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jcreads85's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This may be the strangest book I’ve ever read.
To be honest, I'm not sure what to say about this book. It is written in parts, as if short stories. But they are all by the same author with the same undercurrent - an apocalyptic virus freed from the permafrost in Siberia. The stories are each unique points of view from all over the world, though most will have a character, place, or thing that was mentioned in another story. The stories span time and space, and even plains of reality. And the actual virus described is terrifying and other worldly.
I listened to this book on audio, the full cast was remarkable. And though disturbing content, the tale was very compelling.
I'd say, my biggest complaint, is that for each point of view you only get a moment in time. And some you really want to follow-longer. It's as if someone else has control of the channels, and flip them at will.
And while there isn't an ending, per se, there is an explanation of events...from an other worldly point of view.
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Chronic illness, Child death, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
alexhodge's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, Suicide, Child death, Death, and Chronic illness
otakatoe3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Cancer, Abandonment, Infidelity, Chronic illness, Child death, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Confinement, and Grief
st_ender's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Animal death, Medical content, Death, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Medical trauma and Body horror
Minor: Chronic illness, Confinement, Cancer, Pregnancy, Body shaming, and Suicide
Extensive discussion of euthanasia, and anything that can possibly happen to a person once they die.traciereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Death, Grief, Dysphoria, Cancer, Ableism, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Self harm, Addiction, Suicide attempt, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Abandonment
ladyhunbun's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Terminal illness and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Grief, Child death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Death
heytaytay12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Graphic: Chronic illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Blood, Medical content, Suicide, Death, Child death, and Death of parent
baileyes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Suicide, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Death, Grief, Cancer, Animal death, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, and Abandonment
the_kristin_amber's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Told in woven narratives this novel is elegant yet very dark. I couldn't put it down but wished I could.
Graphic: Suicide, Pandemic/Epidemic, Grief, Chronic illness, Child death, and Death
musicalpopcorn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed the first half of this book more than I enjoyed the second half, but overall I liked the whole thing. The kind of dark surrealist stories about euthanasia parks and talking pigs were much more interesting to me than the ones that by contrast seemed like normal family dramas. I found all of the stories compelling however I also found that having every single main character feeling detached from their family got a little old after a while and made them feel like the same character every single time.
This was a unique book with a one of a kind outlook on humanity. How it managed to be both so dark and depressing to ultimately hopeful was very well done.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Cancer, Stalking, Suicide, Animal death, Blood, Colonisation, and Grief