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bnielsen214's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
selenajournal's review against another edition
2.0
This moment of recognition, the alchemy of being seen, feels so vivid that everything else is an afterimage. -pg 13
The road didn't age you. Settling down somewhere, gaining attachments and expectations, assimilating - those things aged you. -pg 44
"I need you to know that I'll never let anyone take you away from me again. I would burn everything to fine ash, both cities, the world, to keep you with me. You belong here, you're fucking mine. Whatever comes next, we're going to demolish it together." -pg 157
Maybe all this time, I've been lonely for people who were never even born, or a culture I never got to know. -pg 215
The road didn't age you. Settling down somewhere, gaining attachments and expectations, assimilating - those things aged you. -pg 44
"I need you to know that I'll never let anyone take you away from me again. I would burn everything to fine ash, both cities, the world, to keep you with me. You belong here, you're fucking mine. Whatever comes next, we're going to demolish it together." -pg 157
Maybe all this time, I've been lonely for people who were never even born, or a culture I never got to know. -pg 215
ilikereadingactually's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
nfiertz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
autumngoodwin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
pinkadilly's review against another edition
4.0
3.5
I don't think this is the type of book I enjoy - philosophical in plot (relative to my tastes, anyway) and with mostly thoughtfull prose. But I enjoyes how alien things felt (even if it means I dont at all have a good mental image of...well, most things in the book). I really liked the casual references through which we learned about the past - the way humans built a ship to take them away and then the city-states within it turned on each other, and etc.
The central relationship (imo) between Sophie and Bianca felt more frustrating than anything else. By the end especially I just wanted to scream and Sophie to just move along!!! Mouth, our other PoV character, felt like she was slowly deflating the entire book, and I'm not sure yet how that makes me feel.
This book did really draw me in, and I really enjoyed all the parts talking about the world and rhe history and the weird things they ate - the whole journey in the wastes was great, as was contrasting the cities. But the ending didnt satisfy me at all, perhaps because it didnt feel like the things I liked about the book were what I was supposed to be liking about the book? Still, the last page definitely left me more confused than satisfied.
I don't think this is the type of book I enjoy - philosophical in plot (relative to my tastes, anyway) and with mostly thoughtfull prose. But I enjoyes how alien things felt (even if it means I dont at all have a good mental image of...well, most things in the book). I really liked the casual references through which we learned about the past - the way humans built a ship to take them away and then the city-states within it turned on each other, and etc.
The central relationship (imo) between Sophie and Bianca felt more frustrating than anything else. By the end especially I just wanted to scream and Sophie to just move along!!! Mouth, our other PoV character, felt like she was slowly deflating the entire book, and I'm not sure yet how that makes me feel.
This book did really draw me in, and I really enjoyed all the parts talking about the world and rhe history and the weird things they ate - the whole journey in the wastes was great, as was contrasting the cities. But the ending didnt satisfy me at all, perhaps because it didnt feel like the things I liked about the book were what I was supposed to be liking about the book? Still, the last page definitely left me more confused than satisfied.
jarichan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
starlily's review against another edition
Never strongly engaged me and eventually got too bored and disinterested. Stopped at 34%
readingwithalex02's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I stayed up late to finish this, something I haven’t done in a while. The world Anders creates is so rich and intriguing, the perfect blend of dystopian allegory with futuristic sci-fi, that this has shot up to one of my favourite sci-fi books. I only wish she had written more.
A tidally locked planet where it’s human inhabitants (a group of colonists hailing from Earth) are bound to live in the sliver of land between the boiling day and the freezing cold night. This setting perfectly allows Anders to introduce the idea of climate challenges (acid rain and cyclones!!!) and reflects what will happen if we don’t take care of our planet. But, the best part of this is that not once does the novel feel preachy or even scaremongering. It is realistic about the climate challenges faced, while acknowledging that you need to find ways to survive, and live in a destroyed planet in as meaningful a way as possible. Yay?
On top of all this are the LGBTQ+ themes. The “relationship” between Sophie and Bianca is the most infuriating and disturbing and tragically relatable part of the story. Sophie is completely infatuated with Bianca. We see as this “relationship” brings Sophie down so many times, could call it her Hamartia, even (English lit degree coming in full swing). Sophie, sweetie, you deserve better.
There’s also Mouth, who has a kind of gender nonconformity that I adore. Her relationship with Alyssa is adorable, and her “jinx” with Sophie is so dynamic and compelling.
At times Mouth did get slightly annoying, but I also felt for her the most. She seemed so lost in the world and was just trying to figure herself out. Her culture and entirely family being destroyed, her search for meaning and a sense of self without them, and the final sort of plot twist about what had wiped them out really impacted me.
Final note, absolutely loved the little detail at the start with the “Translator’s Note”.
A tidally locked planet where it’s human inhabitants (a group of colonists hailing from Earth) are bound to live in the sliver of land between the boiling day and the freezing cold night. This setting perfectly allows Anders to introduce the idea of climate challenges (acid rain and cyclones!!!) and reflects what will happen if we don’t take care of our planet. But, the best part of this is that not once does the novel feel preachy or even scaremongering. It is realistic about the climate challenges faced, while acknowledging that you need to find ways to survive, and live in a destroyed planet in as meaningful a way as possible. Yay?
On top of all this are the LGBTQ+ themes. The “relationship” between Sophie and Bianca is the most infuriating and disturbing and tragically relatable part of the story. Sophie is completely infatuated with Bianca. We see as this “relationship” brings Sophie down so many times, could call it her Hamartia, even (English lit degree coming in full swing). Sophie, sweetie, you deserve better.
There’s also Mouth, who has a kind of gender nonconformity that I adore. Her relationship with Alyssa is adorable, and her “jinx” with Sophie is so dynamic and compelling.
At times Mouth did get slightly annoying, but I also felt for her the most. She seemed so lost in the world and was just trying to figure herself out. Her culture and entirely family being destroyed, her search for meaning and a sense of self without them, and the final sort of plot twist about what had wiped them out really impacted me.
Final note, absolutely loved the little detail at the start with the “Translator’s Note”.