Scan barcode
hollipapa's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I really enjoyed the concept of this book (borderline dystopian/speculative fiction) but....
While it started out well and the characters / interrelationships were great, I felt the book was too hopeful for the subject matter. I know that sounds odd, but seriously there would have been WAY more chaos (humanity really doesn't do well with this kind of knowledge). Also, there weren't nearly enough discussion on where the boxes came from.
I did enjoy that it mentioned how different countries dealt with the situation and how different cultures have different ways if thinking, but I wanted more on that.
Overall, it was worth the read and is great for discussion but to much focus on personal relationships fory taste
While it started out well and the characters / interrelationships were great, I felt the book was too hopeful for the subject matter. I know that sounds odd, but seriously there would have been WAY more chaos (humanity really doesn't do well with this kind of knowledge). Also, there weren't nearly enough discussion on where the boxes came from.
I did enjoy that it mentioned how different countries dealt with the situation and how different cultures have different ways if thinking, but I wanted more on that.
Overall, it was worth the read and is great for discussion but to much focus on personal relationships fory taste
corkspork's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This was a book club selection and likely not something I would've chosen for myself. I never did really get behind the concept of how big of the a thing the boxes and strings were supposed to be for the characters, and the discriminatory actions taken against "short stringers" were pretty on the nose for actual discrimination faced today, except that it felt stupid to say "short stringers". Some of the characters' reflection felt relatable, others felt forced. I felt pretty detached from the story which is unusual for me. Ultimately this landed somewhere between "it's okay" and "I liked it".
attackofthetitans's review against another edition
5.0
I think everyone should read this book. It brings up great themes of life and death. I laughed and cried. It is a celebration of life and how precious it is.
b0okcupidity's review against another edition
3.0
If the outrageous idea that everyone in the world would have a box arrive at their door with a string that revealed the length of their life was enough to hook you into this sci-fi like it did me, you may be disappointed with the execution. That high concept is completely glossed over. Instead, the juicy questions that humanity grapples with leaves us, the reader, to question what our own choices would be. Do you open the box? How do you proceed? Do you view others in the same way? How do you cope when governments make choices for you? How do you cope when those you love make choices you do not agree with? Wait...these are mostly the questions we already must address...so, really, good sci-fi is turning a mirror on our problems in search of an answer? I like to think so.
By time I made it half-way through the book I was pretty depressed. I didn't particularly LOVE the characters how they were written and overall, the sense of dread was palpable. Inevitably in a story like this with the frame of known life expectancy, we are dealing with short stringers - those we know are going to bite it soon - so it was hard for me to stay engaged (I have a hard time with misery in books and isn't the trudge of jealousy, denial, desperation, and sadness, understandable feelings to someone who is counting their days, harder for those living it? Surely. So, I had a bit of readers guilt too!). But I did really enjoy the themes this entire subject curated and the constant search for hope because you knew it was there, it had to be.
Hope is a guy on a bicycle with a boombox playing Doris Day, weaving his way through the tangled streets of New York, popping up here and there, like a pop of color in the tapestry that your eye is drawn to.
Hope is there, my friend. I love it when a book's answer is as beautifully simple as that.
First 70% 2 stars, last 30% 4+ stars.
By time I made it half-way through the book I was pretty depressed. I didn't particularly LOVE the characters how they were written and overall, the sense of dread was palpable. Inevitably in a story like this with the frame of known life expectancy, we are dealing with short stringers - those we know are going to bite it soon - so it was hard for me to stay engaged (I have a hard time with misery in books and isn't the trudge of jealousy, denial, desperation, and sadness, understandable feelings to someone who is counting their days, harder for those living it? Surely. So, I had a bit of readers guilt too!). But I did really enjoy the themes this entire subject curated and the constant search for hope because you knew it was there, it had to be.
Hope is a guy on a bicycle with a boombox playing Doris Day, weaving his way through the tangled streets of New York, popping up here and there, like a pop of color in the tapestry that your eye is drawn to.
Hope is there, my friend. I love it when a book's answer is as beautifully simple as that.
First 70% 2 stars, last 30% 4+ stars.
constant_reader_19's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
After some thought I am going with 4.5. The premise of this book is something that has come up in conversation before…”would you want to know when you are going to die?” I wasn’t shocked with what some of the characters did with the knowledge…and some I was happily surprised with. I wasn’t satisfied with the end though…the characters stories wrapped up well…but not the overall plot.
burghblakebooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- 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
chandlera0227's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
I absolutely LOVED the premise of the book! I wish it had gone a bit deeper with the characters, or chosen less story lines as I would have loved more.
calliehk's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at 75% …. So much potential with terrible execution. Put me in a reading rut it was so boring
_stellaewang_'s review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? No
3.5
laestaci's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Wanted more from the ending. And was totally disengaged when author would reference “wrinkled mid-40s hands” and suggest 11 year old siblings run off to play on playgrounds and take turns on the slide. Nah those are going to be moody preteens on their phones. The ending felt really out of touch with anyone over the age…30?