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ckjaer88's review against another edition
4.0
I think I actually liked this, but I'm not quite sure yet...
amaldae's review against another edition
3.0
A-day-after-reading edit completed nearly a week later--
3.5/5 stars. I frankly don't remember enough of this novel to say that it deserves a four. What I remember is a lecture, a short course on philosophy, something that did not even require participation on my part other than just sitting there listening (quite unlike the best lectures I have attended to and books I have read, which have actually stayed with me; this might have something to do with the last paragraph of my review). //
Pre-Hungergamian dystopia. It exists.
If you think that the extreme juxtaposition of religion and reason is stupid, you will like this book. Yes, even Beckett's Genesis is sort of about Adam, Eve, and the Fall of Man, but it's also set in a utopian/dystopian society where reason governs the heart–possibly more than ever.
The inhabitants of the Republic, including our protagonist, are happy (goodness, really? And this is still classified as dystopia? ...that's the THG-effect speaking right there). Through the frame story that is our protagonist's oral examination, we are introduced to a system that has evolved from a very literar take on Plato's original utopia into something allegedly better.
The book takes us through some of the basic questions of philosophy and mixes in some psychology along with other scientific subjects (mainly for the flavor I guess, since they did not really add to the story anything other than a sense of the author wanting to impress the reader), essentially challenging the reader to confront their ugliest preconceptions and most conventional values. Somewhere along the way it ends up being a sort of study on religion, as well...
As a young adult novel, Genesis doesn't explore anything in great depth but is content in simply stirring the pot for us. Still, it gives the presumately young reader a nice sense of what is it that most of their classmates are so ready to hate without sacrificing it a second thought, as well as reason to believe that rather than being boring, discussion can actually be stimulating. That's a great lesson, and I believe the book to be engaging enough to make at least the more cerebral youngsters willing to educate themselves further. It offers some solutions and I was not a fan of the forceful way in wich some parts were delivered, butmaybe that's just me being non-cerebral overall I think it did a really good job.
Anyway! This kind of a focus makes the book rather heavy in content, especially considering its brevity. If you're the type of a person who prefers in-the-moment interaction and gut-level decision-making to more nitpicky intellectal sparring, then this book will probably offer you a challenge.
Another problem I had with Beckett's novel was the structure. Sure, it's inventive and allows him to lay out an interesting world in surprising depth and detail, better still in a way that does not come across as clumsy info-dumping. However, I don't think he used it as effectively as possible; especially the long monologies, recitings of age-old discussions and hologram scenes did not hold my attention. The story-telling is skillful and the text flows well, but it's hard for me to believe that it's an oral presentation–something a girl at Anax's age (or anybody else for that matter) could perform so flawlessly and with such sense of style and progression. It's as if Beckett forgot the limitations of his narrative solution from time to time–which is a shame, especially because Anax any more than Beckett's otherwise surprisingly choppy prose did not win me over at the intervals either.
But I do have to say that the translation was pretty much spectacular.
Oh, and also–if somebody else understood why the ending made enough sense (beside being effective for shock-value, of course) for Anax to guess what was waiting for her... please do share your understanding in the comments section below.
Maybe I just have to conclude that while appreciated, this was not exactly my cup of tea. It just did not speak to the heart as much as it did to the head, which for me is a minus more ofen than not.
3.5/5 stars. I frankly don't remember enough of this novel to say that it deserves a four. What I remember is a lecture, a short course on philosophy, something that did not even require participation on my part other than just sitting there listening (quite unlike the best lectures I have attended to and books I have read, which have actually stayed with me; this might have something to do with the last paragraph of my review). //
"I am unique. I am a miracle." –Man
"What if that's not strictly true?" –Reason
Pre-Hungergamian dystopia. It exists.
If you think that the extreme juxtaposition of religion and reason is stupid, you will like this book. Yes, even Beckett's Genesis is sort of about Adam, Eve, and the Fall of Man
Spoiler
or notThe inhabitants of the Republic, including our protagonist, are happy (goodness, really? And this is still classified as dystopia? ...that's the THG-effect speaking right there). Through the frame story that is our protagonist's oral examination, we are introduced to a system that has evolved from a very literar take on Plato's original utopia into something allegedly better.
Spoiler
Knowledge and overt curiosity are still off-limits, though.The book takes us through some of the basic questions of philosophy and mixes in some psychology along with other scientific subjects (mainly for the flavor I guess, since they did not really add to the story anything other than a sense of the author wanting to impress the reader), essentially challenging the reader to confront their ugliest preconceptions and most conventional values. Somewhere along the way it ends up being a sort of study on religion, as well...
As a young adult novel, Genesis doesn't explore anything in great depth but is content in simply stirring the pot for us. Still, it gives the presumately young reader a nice sense of what is it that most of their classmates are so ready to hate without sacrificing it a second thought, as well as reason to believe that rather than being boring, discussion can actually be stimulating. That's a great lesson, and I believe the book to be engaging enough to make at least the more cerebral youngsters willing to educate themselves further. It offers some solutions and I was not a fan of the forceful way in wich some parts were delivered, but
Anyway! This kind of a focus makes the book rather heavy in content, especially considering its brevity. If you're the type of a person who prefers in-the-moment interaction and gut-level decision-making to more nitpicky intellectal sparring, then this book will probably offer you a challenge.
Another problem I had with Beckett's novel was the structure. Sure, it's inventive and allows him to lay out an interesting world in surprising depth and detail, better still in a way that does not come across as clumsy info-dumping. However, I don't think he used it as effectively as possible; especially the long monologies, recitings of age-old discussions and hologram scenes did not hold my attention. The story-telling is skillful and the text flows well, but it's hard for me to believe that it's an oral presentation–something a girl at Anax's age (or anybody else for that matter) could perform so flawlessly and with such sense of style and progression. It's as if Beckett forgot the limitations of his narrative solution from time to time–which is a shame, especially because Anax any more than Beckett's otherwise surprisingly choppy prose did not win me over at the intervals either.
But I do have to say that the translation was pretty much spectacular.
Oh, and also–if somebody else understood why the ending made enough sense (beside being effective for shock-value, of course) for Anax to guess what was waiting for her... please do share your understanding in the comments section below.
Maybe I just have to conclude that while appreciated, this was not exactly my cup of tea. It just did not speak to the heart as much as it did to the head, which for me is a minus more ofen than not.
amsaduke's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely not what I was expecting. There were so many philosophical ideas in this book and normally that doesn't appeal to me, but this book gave me a lot of things to think about.
litschi97's review against another edition
3.0
Hm.
That's actually all I can say.
This book suprised me on many levels. It was super philosophical and totally worth the reading, but I don't think I understood the end. I mean I do understood it, but it was really weird and I don't really know what to think about it! You totally should read this and make your own opinion it's a good book with a strange story.
That's actually all I can say.
This book suprised me on many levels. It was super philosophical and totally worth the reading, but I don't think I understood the end. I mean I do understood it, but it was really weird and I don't really know what to think about it! You totally should read this and make your own opinion it's a good book with a strange story.
jkkb332's review
4.0
I love a book that challenges your assumptions by completely blindsiding you towards the end, and I especially love when you can look back and see how very wrong you were. This book does the first very well, and a decent job at the second.
This is very dystopian. Even though it was written in 2010 it feels extremely timely in today's post-pandemic world (using the term post-pandemic loosely here, in the sense that the initial panic and society-changing part of it has passed). This is why I don't read dystopian fiction anymore, it hits too close to home. Frankly I only picked this up because it was a quick read and I'm trying to catch up on my reading challenge (and because it's been on my to-read list for ~10 years, yeesh). But, the twist is worth the reminder that the world is going to shit, so you should read it anyway.
This is very dystopian. Even though it was written in 2010 it feels extremely timely in today's post-pandemic world (using the term post-pandemic loosely here, in the sense that the initial panic and society-changing part of it has passed). This is why I don't read dystopian fiction anymore, it hits too close to home. Frankly I only picked this up because it was a quick read and I'm trying to catch up on my reading challenge (and because it's been on my to-read list for ~10 years, yeesh). But, the twist is worth the reminder that the world is going to shit, so you should read it anyway.
j1988e's review against another edition
3.0
Los giros de trama suelen ser lo mio y Génesis prometía eso. Con el diario del lunes no estoy segura si la continuidad de si lectura se dio sostenida por esa promesa o realmente porque sea atrapante.
Es un libro denso, no soy la primera en decirlo. El giro de trama tuvo gusto a poco, sobre el final simplemente no me importaba tanto.
