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joshhornbeck's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
FIRST THOUGHTS:
A really compelling, fun, but incredibly dark read about the state of technology and our society’s desire to cede choice to algorithms and artificial intelligence out of a fear of making wrong or incorrect choices on our own. This definitely falls more on the mainstream side of Eggers’s writing, and you can palpably see his anger at the state of American society right now - the inability of even well-meaning individuals to understand nuance or complexity, the rapacious growth of tech companies and our increasing dependence on them for everything - this is a novel of warning and frustration. But it’s also refreshing to see that he also understands that these major corporations may be our only way out of the environmental catastrophe that lies ahead of us… they just also want the unfettered wealth and power they’re amassing along the way. It may not be his most masterful work, but it’s a solid work of (not so) speculative fiction that manages to hold on to the nuance that so many today are afraid to explore.
A really compelling, fun, but incredibly dark read about the state of technology and our society’s desire to cede choice to algorithms and artificial intelligence out of a fear of making wrong or incorrect choices on our own. This definitely falls more on the mainstream side of Eggers’s writing, and you can palpably see his anger at the state of American society right now - the inability of even well-meaning individuals to understand nuance or complexity, the rapacious growth of tech companies and our increasing dependence on them for everything - this is a novel of warning and frustration. But it’s also refreshing to see that he also understands that these major corporations may be our only way out of the environmental catastrophe that lies ahead of us… they just also want the unfettered wealth and power they’re amassing along the way. It may not be his most masterful work, but it’s a solid work of (not so) speculative fiction that manages to hold on to the nuance that so many today are afraid to explore.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Cancer, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
nstew16's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is exactly the kind of sequel readers should expect from The Circle. It was everything it needed to be.
Part of the brilliance of this concept is that readers can admire exactly how this economic model is ideal for sustainable living and being mindful of the global consumption issues while also reminding us of the problematic nature it poses when presented as a large scale monopoly that eliminates much of what makes us human. It is a very interesting idea to wrestle with.
My only negative comment is that the references to pop culture are a little bit distracting from the era Delaney is experiencing.
Part of the brilliance of this concept is that readers can admire exactly how this economic model is ideal for sustainable living and being mindful of the global consumption issues while also reminding us of the problematic nature it poses when presented as a large scale monopoly that eliminates much of what makes us human. It is a very interesting idea to wrestle with.
My only negative comment is that the references to pop culture are a little bit distracting from the era Delaney is experiencing.
The first few were cute and did work the way they were meant to, which is in establishing a timeline, but after a while they seem derived and not well thought out in relation to the narrative. Comparing the already established timeline to one that is not longer relevant.
I think by trying to establish his world's credibility and relevance to modern time, Eggers actually ends up dating his ideas and opinions and reminding the reader of his presence in the narrative. I wish he had spent more time giving himself credit for new ideas and establishing his world's own pop culture than making convenient nods to a world that has long since become irrelevant by the time The Every has been established as an absolute force. Luckily, the cheap references stopped about midway through the book to focus on the plot.
A few authors/books that The Every reminded me of were:
- Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan (also set in San Francisco and published one year before The Circle)
- George Orwell
- Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
- Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut (the satire is quite similar)
The ending itself, though predictable and unsettling, is exactly as I believe it needed to be. Well done, Dave Eggers.
A few authors/books that The Every reminded me of were:
- Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan (also set in San Francisco and published one year before The Circle)
- George Orwell
- Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
- Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut (the satire is quite similar)
Bold
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
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