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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
*Referring to the blurb above*
...
Mind you, as blurbs go, this is a really good one, except for the last bit. It’s not about who will live and who will die; it’s about what is real and what is not.
There’s Huffman Coding in there and personalities that should not exist, but must.
What blows my mind so much is the way the author builds this story. Yes, around the 70% mark you get annoyed at the lenght of one of the stories of the five personae, but keep going - so much worth it - but to break this story down the way he did and re-assemble it all in the end is sheer ingenuity. Each of the “characters” are so very well developed throughout the novel, it’s uncanny.
I will admit, the novel could have been shortened by some 100 or 200 pages without loosing any depth, but even so it was a lasting experience.
Absolutely recommended for people critical of complete digital lifestyle, machine defined tolerable behaviour and the power of social media actually being the judge to life.
...
Mind you, as blurbs go, this is a really good one, except for the last bit. It’s not about who will live and who will die; it’s about what is real and what is not.
There’s Huffman Coding in there and personalities that should not exist, but must.
What blows my mind so much is the way the author builds this story. Yes, around the 70% mark you get annoyed at the lenght of one of the stories of the five personae, but keep going - so much worth it - but to break this story down the way he did and re-assemble it all in the end is sheer ingenuity. Each of the “characters” are so very well developed throughout the novel, it’s uncanny.
I will admit, the novel could have been shortened by some 100 or 200 pages without loosing any depth, but even so it was a lasting experience.
Absolutely recommended for people critical of complete digital lifestyle, machine defined tolerable behaviour and the power of social media actually being the judge to life.
A near-future thriller, in which an Investigator of the Witness tries to establish why a citizen would resist interrogation; and what secrets she may have been hiding. But as Mielikki delves into Diana Hunter's memories, she (and we) are confronted by personalities from across history - a Carthaginian witch; a Greek investment banker; an Ethiopian artist and his immersive game designing grand-daughter; a nebulous, angry spirit determined to consume everyone. Are any of them real? Who was Diana Hunter?
...the more this sits with me the more intimidated I get at the thought of writing a review. This is an immense novel, ambitious, political, paranoid, wise, demanding, which cares deeply about its subject matter and cares rather less for its readership (it's not here to convince you; it simply is, and you will be won over or you won't).
It's only flaw is being perhaps a little too long, too slow - but as part of its power comes from the accretion of storylines and the way they mirror one another, that's a tricky criticism to make; so perhaps the flaw is mine - my attention span is too limited (especially when working long hours on mentally and emotionally demanding projects).
Brilliant stuff. Just make sure you approach it with a clear head - it'll soon fill it up with ideas.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full review to follow.
...the more this sits with me the more intimidated I get at the thought of writing a review. This is an immense novel, ambitious, political, paranoid, wise, demanding, which cares deeply about its subject matter and cares rather less for its readership (it's not here to convince you; it simply is, and you will be won over or you won't).
It's only flaw is being perhaps a little too long, too slow - but as part of its power comes from the accretion of storylines and the way they mirror one another, that's a tricky criticism to make; so perhaps the flaw is mine - my attention span is too limited (especially when working long hours on mentally and emotionally demanding projects).
Brilliant stuff. Just make sure you approach it with a clear head - it'll soon fill it up with ideas.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full review to follow.
DNF'ed at 32%. I tried. I really, really did.
Another week, Another DNF.
Scifi is one of my favorite genres but lately, it feels like every time I pick up a sci-fi novel to read - I'm extremely bored, confused, and disappointed. I received this book in a PageHabit box that a friend bought for me. Her heart was in the right place but this book belongs in the trash.
I did not care for the synopsis. Wow, another dystopian society where the government sees and records your every move. So shook, I've definitely haven't read this a thousand times before. This is such an innovative idea.
Basic af plot aside, my primary issue stems from the writing. The author is guilty of data dumping what feels like useless information for pages on end, to the point where the story almost feels convoluted. This shouldn't be a story that's difficult to follow and yet it was. There's a break in the narrative where one of the protagonists has what I can only describe as a spiritual experience with a shark. Yes. You read that right. Although it was one of the more interesting sections to read, I couldn't help but feel that the story was all over the place.
There were various sections where I had to pause my reading and I ask myself: "What is happening?"
I just don't understand how the pacing was so unbelievably slow and I still missed how entire sections went from point A to point B. This book just wasn't for me. I made it to page two-hundred and something and I couldn't get emotionally invested in any of the characters. They weren't even slightly interesting to me. The more I read, the more distant I felt from the story (and the recondite terms definitely didn't help).
Overall, it felt like I spent the majority of my time and effort on concentrating, on trying to understand what was happening rather than on enjoying anything. I'm sure this is a very clever book for some readers. I'm sure there are people out there who read this book and were mindblown, but I will never be one of those people.
Side note: I discovered a new pet peeve. Long af sentences to describe or state something that can be said in a few words. I don't need a 1k worded prose to tell me the sun is hot. Condense the writing, please.
