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paneerakbari's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Cory Doctorow's best writing so far. It's a wide-ranging narrative that interlaces hamburger Ponzi schemes, for-profit prison abuses, and record label financial chicanery in Doctorow's inimitable fashion. The story ricochets through its beats to produce an exciting, informative, and sometimes enraging tale that is memorable and thought-provoking.
This book is not politically-neutral; there is no sympathy or silence here for neo-liberal and conservative politics. The author is an avowed leftist with bona fides for advancing the causes of social justice and individual privacy. Doctorow's protagonists usually give a voice to his own opinions.
Marty Hench, the protagonist, is a forensic accountant living in San Francisco through the late '90s up to the late '10s. As such, the book often diverts in long passages detailing one or another technical aspect of information forensics, personal technology, and legal theory. It's all relevant - if not obviously so - to the plot, but some readers may not appreciate that aspect.
The story concludes abruptly and eschews happily-ever-after for a satisfyingly real end to this chapter in Marty Hench's life.
This book is not politically-neutral; there is no sympathy or silence here for neo-liberal and conservative politics. The author is an avowed leftist with bona fides for advancing the causes of social justice and individual privacy. Doctorow's protagonists usually give a voice to his own opinions.
Marty Hench, the protagonist, is a forensic accountant living in San Francisco through the late '90s up to the late '10s. As such, the book often diverts in long passages detailing one or another technical aspect of information forensics, personal technology, and legal theory. It's all relevant - if not obviously so - to the plot, but some readers may not appreciate that aspect.
The story concludes abruptly and eschews happily-ever-after for a satisfyingly real end to this chapter in Marty Hench's life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Alcohol, and Police brutality
Moderate: Suicide and Suicide attempt
anarmandameg's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
My fault for trying to read about economics
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Drug use, Classism, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Alcohol and Police brutality
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Medical content, Car accident, Death, and Suicide attempt
devynreadsnovels's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Confinement, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
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