Es claramente un libro para amar, odiar o ser indiferente.
Es un libro denso, no soy la primera en decirlo. El giro de trama tuvo gusto a poco, sobre el final simplemente no me importaba tanto.
Es claramente un libro para amar, odiar o ser indiferente.
mrninjaviking's review against another edition
3.0
This book had caught my eye at a book store a while back, but I never did get a copy. My brother-in-law David however had a copy that he was looking to trade on PaperBackSwap, so I gave him the point and took it myself.
Per usual, I turn to Amazon.Com and Publishers Weekly for a description:
This story is short. I really don't know how to truly classify whether something is a novel, though I know some of the doorstoppers published today are certainly novels, but some "stories" seem so short, yet are said to be novels. I would call this a novella or novelette, especially because of today's standards. What is funny, is that I think it's still too long.
Someone that goes by the name of P. Blackburn wrote an excellent review of the book on Amazon.Com. The title of the review is "Derivative material strongly written" which hits it on the head for me. Though the reference to "Brave New World" by Adolus Huxley is lost on me, since I have not read the book yet, he/she hits on many of the same feelings I have about this book.
I started to find it tiresome even sooner. There was a lot of philosophical discussions between Adam and Art, and though filled with some tension, it got too deep for me to enjoy. Sometimes I felt they went on far too long.
I almost felt cheated by the twist. It threw off my whole perspective of the characters, as it should, but made it felt almost worthless to read.
I couldn't put my finger on exactly how I felt about the end until I read this. It really sums it up well.
Beckett's writing is very good. His prose, his descriptions, his dialog, are all well done. He has talent. But given the nature of the story, I think it could have had more of an effect if it was shorter. Still an interesting science fiction story.
Per usual, I turn to Amazon.Com and Publishers Weekly for a description:
Anax, the dedicated student historian at the center of Beckett's brutal dystopian novel, lives far in the future—the distant past events of the 21st century are taught in classrooms. The world of that era, we learn, was ravaged by plague and decay, the legacy of the Last War. Only the island Republic, situated near the bottom of the globe, remained stable and ordered, but at the cost of personal freedom. Anax, hoping her scholarly achievements will gain her entrance to the Academy, which rules her society, has extensively studied Adam Forde, a brilliant and rebellious citizen of the Republic who fought for human dignity in the midst of a regimented, sterile society. To join the Academy's ranks, Anax undergoes a test before three examiners, and as the examination progresses, it becomes clear that her interpretations of Adam's life defy conventional thought and there may be more to Adam—and the Academy—than she had imagined.
This story is short. I really don't know how to truly classify whether something is a novel, though I know some of the doorstoppers published today are certainly novels, but some "stories" seem so short, yet are said to be novels. I would call this a novella or novelette, especially because of today's standards. What is funny, is that I think it's still too long.
Someone that goes by the name of P. Blackburn wrote an excellent review of the book on Amazon.Com. The title of the review is "Derivative material strongly written" which hits it on the head for me. Though the reference to "Brave New World" by Adolus Huxley is lost on me, since I have not read the book yet, he/she hits on many of the same feelings I have about this book.
... I found "Genesis" becoming tiresome at about two-thirds through.
I started to find it tiresome even sooner. There was a lot of philosophical discussions between Adam and Art, and though filled with some tension, it got too deep for me to enjoy. Sometimes I felt they went on far too long.
The twist at the end is meant to be surprising, but when a twist comes out of the blue with little set-up, the effect is difficult to believe and less successful.
I almost felt cheated by the twist. It threw off my whole perspective of the characters, as it should, but made it felt almost worthless to read.
The final pages reminded of a certain "Twilight Zone" episode.
I couldn't put my finger on exactly how I felt about the end until I read this. It really sums it up well.
Beckett's writing is very good. His prose, his descriptions, his dialog, are all well done. He has talent. But given the nature of the story, I think it could have had more of an effect if it was shorter. Still an interesting science fiction story.
callieisreading's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting take on the YA dystopian novel, I find it interesting that it's even classified as YA- the book is short (less than 200 pages) and the protagonist is 17, but I think the philosophical themes expressed here run more complex than what I've typically found in YA literature. This reminds me of Asimov, who I also really enjoy. I can't wait to discuss this one, this is a book that would be great for discussion.