3.94 AVERAGE


Possibile che siamo una razza così tossica da tramutare un gentile genio alieno in un ubriacone rincitrullito? Mmm... mi sa che è plausibilissimo.
Il nostro eroe abbandona il proprio pianeta devastato dalle guerre nucleari per cercare rifugio sulla terra, pianeta simile al suo che potrebbe a breve ospitare gli immigranti interstellari alla ricerca di una nuova vita. Dopo un inizio promettente e un paio di dubbie compagnie finisce tutto come la tv americana ci ha abituato: la burocrazia usa lo scopre, lo viviseziona un po' e lo getta via dopo averlo rovinato.
A lungo ho pensato che il pericolo venisse da Bryce, la cui conversione alla causa mi ha lasciato un po' perplessa. Invece il chimico nervoso diventa quasi un amico.
La storia perde interesse come il nostro protagonista lo perde nei confronti della vita e della sua missione. Diventa un ignavo con la passione per il gin, incurante della fine della propria specie e, soprattutto, della propria famiglia. Deludente nel finale, ma il primo terzo è ottimo.

Got around to reading this after finishing ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ recently. I must say I really enjoyed it. Alien comes to earth full of good intentions and things don’t go as well as they might have . No complicated sub plots or deep levels of meaning. It’s just a simple story well told. What more can you ask for?
mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot

I enjoyed this philosophical look inwards. Tevis does a good job of examining how much we can be influenced by those around us and the company we keep.

It's not really sci-fi if that makes sense. Tevis needed a character not from this world to show how easily any one or thing can fall into cycles of addiction, greed, self loathing, and malaise. Even when one has an important mission or goal.

The ending was very well done, perfectly conveying that despite how bleak things have become even of it is self wrought there can be hope; if we make that choice. We always have a choice.
adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is the kind of book that makes me feel all sad and tender and achy... and then immediately recommend it to everyone I know so they can all feel the same way.

What I liked:
  • Newton, my poor dear alien blorbo... you sure as hell made some questionable decisions, but it is impossible not to root for you...
  • Fascinating worldbuilding details (see: alien biology, parallels between Earth and Anthea)
  • Pulls humanity's tragic flaws into unforgiving clarity without being an edgelord about it.

What I disliked:
  • What they did to my poor dear alien blorbo...
  • Screw the US government! And their intelligence services!

 
adventurous reflective fast-paced
adventurous reflective sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated