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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As a former philosophy student who spent a whole semester on Spinoza it was nostalgic and refreshing to read about him as a person. I also thoroughly enjoyed the sections on Arendt, who I knew a little from university; and about Du Fu who my Western university education had taught me nothing about.
At times though, it felt like the narrative was trying too hard to be smart; mainly via Lina’s father’s storyline about big tech. I felt that the story became ponderous in those sections, which as the book continued, I started skimming more and more to get back to the “main stories” of Bento, Boucher, and Jupiter.
Best enjoyed when one’s mind is clear, one has had some teaching in (or at least, wiki’d the three historical figures), and in the mood for a slow philosophical and linguistic ramble.
At times though, it felt like the narrative was trying too hard to be smart; mainly via Lina’s father’s storyline about big tech. I felt that the story became ponderous in those sections, which as the book continued, I started skimming more and more to get back to the “main stories” of Bento, Boucher, and Jupiter.
Best enjoyed when one’s mind is clear, one has had some teaching in (or at least, wiki’d the three historical figures), and in the mood for a slow philosophical and linguistic ramble.
I was confused. This might be a book that needs to be physically read for me to enjoy!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
look i’m really sorry and this one kind of feels like a personal shortcoming, but i absolutely cannot get into this. i can’t follow it & i don’t know what it’s trying to accomplish. i suspect it’s beautiful for someone who isn’t me, and i hope they love it.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
DNF at 28%. I was so looking forward to this because Do Not Say We Have Nothing is one of my all time favs but this is too smart for me. So weighty and philosophical. I may revisit in the future but I’m done for now.
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The first section of this book, on the sea that was many seas, was compelling and interesting and curious to me! I loved how fluid everything was. I loved our main character and her dad.
But then the fluidity became too much for me and I couldn’t keep anything straight and I didn’t know if I wanted to. Dnf at 48%.
But then the fluidity became too much for me and I couldn’t keep anything straight and I didn’t know if I wanted to. Dnf at 48%.
challenging
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Genocide