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ampharis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Car accident, Drug abuse, Gore, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Genocide, Murder, Death of parent, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, and War
tanilian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Murder
_fr_day_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty
pterodog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I honestly can't emphasise how much I loved this book. From the first description of a novel polychaete to the final heartstopping pages I was completely engrossed by the story and the characters. As long as The Swarm is, I never felt like it dragged or stagnated at any point - though a little slow to start as it establishes the characters, all 900 pages drove the plot forwards relentlessly. The huge cast can be a little difficult to keep track of at first but they are all distinctive and (mostly) loveable. They all feel like people, with flaws and hangups and vices. I was particularly fond of Leon Anawak, Sigur Johanson and Karen Weaver, but there were few characters I actively hated -
As we were introduced to Johanson and his companion and coworker Tina Lund, I was concerned that the book would fall into the stereotype of the older, eccentric professor and his young female ingenue, with all the emotional unavailability and unhealthy relationships that trope usually brings. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that in fact Johanson was an emotionally intelligent and understanding character instead of a stereotypical womaniser, who treated Lund with respect and didn't just prioritise his ability to get laid. The book isn't without romantic relationships, and none of them left me with the bad taste in my mouth that I find so common in adult fiction. Though some felt more developed than others, there was no random pairing off of characters solely for the purpose of putting them in relationships. The platonic and familial relationships easily outnumbered the romantic ones, and were given just as much if not more time to develop and come to fruition.
I also appreciated the lack of plot armour the characters had.
At the end of the day, though, The Swarm felt like a love letter to the ocean - not just to the creatures that live in it, but also to the people who respect, study and wish to protect it. It's a love letter to the best aspects of humanity as well - a reminder that people are, often, more good than bad. The ending
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Grief, Islamophobia, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault and Body shaming
hannah_ks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Body shaming
Interesting and still relevant ideas about our environment and the way we live. However sometimes the book felt a bit too long for mekleine_elster_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death and Violence
max_power's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Death and Animal death
finn_vibing's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
Graphic: Death