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camillac17's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Murder
dunecello's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Thrilling and thought-provoking exploration into the philosophies surrounding what memory is, what time is, and who we are if not for our memory.
I did my dissertation in neuroscience on the cellular basis of learning, and was impressed by Crouch's convincing job of describing experiments that would be on the cutting edge of this field. As for the rest of the science in this novel, suspending disbelief is required, but is certainly worth it. Keeping track of what was going on was a good brain exercise and it paid off in spades as the story became more and more complex and the stakes became incredibly high. When things got crazy, I found myself flying through the pages in excitement.
This novel reads like an action movie, and I'd love to see it on the big screen. Anyone who enjoyed PKD's We Can Remember It for You Wholesale (Total Recall) and/or Ted Chiang's Story of Your Life (Arrival) should surely check this one out.
I did my dissertation in neuroscience on the cellular basis of learning, and was impressed by Crouch's convincing job of describing experiments that would be on the cutting edge of this field. As for the rest of the science in this novel, suspending disbelief is required, but is certainly worth it. Keeping track of what was going on was a good brain exercise and it paid off in spades as the story became more and more complex and the stakes became incredibly high. When things got crazy, I found myself flying through the pages in excitement.
This novel reads like an action movie, and I'd love to see it on the big screen. Anyone who enjoyed PKD's We Can Remember It for You Wholesale (Total Recall) and/or Ted Chiang's Story of Your Life (Arrival) should surely check this one out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Dementia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
midalias's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
First I was intrigued. Then fascinated and subsequently shocked (honestly horrified). And finally I cried and felt like I was listening to a friend talking about life.
Notes:
- I bought Kindle book and borrowed the audiobook from Libby
- I enjoyed the audiobook having male and female narrators.
- To me this was not fast-paced as seen in Storygraph. It was medium-paced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Medical content, and Murder
Minor: Mass/school shootings and Death of parent
kristinj1's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I feel like this book just chased the idea even further than upgrade did, by the same author. They had a idea, and they kept impacting it and impacting it and impacting it. They went through truly every possible thing that could happen as a result of this new information. And it was terrifying. I feel like I was pretty connected to the main character, barry. Especially because he was a parent and had experienced the death of his child. And a divorce. The book was terrifying and fascinating. And also maybe totally expected, given that I feel like this technology would absolutely be used by governments to get ahead.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Dementia
avishajain's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
WOW. This was one of the best books I have ever read. The PERFECT mix of characters, plot, personality, emotions, point of views. Not only do you get an amazing plot, but you also get amazing characters that have depth to them and feel somewhat relatable.
The pacing is the perfect mix of slow and fast so that you are always at the edge of your seat. This book read so much like a movie that I am surprised that there isn't a movie made on it yet. If it becomes a movie (granted they actually replicate the book and don't do their own thing) I can already tell it will 100% be a hit.
This book is perfect for those who want to read a sci fi based thriller.
You will definetly be confused for the first 20-30% of the book thinking "I have absolutely no idea what is going on" but just keep reading and it will all make sense once you get further in.
Do I recommend it? 100%
The only case in which you shouldn't read is if you want something chill and just relax while reading, and not be on your tiptoes.
This book is also perfect for beginners because the writing style is not complex at all, it is pretty easy to follow, and it reads like a movie so it is really easy to ease into reading if you're super new to it.
Blake crouch might become my new favourite sci fi author. He really competes with Andy Weir. Andy Weir isn't fresh in my mind since I haven't read any books by him recently so I won't say if he's better than him or not, but boy does he come close. I'm excited to read more books by Blake!
The pacing is the perfect mix of slow and fast so that you are always at the edge of your seat. This book read so much like a movie that I am surprised that there isn't a movie made on it yet. If it becomes a movie (granted they actually replicate the book and don't do their own thing) I can already tell it will 100% be a hit.
This book is perfect for those who want to read a sci fi based thriller.
You will definetly be confused for the first 20-30% of the book thinking "I have absolutely no idea what is going on" but just keep reading and it will all make sense once you get further in.
Do I recommend it? 100%
The only case in which you shouldn't read is if you want something chill and just relax while reading, and not be on your tiptoes.
This book is also perfect for beginners because the writing style is not complex at all, it is pretty easy to follow, and it reads like a movie so it is really easy to ease into reading if you're super new to it.
Blake crouch might become my new favourite sci fi author. He really competes with Andy Weir. Andy Weir isn't fresh in my mind since I haven't read any books by him recently so I won't say if he's better than him or not, but boy does he come close. I'm excited to read more books by Blake!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Murder
chloebaboey's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War
Minor: Drug use
norcalchris's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Really classic sci-fi. I hate sci-fi.
Tried to expand my reading horizons since it was my book club’s pick of the month.
Some interesting meditations on memory and humanity especially at the beginning.
Absurdly lengthy and depressing ending. I need to go watch a comedy after finishing this.
I’m sure Tom Cruise will star in the film version.
Tried to expand my reading horizons since it was my book club’s pick of the month.
Some interesting meditations on memory and humanity especially at the beginning.
Absurdly lengthy and depressing ending. I need to go watch a comedy after finishing this.
I’m sure Tom Cruise will star in the film version.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence, and War
isacarvalho91's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Dementia, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
evelynritzi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is one of those books where you just need to accept that it will be a bit confusing. Keep pushing through because you don’t need to understand everything completely to follow the plot and it will get a bit repetitive anyway. That said, I really enjoyed this one! I could see this being a movie or show for sure. Like Dark Matter, this is a love story wrapped in a sci-fi novel!
Content Warnings
Minor: Body horror, Suicide, and War
josiah17's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I'm conflicted on a rating right now, so I'll roll with a 3.5.
The characters were great. Crouch seems to have mastered the ability to maximize characterization in a short page count and make you feel attached. The plot also keeps your attention. It's engaging in the way that it makes the reader ask questions and explores the concept of memory. But it also felt increasingly convoluted as I read. There's a certain point in the book (you'll know if you've read it) where things kind of explode and overlap. There's a lot to keep track of. And it feels somewhat overwhelming the more I read.
I'm also not sure how I feel about how suicide was handled in this book. It felt rash.
But even with those criticisms, Crouch still had me feeling emotional by the end of the book.
The characters were great. Crouch seems to have mastered the ability to maximize characterization in a short page count and make you feel attached. The plot also keeps your attention. It's engaging in the way that it makes the reader ask questions and explores the concept of memory. But it also felt increasingly convoluted as I read. There's a certain point in the book (you'll know if you've read it) where things kind of explode and overlap. There's a lot to keep track of. And it feels somewhat overwhelming the more I read.
I'm also not sure how I feel about how suicide was handled in this book. It felt rash.
But even with those criticisms, Crouch still had me feeling emotional by the end of the book.
"Life with a cheat code isn't life. Our existence isn't something to be engineered or optimized for the avoidance of pain. That's what it is to be human--the beauty and the pain, each meaningless without the other."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt