Reviews

Livestock by Hannah Berry

ixjewell's review against another edition

dark informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

kayymwil's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-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

tangleroot_eli's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

Have you ever had a meal that looks beautiful on the plate and tastes good while you’re eating it, but that leaves you feeling as hungry as you were before you started? 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Fatphobia

nearit's review against another edition

4.0

The obvious comparisons for this near future tale of political spin, pop star puppets, and corporate science - Black Mirror, The Thick of It, the occasional political cartoon that isn't a total insult to humanity - are ultimately shown to be timid and unconvinced of their own arguments here.

Everything in Livestock has the same texture, is somehow both glossy and meaty. This is not a mistake but a key part of the book's thesis, and so essential to its insistence on the fact that power's capacity to abuse goes deeper than bad eggs or worse behaviour, that it might be predicated on a view which sees us as somehow lacking in soul.

jrafman's review against another edition

2.0

I had high expectations after a recommendation from the guys at Page 45, however unfortunately this felt like a let down. The plot is a quasi scientific political satire about the the world of public relations, it felt at times like a rewrite of a thick of it episode, with a strong glug of black mirror. The two intersecting story-lines connected well and a late twist created some intrigue, but generally as i closed the book I felt the story was incomplete. The artwork is great and clearly the writer has some strong political points but sadly it just felt like it didn't deliver.