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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Metro 2033 provides an uncommon take on the hero’s journey, adapted into a post-apocalyptic, Russian slow burn.
The beginning of this book was slow, as you watch Artyom get the ball rolling toward his ultimate goal. I struggled quite a bit to get through the early sections, pretty much up until the point where he ventures onto the surface. After that, however, I was more or less gripped by the story. I find that I often have this issue with a lot of fantasy and speculative fiction: I can’t always stay interested during the exposition phase. Hopefully, I can come to appreciate novels like Metro 2033 in the future and learn to respect these slow starts.
Overall, the characters were middling in this book, but the setting is what really carried Metro 2033. I liked Artyom (obviously), but most of the other characters felt more like waypoints leading him toward the end goal. That said, I loved everything about the Metro itself. The descriptions brought me fully into the world and kept me hooked. I especially loved the part when Artyom traveled to the surface for the first time. It offered a great glimpse into the atmosphere the author was crafting and kept me on the edge of my seat.
The ending was a satisfying wrap-up, if just a bit rushed. The sudden realization of Artyom’s purpose, contrasted with the complete destruction of the Dark Ones’ home, was honestly a perfect conclusion to this bleak novel. The lost potential for living in harmony with the Dark Ones—potential that could have extended humanity’s fragile lifeline—was a powerful way to close the story.
I also want to call out the subtle satirizing the novel does of the hero’s narrative, where Dmitry Glukhovsky more or less challenges the idea of the main character surviving improbable situations and attributing it to “divine intervention.” Usually, it’s hard to suspend disbelief in stories like this, but the author clearly understands this skepticism and plays off it effectively.
This is definitely a slow burn, but if you enjoy dystopian fiction, I would recommend reading Metro 2033. If you appreciate hero’s stories, I’d also suggest giving this one a try. Just be prepared to buckle in—I think most people will ultimately find a lot to appreciate in this novel.
3.5/5 stars
The beginning of this book was slow, as you watch Artyom get the ball rolling toward his ultimate goal. I struggled quite a bit to get through the early sections, pretty much up until the point where he ventures onto the surface. After that, however, I was more or less gripped by the story. I find that I often have this issue with a lot of fantasy and speculative fiction: I can’t always stay interested during the exposition phase. Hopefully, I can come to appreciate novels like Metro 2033 in the future and learn to respect these slow starts.
Overall, the characters were middling in this book, but the setting is what really carried Metro 2033. I liked Artyom (obviously), but most of the other characters felt more like waypoints leading him toward the end goal. That said, I loved everything about the Metro itself. The descriptions brought me fully into the world and kept me hooked. I especially loved the part when Artyom traveled to the surface for the first time. It offered a great glimpse into the atmosphere the author was crafting and kept me on the edge of my seat.
The ending was a satisfying wrap-up, if just a bit rushed. The sudden realization of Artyom’s purpose, contrasted with the complete destruction of the Dark Ones’ home, was honestly a perfect conclusion to this bleak novel. The lost potential for living in harmony with the Dark Ones—potential that could have extended humanity’s fragile lifeline—was a powerful way to close the story.
I also want to call out the subtle satirizing the novel does of the hero’s narrative, where Dmitry Glukhovsky more or less challenges the idea of the main character surviving improbable situations and attributing it to “divine intervention.” Usually, it’s hard to suspend disbelief in stories like this, but the author clearly understands this skepticism and plays off it effectively.
This is definitely a slow burn, but if you enjoy dystopian fiction, I would recommend reading Metro 2033. If you appreciate hero’s stories, I’d also suggest giving this one a try. Just be prepared to buckle in—I think most people will ultimately find a lot to appreciate in this novel.
3.5/5 stars
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved this book when I first listened to it on audio several years ago and relistening to it has made me love it again. This work gets into some shallow philosophy repeatedly and the same with horror. It partly feels like a series of interconnected short stories meant to explore the terror and societal demands of living underground and I very much enjoy it. Very episodic. There are few narratives that are built like this.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Yeah, I know, I'm sorry, ok? I know it would be better if I read it in its original language but unfortunately I don't speak Russian well enough to do that. The story was actually pretty good, the writing felt a little impersonal/bland but it had some lovely metaphors that weren't lost in translation. However, I did feel like it was a slog. It was far too long, with the book spending far too much time on things I don't care about, and then quickly rushing through other parts that were actually interesting. Like the end, for example. I also just felt like it was really hard to follow. Idk maybe I'm just stupid though. But really, it was a really good concept and a good story. Yes. The ending was shit. But maybe that's the point I guess?