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generalmalfoy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.75
I read this book in German.
The story is incredibly gripping, and while neither of the main characters seem very likable at the beginning with their manners and the information on their histories, I quickly warmed up to them and started rooting for them.
I loved all of the suspense and the not-quite-knowing what was going on and figuring it out alongside the characters.
I felt like the love story that was hinted at in the description was not as present romance-wise as I had suspected it was, which I really enjoyed since I tend to dislike romance, in the way it was written it was a nice part of the story, though not the main focus. The love was definitely there, and knowing so from the description for me personally added to the reading experience, especially when the characters went through some not-so-great-for-them moments.
The characters in this story were quite diverse which I really liked.
I really really enjoyed reading this and would recommend this for everyone who is looking for a suspense-filled thriller with scifi elements and some queer love on the side.
The story is incredibly gripping, and while neither of the main characters seem very likable at the beginning with their manners and the information on their histories, I quickly warmed up to them and started rooting for them.
I loved all of the suspense and the not-quite-knowing what was going on and figuring it out alongside the characters.
I felt like the love story that was hinted at in the description was not as present romance-wise as I had suspected it was, which I really enjoyed since I tend to dislike romance, in the way it was written it was a nice part of the story, though not the main focus. The love was definitely there, and knowing so from the description for me personally added to the reading experience, especially when the characters went through some not-so-great-for-them moments.
The characters in this story were quite diverse which I really liked.
I really really enjoyed reading this and would recommend this for everyone who is looking for a suspense-filled thriller with scifi elements and some queer love on the side.
thepaperbackplanner's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Grove Atlantic for access to this galley in exchange for an honest review!
What a weird book! And I mean that in a good way. It gave me a real case of the bookworms, aka, I could not stop thinking about it. I simply had to figure out what was going on here, and what everyone's whole deal was, because everyone had a whole deal. Our main characters, a guy who knows what is true and a guy who is extremely good at his military job, have the slowest of slow burns. I'm really glad I chose to reach out about this book and that Grove Atlantic chose me to read this arc — I loved it, and if you like scifi, you might, too!
What a weird book! And I mean that in a good way. It gave me a real case of the bookworms, aka, I could not stop thinking about it. I simply had to figure out what was going on here, and what everyone's whole deal was, because everyone had a whole deal. Our main characters, a guy who knows what is true and a guy who is extremely good at his military job, have the slowest of slow burns. I'm really glad I chose to reach out about this book and that Grove Atlantic chose me to read this arc — I loved it, and if you like scifi, you might, too!
astronutty's review against another edition
On paper this checks a lot of boxes. the representation, the concept, COOL!
but i'm fucking bored.
but i'm fucking bored.
dreareads_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is the most 3.5 book I have read in a long time.
This is a fun scifi buddy cop(soldiers?) story about nostalgia and governmental propaganda. I think it is a book that is trying to do a lot, but at times forgets the logic of its own world building. I appreciated the anticapitalist, US military propaganda motifs, but they often times felt vague and repetitive. Towards the end of the book I was left with more questions than answer, and not in the fun interpretation kind of way, but in the "I don't think the story understand its own rules" kind of way.
Fortunately, the book centers around two main characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. I am obsessed with Rao and his unapologetic queerness and large personality. A personality that is deepened by his own personal trauma and insecurities. Pair him with a character like Adam, whom in the surface may seem serious and unfeeling but on the inside is warm and precious, and you simply have the perfect recipe for a captivating relationship. Even if the ending did not fully work for me, I was just happy to be with them.
For a 500+ pages book it was fun and fast paced enough that you do not feel fully bogged down by the lack of world building. But if you stop and think about it too much you will discover holes that not even prophet could fill.
This is a fun scifi buddy cop(soldiers?) story about nostalgia and governmental propaganda. I think it is a book that is trying to do a lot, but at times forgets the logic of its own world building. I appreciated the anticapitalist, US military propaganda motifs, but they often times felt vague and repetitive. Towards the end of the book I was left with more questions than answer, and not in the fun interpretation kind of way, but in the "I don't think the story understand its own rules" kind of way.
Fortunately, the book centers around two main characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. I am obsessed with Rao and his unapologetic queerness and large personality. A personality that is deepened by his own personal trauma and insecurities. Pair him with a character like Adam, whom in the surface may seem serious and unfeeling but on the inside is warm and precious, and you simply have the perfect recipe for a captivating relationship. Even if the ending did not fully work for me, I was just happy to be with them.
For a 500+ pages book it was fun and fast paced enough that you do not feel fully bogged down by the lack of world building. But if you stop and think about it too much you will discover holes that not even prophet could fill.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Abandonment, Cursing, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Physical abuse, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Torture, Violence, War, Racism, and Xenophobia
loungeking's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
meggiraffe's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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
I was a little concerned starting this book, wondering how on earth this seemingly simple plot could take up 17 hours worth of audio book. All of my concern was completely in vein, I was hooked 10 minutes in, and could not put it down.
I've never read any of Helen Macdonald or Sin Blanché's previous works, but I can imagine they have taken the absolute best parts of both their minds to write this book together.
There was no way of knowing what was the next twist in the plot, there was no point in guessing because I was wrong every single time.
The ending was so so fulfilling too! I can imagine it was what every other reader out there wanted to see from the ending. It was the perfect formula of slowly falling apart, to the big heartbreak, to the slight glimmer of hope, to them FINALLY getting together.
I could not recommend this book more, and if you like the sort of government dystopian theme, Prophet is kind of similar to The Future by Naomi Alderman, also a fantastic book.
A note on the audio book however... It was so so difficult to follow the book at the beginning, there are two narrators, depending on who's point of view the chapter is from. Rao is an British ex-MI6 agent and Adam Rubenstein is an American Intelligence Officer
I've never read any of Helen Macdonald or Sin Blanché's previous works, but I can imagine they have taken the absolute best parts of both their minds to write this book together.
There was no way of knowing what was the next twist in the plot, there was no point in guessing because I was wrong every single time.
I could not recommend this book more, and if you like the sort of government dystopian theme, Prophet is kind of similar to The Future by Naomi Alderman, also a fantastic book.
A note on the audio book however... It was so so difficult to follow the book at the beginning, there are two narrators, depending on who's point of view the chapter is from. Rao is an British ex-MI6 agent and Adam Rubenstein is an American Intelligence Officer
jrm5394's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
4.0
emziesreads's review against another edition
mysterious
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? It's complicated
2.75
For a book marketed as science fiction, there's not much science. This is a fun spy thriller I enjoyed reading even if it is not particularly memorable.
_lj_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
chanelchapters's review against another edition
DNF @80pages
It’s slow going - really vague - heavy on the military angle - none of the characters are appealing - writing style isn’t for me.
It’s slow going - really vague - heavy on the military angle - none of the characters are appealing - writing style isn’t for me.