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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3 stars for now but I'm still mulling it over...review to follow.
While this is mostly a book about South Africa, the poor and the rich the drugs sex and rock and role, it makes you care about these things, because the protagonist with all her tough attitude cares.
There is an interesting occult twist to it all that tickles my fantasy bone and heightened my enjoyment.
There is an interesting occult twist to it all that tickles my fantasy bone and heightened my enjoyment.
An awesome, awesome book. Click here to read My Review.
Un roman bien chelou, mais hyper original et vraiment sympa !
https://sphinxou.wordpress.com/2016/08/17/zoo-city-_-lauren-beukes/
https://sphinxou.wordpress.com/2016/08/17/zoo-city-_-lauren-beukes/
First book of hers I've read. Couldn't put it down! A mix of fantasy sci fi and murder mystery - but set in a way that the fantasy is almost realistic. It's also set in the here and now rather than the future: almost like some closely related parallel universe. Enjoyed the Josi references. Definitely some South African nuances that would probably be missed by foreign readers (but that won't ruin the experience). Looking forward to reading another!
I liked this book conceptually, but in execution it was a tad confusing.
Why did I read this book
I have wanted to read this book for some time. However, The hype that surrounded it made me hesitate. But, It's constant appearance on award lists encouraged me to finally dig it off the to be read shelves and read it.
enjoyability 1 star
I was pleasantly surprised. For once, the book lived up to the hype. It was an interesting, disturbing and emotive read.
Accessibility 1 star
This is a relatively new book and therefore it's available in most formats. The E book (Kindle version) was good quality.
world building 1 star
The world of this book is a believable one. You are instantly immersed in the dingy, corrupt, future world, that will be South Africa.
language 1 star
The language mirrors the narrators character well, being grungy (street) enough to be believable, and of place, while still managing to be understandable.
Thematic Content 1 star
This books looks at issues of guilt and identity
I have wanted to read this book for some time. However, The hype that surrounded it made me hesitate. But, It's constant appearance on award lists encouraged me to finally dig it off the to be read shelves and read it.
enjoyability 1 star
I was pleasantly surprised. For once, the book lived up to the hype. It was an interesting, disturbing and emotive read.
Accessibility 1 star
This is a relatively new book and therefore it's available in most formats. The E book (Kindle version) was good quality.
world building 1 star
The world of this book is a believable one. You are instantly immersed in the dingy, corrupt, future world, that will be South Africa.
language 1 star
The language mirrors the narrators character well, being grungy (street) enough to be believable, and of place, while still managing to be understandable.
Thematic Content 1 star
This books looks at issues of guilt and identity
Very interesting novel. It's a noir for sure but it's set in Johannesburg and it's sci-fi bent is that certain people have animal familiars. At first I thought it was some "His Dark Materials" knock off but it really isn't. Only certain people have them but it's to do with a crime and the animals that they are paired with sort of depends on the level of guilt/the offence. The protagonist, Zinzi December, has a Sloth and she is essentially responsible for the death of her brother. She's living in a slum known as Zoo City and gets by writing 419 scam emails and using the psychic ability that comes along with being 'animalled'. It's different for everyone but hers is finding lost things. She prefers to find objects but she ends up taking a missing persons case out of desperation to pay off her former drug dealer.
It's the world that gets you invested more than the story does but it's still great fun.
It's the world that gets you invested more than the story does but it's still great fun.