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ththalassocracy's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
justfoxie's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this book, given its apparent similarities to Woman on the Edge of Time, but I’m the end it fell short of my expectations. I found the golem parallel story to be clunky both in its telling and as a metaphor. I would have much preferred Nili’s story be the parallel to Yod.
Still it’s the same amazing world building, creative conception of social democracy and well rounded, interesting characters.
Read as part of Housman’s Feminist Science Fiction Book Club
Still it’s the same amazing world building, creative conception of social democracy and well rounded, interesting characters.
Read as part of Housman’s Feminist Science Fiction Book Club
2shainz's review against another edition
5.0
Toward the end of the novel, I found myself thinking about how strange it was that a couple of the male characters were woefully under-developed, and then it hit me: the story revolved almost entirely around women. And it was WONDERFUL.
I'd never heard the story of the golem of Prague, and as a woman raised culturally Jewish (personally non-religious), it was a delightful lesson in folklore.
Certainly the story was imperfect, and at points I felt like the text could have been more closely edited, but all in all, this was one of the most engrossing stories I've read this year. Highly recommended.
I'd never heard the story of the golem of Prague, and as a woman raised culturally Jewish (personally non-religious), it was a delightful lesson in folklore.
Certainly the story was imperfect, and at points I felt like the text could have been more closely edited, but all in all, this was one of the most engrossing stories I've read this year. Highly recommended.
oddeyed's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
5.0
frogzai's review
2.0
This was too cringe to forgive the entire month it took to read it. I'm giving it an extra star for Yod's cuteness though, and because I could feel the effort the author put into writing it. I respect the hustle I really do. The writing itself was great; but the dialogue, characters, world, and pretty much everything else about the story was not my flavor
ellierichards90's review
4.0
"He She and It" raised some interesting philosophical ideas, but there was also plenty of action to keep things entertaining.
I personally found the sci fi element to the book really interesting, but even if you aren't a sci fi fan, there is still plenty to enjoy here and the story doesn't get too bogged down in the science. Ultimately, "He She and It" is more about human relationships than technology, and featured some great character development.
Overall, the story was well thought out and well written.
I personally found the sci fi element to the book really interesting, but even if you aren't a sci fi fan, there is still plenty to enjoy here and the story doesn't get too bogged down in the science. Ultimately, "He She and It" is more about human relationships than technology, and featured some great character development.
Overall, the story was well thought out and well written.
storia's review
5.0
Amazing! I don't know why but I'm still surprised by how much I liked this book. It checked all the boxes for me: sci-fi, world building, high stakes, diverse cast of complex characters, and a gut punch of an ending. I was hooked and invested the entire time. I'll mention real quick, there isn't a terrible amount of action in this. It's sci-fi but it's definitely character driven - focused on their thoughts and feelings in domestic to impossible situations. I will definitely read more of Piercy's books after this.
mikhaela_reid's review
5.0
Jewish girl in dystopian future meets cyborg, and falls in love. Jewish girl in 1600s Prague meets golem, and falls in love.
As much as I enjoyed The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, when it comes to books involving golems in Prague, this book takes the blue ribbon. Kavalier took me a while to get in to, but He, She and It gripped me from the beginning and I could NOT put it down. He, She and It is many things--Jewish feminist fiction, a robot love story, dystopian science fiction, cyperpunk sci fi, fiction about class, fiction about corporatization, fiction about environmental disaster and fiction about gender and love and storytelling and armed resistance. It's beautifully written with wonderfully complicated and fascinating characters.
The book has two main parallel stories. The first follows Shira, a woman living in a dystopian cyberpunk future controlled by a handful of oppressive corporations. Her mother is a renegade lesbian terrorist (or freedom fighter) and her grandmother is a genetic scientist who lives in a small Jewish village off the grid. When her husband is awarded sole custody of their son in a bitter divorce, Shira goes to live with her grandmother in the Jewish free zone and falls in love with the illegal cyborg created to defend the zone.
The second story, told by the grandmother, follows a the daughter of a rabbi in the Jewish ghetto of 1600s Prague. Fearing for the lives of his community, the rabbi creates a golem to defend the ghetto. His independent and intellectual daughter falls in love with said golem.
But honestly, no review can do this amazing book justice. I plan to read it many, many times.
As much as I enjoyed The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, when it comes to books involving golems in Prague, this book takes the blue ribbon. Kavalier took me a while to get in to, but He, She and It gripped me from the beginning and I could NOT put it down. He, She and It is many things--Jewish feminist fiction, a robot love story, dystopian science fiction, cyperpunk sci fi, fiction about class, fiction about corporatization, fiction about environmental disaster and fiction about gender and love and storytelling and armed resistance. It's beautifully written with wonderfully complicated and fascinating characters.
The book has two main parallel stories. The first follows Shira, a woman living in a dystopian cyberpunk future controlled by a handful of oppressive corporations. Her mother is a renegade lesbian terrorist (or freedom fighter) and her grandmother is a genetic scientist who lives in a small Jewish village off the grid. When her husband is awarded sole custody of their son in a bitter divorce, Shira goes to live with her grandmother in the Jewish free zone and falls in love with the illegal cyborg created to defend the zone.
The second story, told by the grandmother, follows a the daughter of a rabbi in the Jewish ghetto of 1600s Prague. Fearing for the lives of his community, the rabbi creates a golem to defend the ghetto. His independent and intellectual daughter falls in love with said golem.
But honestly, no review can do this amazing book justice. I plan to read it many, many times.
r_emrys's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
acaciathorns's review
5.0
Marge Piercy always has a way of blowing my mind. With He, She and It, I was shocked it had been written over 20 years ago! It tells of a seemingly possible future for us all - climate change, corporate dictatorship and endless poverty.
The retelling of the Golem through the narrative of an AI, Yod, was extremely evocative. A must read for anyone who likes sci-fi or cares about the future of our world.
The retelling of the Golem through the narrative of an AI, Yod, was extremely evocative. A must read for anyone who likes sci-fi or cares about the future of our world.