Scan barcode
tomstbr's review against another edition
4.0
There's just something about California. Maybe it's something in the water, or should I say, WAT-R. When you write about that great Western state it has to involve cults, conspiracies or celebrities. Something New Under the Sun covers all three.
While the last chapter somewhat went all woo-woo on me, it still held up well, and the majority of the book was a riot. This is a satire set in a near-future California, and if you've seen Under the Silver Lake you'll probably dig this.
There are a lot of clever lines and paragraphs about a variety of philosophical topics, and the metaphors are rich. Mostly I think of WAT-R, the artificial stand-in for the real stuff that is not quite right, it's a metaphor for a few things. It could be taking a swipe at things like Mass Vaccination/Medicalisation, how we don't know what's really going into our bodies. It could be a metaphor for Post-Modernism, a fake-phony take on reality that sticks in our brains and warps how we think. It could be a lot of things.
Whatever the case, there's a lot going on here, and it entertains even as it makes you think. Recommended.
While the last chapter somewhat went all woo-woo on me, it still held up well, and the majority of the book was a riot. This is a satire set in a near-future California, and if you've seen Under the Silver Lake you'll probably dig this.
There are a lot of clever lines and paragraphs about a variety of philosophical topics, and the metaphors are rich. Mostly I think of WAT-R, the artificial stand-in for the real stuff that is not quite right, it's a metaphor for a few things. It could be taking a swipe at things like Mass Vaccination/Medicalisation, how we don't know what's really going into our bodies. It could be a metaphor for Post-Modernism, a fake-phony take on reality that sticks in our brains and warps how we think. It could be a lot of things.
Whatever the case, there's a lot going on here, and it entertains even as it makes you think. Recommended.
tree3657's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
reliures's review against another edition
4.25
Dystopian ecological mystery drenched in a Neo Noir atmosphere and set in Los Angeles, it follows a writer, Patrick who travels to Hollywood for the movie adaptation of his novel. While California is invaded by a new trendy water brand and ravaged by wildfires, Patrick encounters the secretive and weird producers, a set full of amateurs and the main actress, a troubled starlet named Cassidy.
I liked the dense, lush literary prose which read like a fever dream. The novel was written in a 3rd PoV where the characters thoughts and memories were shared but at random times which threw me off at first. I felt some monologues and descriptions could have been trimmed down because they were distracting and didn’t add anything substantial to the plot. Some characters felt superfluous. Maybe I would have preferred a more focused look on the mystery itself, and felt the ending could have been tighter especially concerning the effect of the fake water.
I did like the mystery in itself, the dread atmosphere, the weird and the strange behaviours , the present tangible threat of wildfires vs the ominous water brand that creeps into the everyday life. It’s like you realise bit by bit that something is not quite right in that world. I did like how one of Cassidy’s old tv show is used as a parallel to the mystery going in the book.
A good book despite some pacing problems for me.
11corvus11's review
4.0
This near future, satirical dystopia stands out to me because the Hollywood setting of it really captures what it's like to live in a world where our literal ability to survive is collapsing, but everyone is still going about capitalism as usual. The pov switches throughout the story could have been more balanced but overall I really liked it and will seek out other stuff by this author.
nicovreeland's review
2.0
Dnf at 40%. I feel like I’ve read the beginning of this book before: the asshole Hollywood producers, the diva starlet that only identifies with the main character because he doesn’t kiss her ass.
At a certain point it diverts sideways into a very long description of a weird semi-sci-fi water company that feels completely tonally different from the first part of the novel. I never made it to the mystery that is supposedly lurking in there somewhere.
At a certain point it diverts sideways into a very long description of a weird semi-sci-fi water company that feels completely tonally different from the first part of the novel. I never made it to the mystery that is supposedly lurking in there somewhere.
alireuter's review against another edition
3.5
Kleeman explores the hallucinogenic nature of the modern American lifestyle, delving into a realm of classic dystopia. The key themes examined are those of the cultish, corrupt and claustrophobic, leading you to question whether everything those in the higher ups are really looking out for you. I found this notion very relevant these days which was discussed through multiple storylines very well. if you’ve ever seen the the film under the silver lake starring andrew garfield this is the same vibe. i enjoyed the characters’ backstories, especially looking into patrick’s family position & internal relationships. in the least negative way possible, i preferred the side plots rather than the main storyline. the mystery of wat-r was fun & intriguing but the thing i wish was more focused on was the cult that was-although on the other side of the country-which was the most thematically reflective of the rest of the book. i loved the ambiguity of the ending & the question raised about how much you can truly escape the control of larger corporations that actually rule the world. overall, a great read but i couldn’t help but not enjoy it a certain points unfortunately. i’d love to look into what else kleeman & what others thought of the book. if you like the sound of it then please give it a go!
alexisrt's review
3.0
I'm trying to decide what I thought of this. I didn't much like Kleeman's first novel, which honestly made me hate MFAs and PhDs for a few months, but reviews of this sounded promising so I decided to try it.
There's some real similarities of theme between this and You Too Could Have a Body Like Mine: instead of Kandy Kakes, here we have WAT-R, the water replacement product. In a serious SF novel, this premise wouldn't work—but Kleeman is trying something else here. The fact that water is so basic it should not be manufacturable or replaceable is the point. There's a bit of mystery in the plot, but the answer is so obvious once you're 100 pages or so in that it's clear it's not really the point. It's only a mystery for the characters in the story, not for the reader. Kleeman has a lot of skill as a writer, especially in her descriptions, and in some ways this is what really makes it work.
Ultimately it's a novel about ideas rather than plot or character. I did wish she'd done something a little different this time, though I found it far more tolerable.
There's some real similarities of theme between this and You Too Could Have a Body Like Mine: instead of Kandy Kakes, here we have WAT-R, the water replacement product. In a serious SF novel, this premise wouldn't work—but Kleeman is trying something else here. The fact that water is so basic it should not be manufacturable or replaceable is the point. There's a bit of mystery in the plot, but the answer is so obvious once you're 100 pages or so in that it's clear it's not really the point. It's only a mystery for the characters in the story, not for the reader. Kleeman has a lot of skill as a writer, especially in her descriptions, and in some ways this is what really makes it work.
Ultimately it's a novel about ideas rather than plot or character. I did wish she'd done something a little different this time, though I found it far more tolerable.
diegobrando's review
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
riainoc's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A good, occasionally great novel about it already being much too late to deal with climate change, and how various people deal with it.