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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
dark
slow-paced
I was so excited to read this book, but it really didn't deliver on much. The third section was written with a character voice that I really didn't enjoy. Section One: meh. Section Two: meh. Section Three: made me want to put the book down because I wasn't invested and the character voice rendered things even slower than the previous sections. Do not recommend.
placeholder review: so imagine a really scary acid trip where you're on the verge of discovering the truth of the universe and you're being haunted by freaky mind rabbits hell-bent on devouring crustaceans.
actual review: i'll try and be concise, but my god, vandermeer has done it again! absolution is a perfect blend of ecological existentialism, spy-thriller genre conventions completely flipped on their heads, and lingering dread interspersed with wit and sheer horror. the false daughter admittedly took a while to grow on me, as being trapped in old jim's head can be quite claustrophobic, but there's a purpose to that. his grief insulates him, and central can't have him insulated so they strip away all the layers that he's built up following years of fucked missions and cass's disappearance, only to replace them with a mind-bending, purpose-built lens of hypnotism and endless code loops through which old mate jack can glean some knowledge into the shitfuckery that happens on the forgotten coast.
lowry... ok hot take but i genuinely loved his section of the book! yeah he's a scumbag and completely off his rocker, but there are semi-decent reasons for that, and in retrospect his character in Authority and Acceptance makes more sense. he's Like That because he's seen some freaky shit and it's changed him in ways he's extremely reluctant to dig into.
i would argue that the title doesn't refer to any of the "human" characters in the novel. rather, it refers to the inciting force behind area x instead. take that as you will.
actual review: i'll try and be concise, but my god, vandermeer has done it again! absolution is a perfect blend of ecological existentialism, spy-thriller genre conventions completely flipped on their heads, and lingering dread interspersed with wit and sheer horror. the false daughter admittedly took a while to grow on me, as being trapped in old jim's head can be quite claustrophobic, but there's a purpose to that. his grief insulates him, and central can't have him insulated so they strip away all the layers that he's built up following years of fucked missions and cass's disappearance, only to replace them with a mind-bending, purpose-built lens of hypnotism and endless code loops through which old mate jack can glean some knowledge into the shitfuckery that happens on the forgotten coast.
lowry... ok hot take but i genuinely loved his section of the book! yeah he's a scumbag and completely off his rocker, but there are semi-decent reasons for that, and in retrospect his character in Authority and Acceptance makes more sense. he's Like That because he's seen some freaky shit and it's changed him in ways he's extremely reluctant to dig into.
i would argue that the title doesn't refer to any of the "human" characters in the novel. rather, it refers to the inciting force behind area x instead. take that as you will.
Notably bad editing as usual. Part two is where the good stuffs at
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
As mind bending and strange as the rest of the Area X series, I liked this one as a take on three separate yet connected times within the southern reach. Seeing the effect of the phenomenon on those who go within the boundaries play out over a period of time was something I appreciated, and each part building on the last and informing it
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don't even know what to say. What a wildly fucked up book, a delicious corridor back into Area X...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a wild and twisted ride this was. From spy shenanigans, to guns that become gars and a man with fingers that become mangroves, the return to Area X was a blast. I like the way the three stories came together as though they were supporting one another while also each standing as their own little story. The first one was like a fever dream of cannibalistic rabbits and the ever encroaching approach of the Rogue. I really liked the way this one built up a sense of dread until it all sort of came to a head. The second stretch was a spy thriller type story which was interesting and explored the idea of a doppelganger from the emotional side of things. And the final part was about the first expedition and involved some of the more grotesque imagery of the story. The narrator at this part was a huge pain to read at the start, but eventually the story settled into its groove in Area X. While the central mystery wasn't as gripping as the main books, this one was a very welcome addition to the series. Here's to hoping there might be more.