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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A little trickier to follow than some of the other Southern Reach books, especially since it had been a while since I read them, but so many layers of intrigue and some incredible writing.
I just need a book that answers all my questions about Whitby. Because Absolution has really sent me to the edge on that topic.
Over all, I enjoyed Absolution just for the simple fact that being in the world of Area X brings me great joy. I am obsessed with discovering more and hunting for answers I may or may not get. I think I wasted a lot of time initially when reading this installment, just hoping to find twists that tie into the previous novels. But alas, as is the case with this series, I have more questions than I did before. The book is split into three novellas. The first one, predating Area X, was interesting but drawn out. I found myself most confused about what was going on in this part; it seemed to be more abstract in some of the scenes. The second part was like a detective/mystery set in Area X and I really enjoyed cracking the case, especially towards the end when scenes from other books started to overlap.
And then there was Part 3...the highly anticipated behind the scenes look at the first expedition. And like many, many, many other reviewers...I hated it. It was excruciatingly tedious to read and I think it essentially added nothing to the series. I was really disappointed, but VanderMeer has given us soooo much other good material that I can't really be too upset that that part fell short.
Suffice it to say...I will happily accept any more installments to the Southern Reach series. Especially, if if means we get more text on Whitby and The Rogue. I genuinely count it amongst my favorite book series.
Over all, I enjoyed Absolution just for the simple fact that being in the world of Area X brings me great joy. I am obsessed with discovering more and hunting for answers I may or may not get. I think I wasted a lot of time initially when reading this installment, just hoping to find twists that tie into the previous novels. But alas, as is the case with this series, I have more questions than I did before. The book is split into three novellas. The first one, predating Area X, was interesting but drawn out. I found myself most confused about what was going on in this part; it seemed to be more abstract in some of the scenes. The second part was like a detective/mystery set in Area X and I really enjoyed cracking the case, especially towards the end when scenes from other books started to overlap.
And then there was Part 3...the highly anticipated behind the scenes look at the first expedition. And like many, many, many other reviewers...I hated it. It was excruciatingly tedious to read and I think it essentially added nothing to the series. I was really disappointed, but VanderMeer has given us soooo much other good material that I can't really be too upset that that part fell short.
Suffice it to say...I will happily accept any more installments to the Southern Reach series. Especially, if if means we get more text on Whitby and The Rogue. I genuinely count it amongst my favorite book series.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
My ranking of the series:
Acceptance (book 3; 4 stars)
Annihilation (book 1; 4 stars)
Authority (book 2; 3.5 stars)
Absolution (book 4; 3 stars)
Acceptance (book 3; 4 stars)
Annihilation (book 1; 4 stars)
Authority (book 2; 3.5 stars)
Absolution (book 4; 3 stars)
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
I really enjoyed the first three Southern Reach books, I felt really immersed, and the natural world of Area X felt like a character in of itself. These books are pretty abstract but this finale was almost so much so that I found it hard to connect and get through it at the pace I did with the others. Though the ideas it explores are very interesting, it was not the satisfying end that I was looking for - but maybe that is the whole point!
challenging
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Fills in the blanks while closing the loop, simultaneously. Didn’t rewire my brain the same way Annihilation did, but I still cried and ground my teeth, so that’s a win!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, Cannibalism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A lot of questions by the time I got to the end of this. A lot I didn’t understand. The third section was most difficult to follow and I’m not sure what happened - very trippy.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes