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marieintheraw's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly, I was bored and just couldn't care about this story which is unfortunate.
ajlindner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
cranuaed's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ericnleblanc's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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
4.5
jackdoud's review against another edition
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
probablynotabot's review against another edition
The singlemost offensive book I've read in my life. The rampant use of the f-slur and homo/transphobia made me want to throw the book at the wall.
shortnerd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
stellarian's review against another edition
4.0
I thought a lot about whether I should give this book four or five stars, and in the end I rated my enjoyment of the book instead of its quality, because I’m not sure I’m qualified to rate its quality. (I feel like I should know much more about Economics to fully appreciate everything in the story.)
I would say that Autonomous is about many kinds of slavery, from addiction, to programming, to being trapped by an emotional situation, to the evolution of capitalism enslaving large parts of the population of the world. There are no easy solutions offered, no complete and comforting emotional resolutions in the flawed relationships portrayed. There’s just the world, governed by greed and unjust interpretation of the law. Some people are given the opportunity to try to cope with the outcome of bloody economic warfare, and some are not.
As such the book is depressing, but not entirely so. These are people after all, whether they’re humans or machines, and they live their lives as best they can, making their mistakes and finding their joys. After finishing, I feel neither elated nor crushed - not even really satisfied - but I loved the meticulous worldbuilding and characters. It’s just this lack of emotional clarity that prevents me from giving the book a 5. Your mileage may differ, of course.
I would say that Autonomous is about many kinds of slavery, from addiction, to programming, to being trapped by an emotional situation, to the evolution of capitalism enslaving large parts of the population of the world. There are no easy solutions offered, no complete and comforting emotional resolutions in the flawed relationships portrayed. There’s just the world, governed by greed and unjust interpretation of the law. Some people are given the opportunity to try to cope with the outcome of bloody economic warfare, and some are not.
As such the book is depressing, but not entirely so. These are people after all, whether they’re humans or machines, and they live their lives as best they can, making their mistakes and finding their joys. After finishing, I feel neither elated nor crushed - not even really satisfied - but I loved the meticulous worldbuilding and characters. It’s just this lack of emotional clarity that prevents me from giving the book a 5. Your mileage may differ, of course.
grayjay's review against another edition
4.0
Autonomous takes place in about 100 years when the countries of the world have dissolved into a mere few trade zones. A former anti-patent activist named Jack races to put a stop to swath of overdoses caused by a drug she has reverse-engineered, and a young military robot and its human partner Eli are trying to track her down.
It's an imaginative novel--a sci-fi thriller crossed with shoujo romance. I like that Northern Canada has become highly developed: Iqaluit a centre for pharmaceutical research and Yellowknife full of high-class resorts. Newitz is also trying interesting things with gender. The robot Palladin, having been made genderless, must navigate and reconcile being constantly mis-gendered by the humans around them and struggles to decide what gender means for them.
It's an imaginative novel--a sci-fi thriller crossed with shoujo romance. I like that Northern Canada has become highly developed: Iqaluit a centre for pharmaceutical research and Yellowknife full of high-class resorts. Newitz is also trying interesting things with gender. The robot Palladin, having been made genderless, must navigate and reconcile being constantly mis-gendered by the humans around them and struggles to decide what gender means for them.