Reviews

Enjoyed the suspense and mystery. Multiple good plot twists. But felt some of the alien/human comparisons/similarities were a bit convenient and the characters lacked dimension. Overall enjoyable but not great.

jgelmini's review against another edition

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4.0

Really interesting concept, although it took about 70 pages before I got into it. The plot was good but the characters were really flat. There were also a few plot devices that felt like the author came up with a really "neat" idea and then backtracked how to force the story to go that direction. I think I'll read the sequels because I do want to see what happens with this world.

caribay's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious tense

4.25

chloeg98's review against another edition

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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? N/A

5.0

inventingjasmine's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I was struck by the thought-provoking and prominent themes discussed throughout the book. The author delves into science, philosophy, politics, technological progression, cyclical trauma, and the potential for humanity's redemption. Several times, I found myself pausing to reflect on how these themes mirror our current social climate. Despite being a dense sci-fi book, I enjoyed exploring the historical and philosophical references.

The conversations between Wang Miao and Da Shi were some of the best moments in the book. The author skillfully presented contrasting views through these characters. The book also delves into scientific explanations, which, at times, felt overwhelming. However, it effectively highlighted the unsettling nature of scientific progress. I particularly appreciated how the 3Body game was used to explain the book's premise, providing an imaginative and enjoyable approach. The plot twists, while sometimes predictable, didn't diminish their shock value.

Though the book has some minor flaws, the most significant issues lie in character development and plot devices. I wished for a deeper exploration of the individual characters' human emotions, as they currently feel unrelatable and unrealistic. I also wished there was a more in-depth look into Ye Wenjie and her psychological warfare. In terms of plot devices, the transitions between plots felt abrupt and inadequately explained, perhaps due to being a translated work.

The book concludes with a massive cliffhanger

— how will humans respond to the Trisolarans' impending arrival in 450 years?

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