationship than simple jealousy. Maybe I’m overanalyzing.
This book though was amazing. Different from anything I’ve read in a while. While it has all the suspense of an action-packed thriller, the addition of the Specs gave it a fantastic technothriller feel.
Not to mention the bits of philosophy give you plenty to think about. The entire idea that who are is based on our memories is deep because if those memories are erased, are we really us or are we someone else. Will we make the same mistakes over and over to find our true selves or become someone else entirely? It’s amazing food for thought.
Narration was perfect.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
kerryanndunn's review
5.0
Lucy and Marco! Swoon city. I loved their love story and how bound together they were throughout this twisty, fast-paced, future-set novel. This book postulates what would happen if future technology could allow our minds to be hacked and memories erased. From erasing the bad joke your husband tells at every dinner party from his memory to blackmailing government officials and then erasing their memories so they don’t remember you, their blackmailer, what is ok and what isn’t? Is erasing memories ok on any level? Aren’t all our memories what make us....us? There are big ideas here and they’re explored with compassion and intelligence. The story was propulsive and addicting. I highly recommend.
jenbsbooks's review
3.0
I'm not totally sure how I felt about this one. I received the audiobook free in exchange for an honest review, and honestly, this might have been a DNF if I hadn't felt obligated to finish. I am glad I did though, as I did end up liking it. I think ;) It had some very interesting things to think about.
I don't currently have a KU subscription, or I think I would have checked out the Kindle copy, reviewing in print some of what I listened to. Sometimes I can pin point things better when I can examine the text rather than just listening. That being said, The narration was good. Young sounding, like the MC, just some things didn't seem to flow to audio that well and I would have liked to see how they were presented in print. In italics, when it's more a thought? Sometimes that's hard to get across in audio. At times I wasn't sure who was talking, and if they were talking or just thinking. All the chapters started with quotes (from Walden, Paradise Lost) and again, listening I wasn't sure if this was the story, a character talking ... oh no, it's a quote (I grew to anticipate that they were quotes at the start of each chapter). Reading, seeing it was a quote would be obvious.
The year is 2044 - so a futuristic setting. Everyone (well, almost everyone) wears "specs" which can provide oodles of information to the "mind's eye" ... of course, with all things digital, things can be hacked, and a few people have figured out how to ERASE memories.
In this futuristic setting, I found it a little odd when the word "fancies" (as in, he likes you, he "fancies" you). That seems all old West, "Oklahoma" to me, not futuristic. It was used twice and both times brought me up short. A lot of the conversation just seemed unnatural, stilted. When they are watching a "memory" and it's in Spanish, Marco says he can't speak it but can understand it (okay, that could work) but when he says (paraphrasing from memory) "he IS a bad guy! The drug dealers offered him MUCHO DINERO and he wants more" ... just a corny conversation. A lot of it felt a bit silly and over the top.
But it was an interesting idea and did make me think about a few things ... if you do a bad thing and no one remembers/knows, is it still bad? The part where the husband is always telling a bad joke, so the wife erases it from his memory, but he hears it and likes it so much and starts telling it again. I think I laughed out loud ;)
I adore the cover!
I don't currently have a KU subscription, or I think I would have checked out the Kindle copy, reviewing in print some of what I listened to. Sometimes I can pin point things better when I can examine the text rather than just listening. That being said, The narration was good. Young sounding, like the MC, just some things didn't seem to flow to audio that well and I would have liked to see how they were presented in print. In italics, when it's more a thought? Sometimes that's hard to get across in audio. At times I wasn't sure who was talking, and if they were talking or just thinking. All the chapters started with quotes (from Walden, Paradise Lost) and again, listening I wasn't sure if this was the story, a character talking ... oh no, it's a quote (I grew to anticipate that they were quotes at the start of each chapter). Reading, seeing it was a quote would be obvious.
The year is 2044 - so a futuristic setting. Everyone (well, almost everyone) wears "specs" which can provide oodles of information to the "mind's eye" ... of course, with all things digital, things can be hacked, and a few people have figured out how to ERASE memories.
In this futuristic setting, I found it a little odd when the word "fancies" (as in, he likes you, he "fancies" you). That seems all old West, "Oklahoma" to me, not futuristic. It was used twice and both times brought me up short. A lot of the conversation just seemed unnatural, stilted. When they are watching a "memory" and it's in Spanish, Marco says he can't speak it but can understand it (okay, that could work) but when he says (paraphrasing from memory) "he IS a bad guy! The drug dealers offered him MUCHO DINERO and he wants more" ... just a corny conversation. A lot of it felt a bit silly and over the top.
But it was an interesting idea and did make me think about a few things ... if you do a bad thing and no one remembers/knows, is it still bad? The part where the husband is always telling a bad joke, so the wife erases it from his memory, but he hears it and likes it so much and starts telling it again. I think I laughed out loud ;)
I adore the cover!
shadowsiren's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
housefullofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I had no idea what to expect from this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by this page-turner. I finished it in less than a day, as I could not put it down. Ruth did a fantastic job at creating a realistic future of our world. The characters are likeable, the story moves at a fast pace, and I absolutely adore the Walden and Paradise Lost quotes and the poems.