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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Challenging in ways readers — and writers — need to be challenged, Noah Hawley's assessment of a divided country goes beyond the standard political, generational, and financial lines, trying to worm its way inside various points of view and tackle massive issues from a multitude of angles. His first-person interludes are as surprising as they are risky, but they end up pairing nicely with a piece of fiction that needs his personal investment to resonate as fully as it does. "Anthem's" density of thought and intense primary topic are alleviated by creative flourishes (lions!) and his consistently compassionate character work. (That being said, I expect some readers won't be able to get past the premise, which is absolutely understandable — it's not for everyone!)
But I expect to revisit this in a few years, whenever I find myself lost amid the daily hot takes. It's just encouraging to read an author offering useful nudges based in concentrated contemplation — and who's still open to suggestions.
But I expect to revisit this in a few years, whenever I find myself lost amid the daily hot takes. It's just encouraging to read an author offering useful nudges based in concentrated contemplation — and who's still open to suggestions.
I think the people in my life are tired of constantly hearing me gush about this book, but now that I’ve finally finished it, I’m here to talk about it again.
Anthem is a novel that encapsulates so many emotions and cultural phenomena of the modern day, all while reading like one great dungeon crawl. Noah Hawley writes with such sensitivity and humility (sometimes even breaking up the story with personal ramblings) that it reminds me of conversations I’ve had with close friends about the state of our world and humanity.
Please please please pick up this book if you want to face the atrocities of our world (and the horrors of capitalism and climate change and political polarization and extremism, etc) but feel if you listen to one more NPR segment about any of those things you’ll just have a nervous breakdown and shut off forever. Being able to view these things through the eyes of children on a mission from God to save a princess from an evil Wizard while the world is on fire is not an easy thing to do and Hawley does it so, so well.
It took me a bit to read because of the heavy subject matter and the desire to really mull some chapters over but it was incredibly worthwhile. Anthem is a book I will recommend again and again for the foreseeable future and it’s already going on my Top Books of 2022 list, I’m calling it now.
Someone please read this so I can talk about it lol
Anthem is a novel that encapsulates so many emotions and cultural phenomena of the modern day, all while reading like one great dungeon crawl. Noah Hawley writes with such sensitivity and humility (sometimes even breaking up the story with personal ramblings) that it reminds me of conversations I’ve had with close friends about the state of our world and humanity.
Please please please pick up this book if you want to face the atrocities of our world (and the horrors of capitalism and climate change and political polarization and extremism, etc) but feel if you listen to one more NPR segment about any of those things you’ll just have a nervous breakdown and shut off forever. Being able to view these things through the eyes of children on a mission from God to save a princess from an evil Wizard while the world is on fire is not an easy thing to do and Hawley does it so, so well.
It took me a bit to read because of the heavy subject matter and the desire to really mull some chapters over but it was incredibly worthwhile. Anthem is a book I will recommend again and again for the foreseeable future and it’s already going on my Top Books of 2022 list, I’m calling it now.
Someone please read this so I can talk about it lol
For me, this was 6 stars! Noah Hawley is brilliant! Thoughtful, and engaging. But, big but, be very careful, this is not a story for everyone. Trigger warnings for EVERYTHING.
adventurous
dark
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really interesting concept: teens worldwide commiting suicide post-pandemic. There's lots to think about, particularly how the lockdowns and social distancing have affected their mental health. Then there are some good digressions, exploring politics and social issues. QAnon even gets a mention. So why the DNF? Because by 25% this had not evolved into something with characters I cared about and the plot was still all over the place. Editing definitely needed!
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss.
chilling, twisty, bleak as fuck, truly hawleyan. it's going to haunt me until I die.
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a "it's me, not the book" case. I liked the style of writing and the dystopia was interesting but it wasn't the right moment and I felt it a bit too depressing for the moment.
Not my cup of tea, I will re-read in the future and i'm sure I will appreciated it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea, I will re-read in the future and i'm sure I will appreciated it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
..that’ll be a dnf for me. I’m not a huge political thriller fan to begin with, but one chapter in , and the gory suicide descriptions were too much for me. Major triggers for me.
*thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy
*thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy
I’m somewhere between a 4 and 4.5 with this one.
This book was devastating, scary, and brilliant. I honestly feel the need to re read it to digest more but it’s so real, it’s scary. This is a somewhat based in reality apocalyptic novel with slight fairy tale retellings.
I think the author did a great job exemplifying the problems in current American politics without picking a side. He does a great job pointing out and describing the doom while still being optimistic. I think the biggest lesson to take away here is that there is time to change, and there will always be some battle we are facing in humanity but it’s important to have faith and fight together.
This book was devastating, scary, and brilliant. I honestly feel the need to re read it to digest more but it’s so real, it’s scary. This is a somewhat based in reality apocalyptic novel with slight fairy tale retellings.
I think the author did a great job exemplifying the problems in current American politics without picking a side. He does a great job pointing out and describing the doom while still being optimistic. I think the biggest lesson to take away here is that there is time to change, and there will always be some battle we are facing in humanity but it’s important to have faith and fight together.