ms_smith's review against another edition
1.0
This book wanted to be sublime, but it was rather boring and shallow. Things were disgusting for the sake of disgust and nothing else, it was all deptless, which the narrator wasn't helping with her one dimensional tone.
I was disappointed, I awaited this book to be similar to Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy and got this meaningless crap.
I was disappointed, I awaited this book to be similar to Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy and got this meaningless crap.
taliaissmart's review against another edition
1.0
Not for me! I can appreciate the dark atmosphere, but I thought the writing was over the top (could be the translation, idk) and the fragmented stories didn’t make much sense as standalones or as a collective novel.
rootedinbooks's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 but rounded up
Maybe I'm just not ~deep~ enough to get this but.... this didn't work for me. Vaguely connected tableaus, no world building or character development to fall back on or use to make sense of what's going on, it just felt super disconnected and confusing and incoherent.
Maybe I'm just not ~deep~ enough to get this but.... this didn't work for me. Vaguely connected tableaus, no world building or character development to fall back on or use to make sense of what's going on, it just felt super disconnected and confusing and incoherent.
savingmysummers's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
pipn_t's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It was ok. I like the idea but not the execution, the perspective changed so much I don’t feel I really got attached to anyone, even Laura. Also don’t think there was any reason the first chapter had to start with the assault it did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
hanaspages's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
oddly's review against another edition
3.0
This strange and atmospheric little novella offers a quiet musing on the end of the world, and how it continues on after that.
While the plot remains somewhat opaque throughout, the writing is filled with a sense of tingling dread, of always awaiting the next thing to go wrong, to go horribly wrong. I did wish I could have sunk my teeth more deeply into what was actually occurring, but I was borne away on the wings of this story nevertheless.
A horror-adjacent read steeped in body horror, this one explores climate change and our role in the planet's demise.
My thanks to Coach House Books for my advance copy to read and review.
While the plot remains somewhat opaque throughout, the writing is filled with a sense of tingling dread, of always awaiting the next thing to go wrong, to go horribly wrong. I did wish I could have sunk my teeth more deeply into what was actually occurring, but I was borne away on the wings of this story nevertheless.
A horror-adjacent read steeped in body horror, this one explores climate change and our role in the planet's demise.
My thanks to Coach House Books for my advance copy to read and review.
fsheld01's review against another edition
4.0
Probably wavering on 4.5 stars. I like the Jeff Vandermeer style where nature takes over. Beyond the well written novel, the pages are amazingly textured and rich to read.
mrsthrift's review against another edition
Near-future world. Linked stories. Climate fiction. The polar bear watch brigade is gonna haunt me for a while.