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dark
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
There's so many layers to unpack in this one and I'm still mulling it all over. Call it personal bias, but I am undeniably drawn to the crucifixion of the biologist.
I really liked the themes in this book and a lot of the writing was smart and quirky (my favorite!). Climate fiction with a biblical allegory is something I would typically love but the plot felt too meandering to hit the mark entirely.
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
What did I just read? Was waiting for it to go full Lord of the Flies… it did not disappoint.
A Children’s Bible follows teenaged protagonists as they face the dangers of a near-apocalyptic climate disaster, their hedonistic and apathetic parents, and the ramifications of both. The work is rich with subtext, with biblical parallels running throughout, yet the story carries enough weight on its own that even if you are biblically illiterate (or just missed the parallels) the message still comes through loud and clear. This is a heavy book; children face real hardship while navigating that liminal space between adolescence and adulthood. Yet ultimately, like many post-apocalyptic stories, it tries to end on a message of hope. However, while the peril and destruction in this story pales compared to that of many other apocalyptic stories, in the end, I found the subtle and ultimately fatalistic weight of Millet’s narrative to negate this message of hope. This is a short, but heavy read, that should be rewarding in rereads (especially once you are keenly aware of the subtextual allusions). Overall, I am not sure how I feel about this one, but it is a story that will haunt me, and one I may return to again. 4.5 stars
A really enjoyable allegorical story, "Animal Farm" for climate change, with shades of "Severance" and, silly as this sounds, the "Gone series" from when I was younger. Some of the symbolism and imagery a little hitting you on the head, but engrossing as heck. The characters floated in and out, but a little like "The Terror", I think that worked for the book, the dreaminess. I loved the slowly mounting dread and sense of "this isn't right" that cropped up, and the shifts of the story's direction were very well handled.
Edit: After 24 hours, I'm bumping this up. Couldn't stop thinking about the book last night.
Edit: After 24 hours, I'm bumping this up. Couldn't stop thinking about the book last night.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is the graduated version of the dystopian books you read in middle school. It is darkly humorous and alarmingly imaginable—like, pretty sure this is exactly how the end times could unfold. A very quick read, give this "cli-fi" (climate fiction) a chance.
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated