Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
this is what modern retellings should be all about.
for the setting i think the sterile, vigilant environment really enhances the emotion of the story.
i also really loved that the project was about immortality because isn't that what kings and succession lines also seek? i just thought it was particularly poetic and smart.
em x. liu manages to take you through the known beats of the story in a way that builds tension successfully even when you know they're coming (and in the specific instance of felicia's father, BECAUSE you know it's coming) but i imagine it's just as successful for those who don't.
my only mixed feeling is that i don't know if metaphorical deaths serve the ending as well as actual deaths, but i think that's just me personally.
for the setting i think the sterile, vigilant environment really enhances the emotion of the story.
i also really loved that the project was about immortality because isn't that what kings and succession lines also seek? i just thought it was particularly poetic and smart.
em x. liu manages to take you through the known beats of the story in a way that builds tension successfully even when you know they're coming (and in the specific instance of felicia's father, BECAUSE you know it's coming) but i imagine it's just as successful for those who don't.
my only mixed feeling is that i don't know if metaphorical deaths serve the ending as well as actual deaths, but i think that's just me personally.
Confession: I have not read Hamlet, so I fear many of the nuances of this book were lost on me. It was okay.
I wanted to love this but I just really really didn't. messy. saving grace was horatio, one of my favourite genders, etc
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the concept and some sections were an interesting reimagining of Hamlet. But other sections were off the walls weird and/or didn't work for me, including the ending. There was also a fair amount of repetitive language which got annoying. I think my expectations were higher and the actual book fell short.
I read Em X. Liu's The Death I Gave Him as pat of a buddy read in Reading Rainbow book club. The Death I Gave Him is a modern-day reimagining of the famous Hamlet story, but with a sci-fi touch and a locker-room thriller, murder mystery vibe. Ambitious? Yep. But, Liu's effort to breathe new life into an age-old tale I, ultimately, found both commendable and entertaining.
Centered around the collective fear of death and the lengths we'll go to hold on to life, we're introduced to Hayden and his father Graham, who are engrossed in creating the Sisyphus formula. Enter the world of mind uploading, neuromapping, and the tantalizing promise of immortality.
The book starts with Hayden Lichfield, our main character, discovering his father murdered in his lab. Soon after, Hayden and a few other folks find themselves locked in, until they can catch the murderer. This setup gives Liu the perfect backdrop for a unique storytelling method that ropes in different perspectives and styles. It is a fragmented relay race, and Liu herself says so in the book’s foreword: “[…]The story is fragmentary, I admit. But I implore you to embrace the experience, see what you may uncover between the lines.”
One of the perspectives we get is from Hayden's ex, Felicia Xia, who's written her own book "Tell Me A Tragedy". Liu jumps between the main story and Felicia's book, building a story within a story. It is super 'meta', and I love that. Most chapters are kicked off with quotes from lawsuits and author interviews; there are also phone transcripts and descriptions of security camera footages. It is all very clever and works pretty well, though trying to read it on an e-reader was a struggle. All the footnotes were crammed at the end of chapters which broke up my reading rhythm. The prose was, at times, however, a little off.
And then we have the character of Horatio, which is actually Elsinore Labs Operating System. Horatio adds an intriguing twist to the tale. He isn't just a robotic voice; he teems with emotions, and even builds a deep love relationship with Hayden. This subplot explores some of the highs and lows of their queer relationship, making it a captivating read.
The book's atmosphere scores high for offering a palpable sense of tension and isolation, thanks to the maze-like lab setting. There are some pretty uncomfortable moments that add an extra eerie factor to the story. At one point, it almost felt like we were going into sci-fi horror territory.
And while I found the narrative's variety of surprises interesting — like the doubts about Charles and Helen's relationship, and the evolving bond between Hayden and Horatio — Horatio's emotional depth sometimes felt misplaced.
And there you have it. The Death I Gave Him is scoring a solid 3.5 stars from me. This is an audacious fresh spin on a classic tragedy. Part love story, part betrayal, part suspense, this tale is wrapped in a cosmos of sci-fi. It comes with its ups and downs and may not be for everyone, especially if you prefer more traditional narratives. But if you love the buzz of a modern interpretation of tragedy, peppered with queer narrative and dipped in a light sci-fi pot, then it's definitely worth the read!
