The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
bookswithlukas's review
3.0
Interesting premise let down by flat characters
The 'Postmortal', or 'The End Specialist' as it is known in the UK has an incredibly interesting premise. Imagine a world in which a cure is discovered for old age, meaning that with just one little injection you will never age a day in your semi-immortal life. Now I say semi-immortal, because this is a still a world in which you can be murdered or die of cancer, but a world where the young and beautiful can stay young and beautiful seemingly forever....with some luck.
It was the premise that first drew me into the story, and that remains the novels strongest aspect. You follow one character who receives the cure in the opening chapter, and then check in with him throughout his life (70+ years) as society quickly goes to hell in a hand basket. The downfall of the society is what is interesting here, seeing how the cure for old age has a knockback affect on the world in general....from overpopulating, to changes in marriage laws, apparently no one actually means FOREVER when they say I do.
The problem however is that the main character, and all of the characters in general really just feel rather flat. There are elements of humour in the beginning that give a bit more punch to the story, but the further in you go the more the humour fades to give way to the terror of the situation. I guess one could say this is a fair given the circumstances, but the terror itself also reads as rather bland as there is a disconnect between you and the characters. It feels much more like you are simply overlooking everyone, instead of truly getting involved in their plight.
Overall though, this isn't a bad read, the beginning is fun, and watching the world hurtle towards it's doom is very interesting just because of the original concept alone. I would probably definitely recommend this book to people, but I wouldn't hype it up or give them any expectations for it. 3 Stars seems about right.
The 'Postmortal', or 'The End Specialist' as it is known in the UK has an incredibly interesting premise. Imagine a world in which a cure is discovered for old age, meaning that with just one little injection you will never age a day in your semi-immortal life. Now I say semi-immortal, because this is a still a world in which you can be murdered or die of cancer, but a world where the young and beautiful can stay young and beautiful seemingly forever....with some luck.
It was the premise that first drew me into the story, and that remains the novels strongest aspect. You follow one character who receives the cure in the opening chapter, and then check in with him throughout his life (70+ years) as society quickly goes to hell in a hand basket. The downfall of the society is what is interesting here, seeing how the cure for old age has a knockback affect on the world in general....from overpopulating, to changes in marriage laws, apparently no one actually means FOREVER when they say I do.
The problem however is that the main character, and all of the characters in general really just feel rather flat. There are elements of humour in the beginning that give a bit more punch to the story, but the further in you go the more the humour fades to give way to the terror of the situation. I guess one could say this is a fair given the circumstances, but the terror itself also reads as rather bland as there is a disconnect between you and the characters. It feels much more like you are simply overlooking everyone, instead of truly getting involved in their plight.
Overall though, this isn't a bad read, the beginning is fun, and watching the world hurtle towards it's doom is very interesting just because of the original concept alone. I would probably definitely recommend this book to people, but I wouldn't hype it up or give them any expectations for it. 3 Stars seems about right.
thejoyofbooking's review
4.0
John Farrell effectively makes himself immortal at age 29 and watches society collapse around him as the worst traits of humanity bring themselves to the forefront: mothers giving the cure to toddlers so they'll always stay cute, dictatorships tattooing babies with their birthdates, general selfishness and lack of consideration for the earth and other people. While this is a bleak look at a future that seems totally possible, the story also holds a glimmer of hope for mankind as well. John is a humane person, even when he does bad things. The Postmortal is told as a series of blog posts or journal entries, and his obsessive documentation of his life tells the story of society as it relates to a single person. This unusual format allows the reader to speed through sixty years of John's postmortal life, hitting highlights both important and mundane. Some of the posts act as today's blog roundups, sharing details about the news of the day without exposition.
In addition to being an interesting look at a future world as society collapses, The Postmortal raises questions about what we bloggers are leaving behind for future generations. What does it mean to experience someone else's existence through the scraps of information they've chosen to share online? It certainly interesting to vicariously watch someone else's life unfold and read the news they deem worthy of sharing, but is it an accurate history of the world?
The Postmortal is a prime example of dystopian literature with a few new twists - definitely recommended.
In addition to being an interesting look at a future world as society collapses, The Postmortal raises questions about what we bloggers are leaving behind for future generations. What does it mean to experience someone else's existence through the scraps of information they've chosen to share online? It certainly interesting to vicariously watch someone else's life unfold and read the news they deem worthy of sharing, but is it an accurate history of the world?
The Postmortal is a prime example of dystopian literature with a few new twists - definitely recommended.
kayteebee's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
slow-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
3.25
breeski's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
saradoxical's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book takes you on a wild ride of what would happen if suddenly you could cure aging. Not death, but aging. A hint. Things get weird fast, and ugly soon thereafter.
tilikon's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.0
full_of_flowers's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Lots of neat concepts, and things that ring true and uncanny, especially considering when this was written. However, women throughout the novel are largely only love interests, plot devices, or both, which is the opposite of exciting and futuristic.
zocutus's review
2.0
I started reading this book and I really think I gave it a fair shot, about a quarter of the book. I couldn’t keep going since the writing style was very over-explanatory, dry, and kinda procedural like he’s trying to hit the points of what a dystopian future novel should be. I really only have time right now for books that I enjoy. Summer is for reading a questionably written book in its entirety.