Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Archive Undying by Emma Mieko Candon

4 reviews

librarianmage's review

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adventurous challenging emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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mordshunger's review

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adventurous challenging emotional sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This one is hard to rate. It certainly made me feel things, and I feel pissed off. Immaculate vibes and strong characters but is it a net-positive? Reading this dealt me psychic damage. If fiction can be violent this was the Most Violent encounter I had with a book so far.
 
While it felt like it wanted to say things about religious trauma and trust and betrayal, I fail to see how it did say anything meaningful about them. It feels dangerous to read for people who struggle with upholding boundaries to people who have abused them. I don't even have the right words for a proper CW so I'll just say the lack of consent is disgusting and the immediate forgiveness of the same sickening. It really tampered my enjoyment of the story. The apologetics of an ever understanding, self-neglecting and self-hating POV is just too much. 

In general, there is a very inflationary use of love in this book. I understand what this is going for and that is why I think it is dangerous. People who love deeply will see themselves in this and it's not great. This is bad. If love is just a verb for one person and a weapon and exploit for everyone else, it becomes meaningless to even call it such. Fuck that forever.


Chronological impressions:

Welcome to the religious trauma struggle bus. The vibes are chef's kiss but also vague and referential at all times, it feels like I got oil in one eye forever. 

This book y'all, it's really just a pile of the worst people you know. My number one pick for most trustworthy guy in this is the not-so-informed-consent AI splinter and I'm sure they will try to kill everyone. 

Sinai, Jin und Veyadi consistently bring the energy of an EMT driver/student in exam crunch after three consecutive shifts.

I hate All of Them, but I hate Imaru most. If this bitch doesn't die I'm not reading the next book. Can't believe there is immediate forgiveness, understanding and love after the ultimate betrayal.

I've read some reviews of some very confused people who get lost in who betrayed who first and which plots overlap and let me just say it doesn't matter who betrays who when they all do. They all do! They're the worst!!! And they keep asking more of him. Veyadi, et Tu?
12,7 hours reading time.

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hailstorm3812's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is bonkers and kept spinning me out thinking about the limitations of bodies and the concept of self. Never did I think a hive mind could be romantic but here we are. I think it does tend to meander in plot and tries to tackle so much all at once that it can get confusing and overwhelming, but the emotional strength of the characters carries you through. I would absolutely love to see this world and characters again.

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solari's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book doesnt pull its punches, and doesnt spoonfeed you worldbuilding. Its more about the trauma and the grief than robot fights. Whether this trauma is generational, interpersonal, or divinely wrought, all of it is done so well and believeablly. It speaks to the quality of writting as a whole as amazing. Id watching this movie, tv series, anything. I need more.

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