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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
i am two months late with logging this so i cant remember if i landed between 3 or 4* - however the fact I can remember so much of the plot and its messaging is a testament to the really dynamic, intelligent and fun writing! i usually don't opt for scifi so it's very nice when it's a nice reading experience
I really enjoyed this one!! It was a great example of what good sci-fi can be and do! The world building was so compelling, with much of it done through the characters’ experiences. Possibility is a heck of a theme to explore, even in a sci-fi novel, and the author did well! Whether it was in relationships, politics, “humanity”, ability - all across spheres, the author showed what is possible and had this reader thinking about more. I do wish there was less emphasis on sex throughout, but that’s a personal thing. I guess sex is also another arena of possibility, but I’d have rather read more about another sphere. Regardless, I still enjoyed the book overall. A note for the audiobook: the sound engineering on this one deserves an award!! They really went the extra mile to incorporate the various communications modes described in the book. Well done, everyone!
Wow. Just...wow. One of the most incredibly unique works of scifi I've read in a while. Imagine a world where almost everything is sentient in a way that humans are, and you've got the crux of this book. The way the story developed was fascinating - starting with the basic formation of a planet/colony/whatever you want to call it and ending with a planet inhabited by beings from all walks of life, literally. I'm such a big fan of this. Genuinely one of the most clever pieces of scifi I've read in a while.
adventurous
hopeful
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:
Complicated
Wildly imaginative, inspiring, and giggle-worthy. Still, it’s not a page turner and is slow to get through (that’s why it’s a 3, not a 4). Thought-provoking. Lots of pauses necessary when reading to contemplate. My girlfriend read this in one sitting, but they are a fast reader. It took me weeks. Still, it was probably the craziest thing I’ve read this year, which is saying something. Very SF Bay Area. Felt like this book was invented by someone nursing an IPA in a local brewery surrounded by tech bros and people who have too much money.
Lots of questions, not enough answers. What counts as a person? InAss ratings are insufficient, yes, but when and how are decisions made? Why do trains get to be people but houses don’t? What about ants? Why aren’t ants people? Why does no one really question the point of continuing to do the job they were designed for when the world is unfair and dystopian? Why not stop and focus on the things you actually like doing? Instead, stuff you like doing seems determined by biology and design, at least in the author’s perspective. Like, what if the trains don’t want to be trains? Doesn’t matter, in the author’s view. Bad question, they seem to suggest. Trains fucking love being trains (I disagree. There are people alive today who would rather be something else, so why would trains want to stay trains?). Just seems like it brings up more questions than answers. Lots of biological determinism. Also, inter-species sex is brought up but like… not fully explored (we don’t really have explanations for what makes robots horny). And robot marriage. What does marriage mean in the year 59,000? We don’t know. It’s never explained.
Still, it was a fun romp. Picked up this book with no idea there would be a romance between a homeless journalist cat and a sentient train, but fuck yeah was I there for it when it happened! Beautiful. Still, it’s a solid 3 out of 5. Worth it, but like I said, it’s not a page-turner.
Lots of questions, not enough answers. What counts as a person? InAss ratings are insufficient, yes, but when and how are decisions made? Why do trains get to be people but houses don’t? What about ants? Why aren’t ants people? Why does no one really question the point of continuing to do the job they were designed for when the world is unfair and dystopian? Why not stop and focus on the things you actually like doing? Instead, stuff you like doing seems determined by biology and design, at least in the author’s perspective. Like, what if the trains don’t want to be trains? Doesn’t matter, in the author’s view. Bad question, they seem to suggest. Trains fucking love being trains (I disagree. There are people alive today who would rather be something else, so why would trains want to stay trains?). Just seems like it brings up more questions than answers. Lots of biological determinism. Also, inter-species sex is brought up but like… not fully explored (we don’t really have explanations for what makes robots horny). And robot marriage. What does marriage mean in the year 59,000? We don’t know. It’s never explained.
Still, it was a fun romp. Picked up this book with no idea there would be a romance between a homeless journalist cat and a sentient train, but fuck yeah was I there for it when it happened! Beautiful. Still, it’s a solid 3 out of 5. Worth it, but like I said, it’s not a page-turner.
This was a really fun, wild read in an imaginative world. I could vividly picture it being an animated movie or series, maybe something akin to Paprika or The Boy and the Beast. The three-part model doesn't let you get overly attached to characters but allows you to get a broader view of the development of a world and focus in on particular political moments with very real world implications: closing of the commons, colonization, environmental destruction, feudal/capitalist relations to property and people, displacement and gentrification, etc.
This book wants to explore interesting ideas but is let down by really, really bad writing. 1 star.
dark
sad
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