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zoes_human's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
fedak's review against another edition
3.0
Reasonable rendition of the increasingly tired 'end of days due to an impending asteroid impact' trope. No new ground broken here but worth the short read.
jdavis104's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
vascogdm's review against another edition
4.0
I would give this a 3.5, but I'm a generous person, so I'll round that up.
The premise is about humanity preparing for an asteroid that is due to hit earth, but that isn't the focus.
Most of the story is about grief and loss, as we explore each character, we learn about personal loss that is magnified by the backdrop of losing earth.
It wasn't an incredible read, but it was a nice novella snack to enjoy between books.
The premise is about humanity preparing for an asteroid that is due to hit earth, but that isn't the focus.
Most of the story is about grief and loss, as we explore each character, we learn about personal loss that is magnified by the backdrop of losing earth.
It wasn't an incredible read, but it was a nice novella snack to enjoy between books.
rhynoe's review against another edition
4.0
This is the kind of sci-fi that I really enjoy. It has a futuristic premise that is more about humans and humanity. Great sci-fi, in my opinion, is about humans/humanity confronted with some advanced scenario and in dealing with said scenario, it reveals what makes us human as well as what is the best and worst in humans.
I wish the story was more fleshed out as more of a short novel but I thought that Ark was written very well and had a satisfying structure/plot.
I wish the story was more fleshed out as more of a short novel but I thought that Ark was written very well and had a satisfying structure/plot.
reginas_books's review against another edition
4.0
Veronica Roth impressed me with this one. Maybe I wasn't expecting much from the author of Divergent, which didn't do much for me when I read it... but Ark was pretty good!
The scenario Roth set up is arresting: an odd assortment of scientists diligently cataloging fauna and flora samples at the end of the world, right up until the last week of Earth's destruction.
It was very character-focused, which I love (and which sci-fi often lacks). The whole story has a very wistful mood, amplified by the characters discussing loss and grief in their personal lives. There were many small moments where I felt Roth really succeeded in building a believable world, a sentiment I felt most keenly during the scientists' discussion about what small mementos each would bring aboard the evacuation shuttle to remember life on Earth.
Overall verdict: nostalgic, thought-provoking, and pretty. I took a star off because I think it dragged a bit at the end, but it's very nearly 5/5 for me.
The scenario Roth set up is arresting: an odd assortment of scientists diligently cataloging fauna and flora samples at the end of the world, right up until the last week of Earth's destruction.
It was very character-focused, which I love (and which sci-fi often lacks). The whole story has a very wistful mood, amplified by the characters discussing loss and grief in their personal lives. There were many small moments where I felt Roth really succeeded in building a believable world, a sentiment I felt most keenly during the scientists' discussion about what small mementos each would bring aboard the evacuation shuttle to remember life on Earth.
Overall verdict: nostalgic, thought-provoking, and pretty. I took a star off because I think it dragged a bit at the end, but it's very nearly 5/5 for me.
cesarbustios's review against another edition
2.0
"She wished she could have told him that life was already full of dread, no matter who you were. That there was nothing you could have that you couldn’t one day lose."
One of the stories from Blake Crouch's "Forward" collection. We follow Samantha, a horticulturist and scientist, living in one of the remaining Arks on Earth: Ark Flora. Most of the Arks have already left the planet carrying all survivors to a new home. Her job is to catalogue plants before an incoming asteroid, Finis, brings the apocalypse and destroys all life as we know it.
It was okay. Too slow and emotional for my taste.
One of the stories from Blake Crouch's "Forward" collection. We follow Samantha, a horticulturist and scientist, living in one of the remaining Arks on Earth: Ark Flora. Most of the Arks have already left the planet carrying all survivors to a new home. Her job is to catalogue plants before an incoming asteroid, Finis, brings the apocalypse and destroys all life as we know it.
It was okay. Too slow and emotional for my taste.
emleemay's review against another edition
3.0
[b:Ark|47137756|Ark|Veronica Roth|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563469282l/47137756._SX50_.jpg|72182859] was my second read from the Forward collection and my second least favourite. To be fair, I think I liked it more than a lot of other readers did, judging by the reviews, but it was very slow for such a short story.
I like this story more when looking back over it than I did while I was reading. It's a very slow, quiet tale, exploring the beauty of Earth through horticulture. Samantha is a scientist, cataloging plant samples to take on the Ark when the final people leave Earth. Most have already been evacuated and Earth's last days are rapidly approaching in the form of an asteroid.
There's some understated beauty to it, but the lack of connection with the characters or any real emotional drive to the story kept me at a distance. The idea itself is very simple and it presents a sad nostalgia for Earth and all still left to discover about it. After I had read it and given it some thought, it struck me as a kind of love letter to our planet. It's just too bad that the story itself was not as compelling as the idea suggests.
[b:Randomize|47137575|Randomize|Andy Weir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563467829l/47137575._SY75_.jpg|72182564] by Andy Weir - ⭑☆☆☆☆
[b:Emergency Skin|47137668|Emergency Skin|N.K. Jemisin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563468452l/47137668._SY75_.jpg|72182694] by N.K. Jemisin - ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
[b:You Have Arrived at Your Destination|47137633|You Have Arrived at Your Destination|Amor Towles|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563468097l/47137633._SY75_.jpg|72182622] by Amor Towles - ⭑⭑⭑⭑☆
[b:The Last Conversation|47137706|The Last Conversation|Paul Tremblay|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563468739l/47137706._SY75_.jpg|72182739] by Paul Tremblay - ⭑⭑⭑⭑☆
[b:Summer Frost|47137728|Summer Frost|Blake Crouch|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563468943l/47137728._SY75_.jpg|72182785] by Blake Crouch - ⭑⭑⭑⭑☆
I like this story more when looking back over it than I did while I was reading. It's a very slow, quiet tale, exploring the beauty of Earth through horticulture. Samantha is a scientist, cataloging plant samples to take on the Ark when the final people leave Earth. Most have already been evacuated and Earth's last days are rapidly approaching in the form of an asteroid.
There's some understated beauty to it, but the lack of connection with the characters or any real emotional drive to the story kept me at a distance. The idea itself is very simple and it presents a sad nostalgia for Earth and all still left to discover about it. After I had read it and given it some thought, it struck me as a kind of love letter to our planet. It's just too bad that the story itself was not as compelling as the idea suggests.
[b:Randomize|47137575|Randomize|Andy Weir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563467829l/47137575._SY75_.jpg|72182564] by Andy Weir - ⭑☆☆☆☆
[b:Emergency Skin|47137668|Emergency Skin|N.K. Jemisin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563468452l/47137668._SY75_.jpg|72182694] by N.K. Jemisin - ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
[b:You Have Arrived at Your Destination|47137633|You Have Arrived at Your Destination|Amor Towles|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563468097l/47137633._SY75_.jpg|72182622] by Amor Towles - ⭑⭑⭑⭑☆
[b:The Last Conversation|47137706|The Last Conversation|Paul Tremblay|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563468739l/47137706._SY75_.jpg|72182739] by Paul Tremblay - ⭑⭑⭑⭑☆
[b:Summer Frost|47137728|Summer Frost|Blake Crouch|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1563468943l/47137728._SY75_.jpg|72182785] by Blake Crouch - ⭑⭑⭑⭑☆
samhl's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful short story about a woman grappling with the true value of living after a great tragedy. Samantha, like all of us, needs to answer the question “Why continue on if we are all born to die?”