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cobgoblin's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
noranne's review
2.0
What a weird book. At first I really disliked it, then I kind of liked, then I was like huh? Climate fic is so hard because IME it almost always comes off as preachy. And a lot is anti-human and you know I don't think the human race deserves to go extinct so that's a hard sell for me.
There are three epochs of time in this story and how they connect is not immediately obvious (and in some ways not eventually obvious either). American folk tale blends with ecoterrorism blends with geocapitalism blends with post-apocalyptic sci-fi blends with AI and cloning.
Ambitious but ultimately not really my thing.
There are three epochs of time in this story and how they connect is not immediately obvious (and in some ways not eventually obvious either). American folk tale blends with ecoterrorism blends with geocapitalism blends with post-apocalyptic sci-fi blends with AI and cloning.
Ambitious but ultimately not really my thing.
straylight's review
4.0
Warning: this book is, essentially, a tragedy. It's a fascinating interweaving of several myths and legends, primarily focused on Orpheus and Eurydice, but also including the legend of Johnny Appleseed and occasional references to the Garden of Eden. I'm sure there's more that I'm missing. All of those stories are interlinked through an exploration of what global warming and the upcoming climate catastrophe may do to our world. Let's just say, it doesn't paint a pretty picture.
If you like your timeline to stay put and not skip around, though, you probably won't like this book. It's written at three times simultaneously; one in the past, one in the near future, and one in the far future. As the stories are interlinked, it made sense to me, and I appreciated the sense of 'spiraling' it seemed to create.
I've read some complaints about the author's writing style, but all in all, I didn't find it problematic. Not enough to really take away from the story, at least.
If you like your timeline to stay put and not skip around, though, you probably won't like this book. It's written at three times simultaneously; one in the past, one in the near future, and one in the far future. As the stories are interlinked, it made sense to me, and I appreciated the sense of 'spiraling' it seemed to create.
I've read some complaints about the author's writing style, but all in all, I didn't find it problematic. Not enough to really take away from the story, at least.
gracefulxo's review
3.0
this was an interesting one to say the least. I seriously had no idea what to expect until the end, and even then the ending was totally unexpected. it really put into perspective the human impact on our Earth, and how everything in the world has its own cycle. we are bound to our earthly forms, but we can become more than that. we are bound to the society we live in, but it can crumble at any moment. in fact, we are working towards destroying it on our current path. is there a future where everything turns out okay? nobody knows… only time will tell.
austinsmart's review
adventurous
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
nicovreeland's review
3.0
I had a hard time rating this book. There are parts that I really like, and Bell is a very good prose writer, but unfortunately that talent is mostly on display in long descriptive passages that sometimes make the flow of the story feel more like a series of still pictures, often to the detriment of its pacing (in the audiobook version I listened to, one list of animals takes THIRTEEN MINUTES to read).
But ultimately the structure of this novel is not one I find very compelling, and the most compelling part fails when it really gets down to brass tacks. So, even though I liked certain parts of it, I have to consider the novel as a whole to be a failure.
The structure I didn’t like is this: the novel has three strands, narratives in different times that eventually relate to each other. One is a fable-esque retelling of the Johnny Appleseed story featuring a faun and his human brother. One is a Neal Stephenson-ish story about the scientists turned eco-terrorists turned dictators who radically change the world in the wake of the climate crisis. And one is a far-future story about what seems to be a person who has lived hundreds of lifetimes and keeps being reconstituted by a machine called the Loom. Every time he is “printed” again from leftover bio matter, he is changed a bit, so now he has blue fur, horns, and plastic bones.
My problem with this setup is that only one of these strands can stand on its own, the middle one about the scientists. The other two are, at best, leaning against that middle strand, what I started to think of as the “main story.” The other two stories are meaningful only as either thematic echoes of the main story, or for how they directly relate to the main story, e.g. which of the characters becomes the blue-furred future human.
This is frustrating to me because the three strands are given almost equal narrative time. The Appleseed story could’ve easily been a one-chapter prologue, and the blue-furred human an epilogue, but instead they are woven together, and I often just wanted to get back to the main story.
What’s doubly frustrating, and why I ultimately consider this book a failure, is that the main story gets completely unbelievable in its quest to create an antagonist. The evil scientist who “solves” the climate crisis does so (pretty big spoilers here) by undertaking dramatic actions that will literally sacrifice the entire current generation of humans for the future.
This is not even really a secret, they start by designating the western 2/3 of the US a “sacrifice zone” and forcibly enslaving most of the population, stripping them of their rights as citizens, and making their company into the leading world power.
Why do the governments of the world let them do this? Why do the people allow this? In what world would real humans gladly sacrifice themselves by the millions for a future generation? The author attempts to address this later on by making the main scientist (who contributed foundational inventions to the corporation before deciding that he didn’t like it after all) into an eco-terrorist who fights back against the corporation (which also happens to be run by his childhood best friend and lost love), and leads a revolution of non-citizens.
The problem of the novel is that the main story also cannot stand on its own. If the absurd plot twists in it did not have the benefit of obfuscation from the other two narratives wrapped around it, the whole thing would crumble.
But ultimately the structure of this novel is not one I find very compelling, and the most compelling part fails when it really gets down to brass tacks. So, even though I liked certain parts of it, I have to consider the novel as a whole to be a failure.
The structure I didn’t like is this: the novel has three strands, narratives in different times that eventually relate to each other. One is a fable-esque retelling of the Johnny Appleseed story featuring a faun and his human brother. One is a Neal Stephenson-ish story about the scientists turned eco-terrorists turned dictators who radically change the world in the wake of the climate crisis. And one is a far-future story about what seems to be a person who has lived hundreds of lifetimes and keeps being reconstituted by a machine called the Loom. Every time he is “printed” again from leftover bio matter, he is changed a bit, so now he has blue fur, horns, and plastic bones.
My problem with this setup is that only one of these strands can stand on its own, the middle one about the scientists. The other two are, at best, leaning against that middle strand, what I started to think of as the “main story.” The other two stories are meaningful only as either thematic echoes of the main story, or for how they directly relate to the main story, e.g. which of the characters becomes the blue-furred future human.
This is frustrating to me because the three strands are given almost equal narrative time. The Appleseed story could’ve easily been a one-chapter prologue, and the blue-furred human an epilogue, but instead they are woven together, and I often just wanted to get back to the main story.
What’s doubly frustrating, and why I ultimately consider this book a failure, is that the main story gets completely unbelievable in its quest to create an antagonist. The evil scientist who “solves” the climate crisis does so (pretty big spoilers here) by undertaking dramatic actions that will literally sacrifice the entire current generation of humans for the future.
This is not even really a secret, they start by designating the western 2/3 of the US a “sacrifice zone” and forcibly enslaving most of the population, stripping them of their rights as citizens, and making their company into the leading world power.
Why do the governments of the world let them do this? Why do the people allow this? In what world would real humans gladly sacrifice themselves by the millions for a future generation? The author attempts to address this later on by making the main scientist (who contributed foundational inventions to the corporation before deciding that he didn’t like it after all) into an eco-terrorist who fights back against the corporation (which also happens to be run by his childhood best friend and lost love), and leads a revolution of non-citizens.
The problem of the novel is that the main story also cannot stand on its own. If the absurd plot twists in it did not have the benefit of obfuscation from the other two narratives wrapped around it, the whole thing would crumble.
kmckay's review
2.0
This was an audio book for me so that may influence this review. I was so confused for about 50% of the book. Honestly, I would have liked the book more if it was just about John and EarthTrust. I think the end tied it together pretty well but it was hard to follow.
gingerliss's review
4.0
I took a break about a third of the way through this one. Not because it wasn't good, not at all. I was burned out when I started reading this and fell into a reading slump. Without reading, I'm not myself. I had to get out of the slump to get out of the burn out to get back to myself again. So there came a point that I put this book aside and picked up something that at the time was easier for me to focus on and indulge in. But I knew I'd love this once I had the headspace again.
I've been out of the reading slump for a while again now and decided it was time to delve back into Appleseed.
And I'm so glad I did. Sometimes you're just not ready for a particular book at a particular moment in time, but I found myself ready for this one now.
The structure reminds me of both Cloud Atlas and my recent read The Sea of Tranquility. A structure I have come to really appreciate. I like skipping around in time and trying to figure out the connection between the characters before it all comes together at the end. So I enjoyed that aspect of this novel. As well as its environmental themes. A novel very much of this time, and a dystopic glance at the future. I feel that the novel managed to encompass so much. From colonialism and the American ideal of manifest destiny to post humanism. All while wrapped in myth and legend. All done in an original and unexpected way.
Really interesting read, that just felt slightly too long winded at times. I would say that that is probably the only negative I have to bring to the table. Other than that I fully enjoyed this sprawling genre-encompassing novel.
The first thick book I've read in a while and it has given me the hope and confidence I needed to pick up 300+ page books again. A true work of art that also felt well researched. Brilliant! I look forward to more by Matt Bell. Have his book on writing ready, so maybe that's the next non-fiction book I will pick up. Seen as my writing hand has slowly started fizzling with its magic again too!
I've been out of the reading slump for a while again now and decided it was time to delve back into Appleseed.
And I'm so glad I did. Sometimes you're just not ready for a particular book at a particular moment in time, but I found myself ready for this one now.
The structure reminds me of both Cloud Atlas and my recent read The Sea of Tranquility. A structure I have come to really appreciate. I like skipping around in time and trying to figure out the connection between the characters before it all comes together at the end. So I enjoyed that aspect of this novel. As well as its environmental themes. A novel very much of this time, and a dystopic glance at the future. I feel that the novel managed to encompass so much. From colonialism and the American ideal of manifest destiny to post humanism. All while wrapped in myth and legend. All done in an original and unexpected way.
Really interesting read, that just felt slightly too long winded at times. I would say that that is probably the only negative I have to bring to the table. Other than that I fully enjoyed this sprawling genre-encompassing novel.
The first thick book I've read in a while and it has given me the hope and confidence I needed to pick up 300+ page books again. A true work of art that also felt well researched. Brilliant! I look forward to more by Matt Bell. Have his book on writing ready, so maybe that's the next non-fiction book I will pick up. Seen as my writing hand has slowly started fizzling with its magic again too!
somesnarksareboojums's review
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
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? Yes
4.0
anitaw16's review
4.0
Thank you to HarperCollins for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book illuminates the tragedy of the western mindset that does not recognize the intrinsic value of nature, that sees the world solely as a collection of resources.
The story often reminded me of Margaret Atwood's MaddAddam trilogy which I loved. I had never heard of Matt Bell but, after reading Appleseed, I am looking forward to checking out the rest of his work.
This book illuminates the tragedy of the western mindset that does not recognize the intrinsic value of nature, that sees the world solely as a collection of resources.
The story often reminded me of Margaret Atwood's MaddAddam trilogy which I loved. I had never heard of Matt Bell but, after reading Appleseed, I am looking forward to checking out the rest of his work.