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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Listened to the audiobook. This will be a future re-read with the physical copy.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
hopeful
reflective
slow-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:
Complicated
On a series of busses through Poland in 2018 I watched Dirty Computer [Emotion Picture] over and over and over and over again. I was transfixed by the hues, the beats, the poetry, the timelessness...the innate queerness that survives within us. Entering that world again was a very welcome endeavor.
Each short story in this collection centers collective care in revolution. The stories show state resistance, yes, but they also show the power of sharing the fruits you've farmed, trading clothes, and asking each other about the art you've made. Janelle Monáe and the other collaborators remind us that some of the most powerful things you can be doing in rejecting oppressive systems is nurturing your people and having their back no matter what, not stifling creativity, and finding joyful, human moments of dirtiness.
Each story is written by Monáe and another collaborator. This means the writing style can abruptly change, even when the themes remain in the same world. It's worth taking slow, and taking in each story as its own entity.
My previous reads and reviews this year will show a trend of disappointment in my favorite musician's non-music projects...The Memory Librarian breaks that spell. Her sci-fi storytelling tendencies and expansive diversity without pandering create worlds you need more of, while giving also giving you everything you need. Reading in a country reliving histories of fascism offers a glimmer of hope in what we can be to each other despite ~it all~
Take a Byte why don't ya?
Each short story in this collection centers collective care in revolution. The stories show state resistance, yes, but they also show the power of sharing the fruits you've farmed, trading clothes, and asking each other about the art you've made. Janelle Monáe and the other collaborators remind us that some of the most powerful things you can be doing in rejecting oppressive systems is nurturing your people and having their back no matter what, not stifling creativity, and finding joyful, human moments of dirtiness.
Each story is written by Monáe and another collaborator. This means the writing style can abruptly change, even when the themes remain in the same world. It's worth taking slow, and taking in each story as its own entity.
My previous reads and reviews this year will show a trend of disappointment in my favorite musician's non-music projects...The Memory Librarian breaks that spell. Her sci-fi storytelling tendencies and expansive diversity without pandering create worlds you need more of, while giving also giving you everything you need. Reading in a country reliving histories of fascism offers a glimmer of hope in what we can be to each other despite ~it all~
Take a Byte why don't ya?
I listened to the audio book but was diaphragm when they switched narrators after a couple chapters. I was here for Janelle reading to me.
3.75 stars
Despite not having listened to Dirty Computer or watched the film, I enjoyed The Memory Librarian and I think (I hope) I understood what Monae was trying to communicate.
This is a collection of short science fiction stories written by Monae and several collaborators that all take place in the same dystopian world, where those who don’t conform are “reformatted” to comply, stripped of their identities, memories, and everything that makes them an individual. These are the stories of the nonconformists, who elude the drones sent to find the outliers, and live in hope of a life of freedom to be their true selves.
An interesting and thought-provoking read.
Despite not having listened to Dirty Computer or watched the film, I enjoyed The Memory Librarian and I think (I hope) I understood what Monae was trying to communicate.
This is a collection of short science fiction stories written by Monae and several collaborators that all take place in the same dystopian world, where those who don’t conform are “reformatted” to comply, stripped of their identities, memories, and everything that makes them an individual. These are the stories of the nonconformists, who elude the drones sent to find the outliers, and live in hope of a life of freedom to be their true selves.
An interesting and thought-provoking read.
Did not finish. It was my first taste into this genre and though I made it more than half way, I felt the book was lacking. I did not have an issue with the themes but rather how obvious and in your face they felt. It was a bit overkill and overdone in some places. Overall, not my cup of tea. I'd also recommend listening to the album that pairs with this title as I did not.
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Really enjoyed this collection on Audiobook, especially the Timebox ones, would recommend and now I need to go listen to the dirty computer album