#pudseyrecommends
Centered around the collective fear of death and the lengths we'll go to hold on to life, we're introduced to Hayden and his father Graham, who are engrossed in creating the Sisyphus formula. Enter the world of mind uploading, neuromapping, and the tantalizing promise of immortality.
The book starts with Hayden Lichfield, our main character, discovering his father murdered in his lab. Soon after, Hayden and a few other folks find themselves locked in, until they can catch the murderer. This setup gives Liu the perfect backdrop for a unique storytelling method that ropes in different perspectives and styles. It is a fragmented relay race, and Liu herself says so in the book’s foreword: “[…]The story is fragmentary, I admit. But I implore you to embrace the experience, see what you may uncover between the lines.”
One of the perspectives we get is from Hayden's ex, Felicia Xia, who's written her own book "Tell Me A Tragedy". Liu jumps between the main story and Felicia's book, building a story within a story. It is super 'meta', and I love that. Most chapters are kicked off with quotes from lawsuits and author interviews; there are also phone transcripts and descriptions of security camera footages. It is all very clever and works pretty well, though trying to read it on an e-reader was a struggle. All the footnotes were crammed at the end of chapters which broke up my reading rhythm. The prose was, at times, however, a little off.
And then we have the character of Horatio, which is actually Elsinore Labs Operating System. Horatio adds an intriguing twist to the tale. He isn't just a robotic voice; he teems with emotions, and even builds a deep love relationship with Hayden. This subplot explores some of the highs and lows of their queer relationship, making it a captivating read.
The book's atmosphere scores high for offering a palpable sense of tension and isolation, thanks to the maze-like lab setting. There are some pretty uncomfortable moments that add an extra eerie factor to the story. At one point, it almost felt like we were going into sci-fi horror territory.
And while I found the narrative's variety of surprises interesting — like the doubts about Charles and Helen's relationship, and the evolving bond between Hayden and Horatio — Horatio's emotional depth sometimes felt misplaced.
And there you have it. The Death I Gave Him is scoring a solid 3.5 stars from me. This is an audacious fresh spin on a classic tragedy. Part love story, part betrayal, part suspense, this tale is wrapped in a cosmos of sci-fi. It comes with its ups and downs and may not be for everyone, especially if you prefer more traditional narratives. But if you love the buzz of a modern interpretation of tragedy, peppered with queer narrative and dipped in a light sci-fi pot, then it's definitely worth the read!
#pudseyrecommends
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a review
I'm neither a huge fan of thrillers nor a Hamlet lover, but this book completely blew me away in every possible way.
Until now, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of reading a book that made me feel as tense as this one did. That's saying something because, for me, when a book evokes such deep emotions, it's a true mark of how good it is.
To be fair and honest, I went into this book blindly. However, both the cover and the fact that it was marketed as a "locked room thriller" caught my interest, and I couldn't resist the temptation of requesting it when it showed up on NetGalley.
"The Death I Gave Him" does indeed have echoes of Hamlet, but it takes those elements and transforms them into a more captivating and absorbing story. The prose was exquisite, and I found myself constantly on the edge, anticipating my imminent descent into an abyss of pain and utter despair. Additionally, Horatio, the sentient AI, quickly became a favorite character.
Overall, if you're searching for a read that draws from the classics but offers a fresh, innovative twist with some tech touches, high levels of tension, elements of body horror, and enchanting prose, then look no further.
I'm neither a huge fan of thrillers nor a Hamlet lover, but this book completely blew me away in every possible way.
Until now, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of reading a book that made me feel as tense as this one did. That's saying something because, for me, when a book evokes such deep emotions, it's a true mark of how good it is.
To be fair and honest, I went into this book blindly. However, both the cover and the fact that it was marketed as a "locked room thriller" caught my interest, and I couldn't resist the temptation of requesting it when it showed up on NetGalley.
"The Death I Gave Him" does indeed have echoes of Hamlet, but it takes those elements and transforms them into a more captivating and absorbing story. The prose was exquisite, and I found myself constantly on the edge, anticipating my imminent descent into an abyss of pain and utter despair. Additionally, Horatio, the sentient AI, quickly became a favorite character.
Overall, if you're searching for a read that draws from the classics but offers a fresh, innovative twist with some tech touches, high levels of tension, elements of body horror, and enchanting prose, then look no further.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
Yes