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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Polostan by Neal Stephenson--This is a very solid start to what promises to be an epic trilogy. It's historical fiction, set primarily in the 1920s and 30s in the United States. I really enjoyed the story and the characters (particularly the protagonist), who still remain somewhat of an enigma. There's a lot of depth to the narrative, and I'm excited to see what comes next. Thumbs up.
Polostan is really intriguing, weaving a complex tale of revolution and espionage. It could use some work in the pacing department, but overall, it sets a solid foundation. I'm curious to see where the second installment goes.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm hesitant to be too sweeping in my assessment as this is the shortest Neal Stephenson and is already set up to be a trilogy. It may make sense to compare this more directly to the first third of any of his other books and as such, the review may be premature. I've been a big fan of Neal Stephenson since the 90s and I've read nearly every book he's written. On a scale of the Cobweb to Anathem, I'd put this just a bit better than Reamde.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Physical abuse
adventurous
dark
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
A provisional rating only until books two and three are released. Could even be a five by then. This is clearly just a foundation for the next volumes. I don't mind Stephenson's 1,000-page tomes; I assume that the release of this slim volume was a marketing decision. In any case, it is still good Stephenson. Info dumps and l-o-n-g lists of attractions at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair (Century of Progress). BTW, you don't find out what the title means until the last couple pages of the book.
Very typical abrupt none ending. Ok, but not my favourite of his.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
informative
fast-paced