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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
dark
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I learned about this short book from a review in the September issue of Locus magazine. The story was originally written in Danish and published in 1967. I was interested because of its premise, both the background of the story and the human dilemma it addresses.
The book takes place in a future where a nuclear holocaust has occurred. It centers on a hotel populated by residents who saw it coming and spent a lot of money to prepare this hotel to shelter them in the aftermath. Soon, refugees looking for food and in need of medial assistance begin to arrive. The residents have to decide whether they should allow these folks in or keep them out.
I am a big fan of these kinds of thought experiments in fiction. It is handled fairly well here. Both perspectives are presented and the issue is explored. However, no definitive answer is given. I also really appreciate it when authors acknowledge the complexity of issues in this way. The text is a little stilted at time, perhaps due to the translation or the source material. I still felt the impact of this deeply human story.
My rating: 4/5
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
- Apocalyptic fiction- guests are trapped in a hotel after a nuclear disaster. This book leaves a lot to the imagination - or to put it another way - remarkably little happens
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
I finished this short dystopian novel in under an hour. It follows a group of wealthy people who flee to a coastal resort called Termush to avoid a global disaster. The story becomes quite the page-turner as they wrestle with ethical dilemmas and power struggles, illustrating how money can give one a false sense of stability when survival is at risk and how human nature always manages to seep through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicide
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Medical content
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
dark
mysterious
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:
Yes
i could see the potential in the concept - bunch of wealthy people in a closed-off compound, in a world where radiation sickness is killing off the population. however, i found this incredibly dull and it took me forever to finish even though it's a short novel.