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turrean's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I found the premise of the book inexplicable at first, but that feeling quickly faded as the details of the “struggle session” unfold right in the first chapter. There are some not-so-subtle parallels between the effects of Trisolaris’s anti-science campaign against Earth and the Cultural Revolution’s effects on China’s own society that make me curious about Liu Cixin’s reputation and what Chinese schoolchildren learn about their own history. Any student of human history, however broad or narrow, can see that people have always been good at manufacturing Chaotic Eras even in our “paradise” of a stable climate, through religion, politics, climate change, deforestation, and pollution.
I loved the parallels between Ye Wenjie and the Listener on Trisolaris who sends the warning (right down to the echo of “slender fingers.”) The use of Three-Body, the video game, as a mix of recruiting tool, an identity theft scam, and a crowdsourcing campaign was just brilliant.
The scientific explanations were wasted on me, as I lack the understanding to see where the “science” ends and the “fiction” begins. Interactions among humans felt a little distant, but I don’t know how much of that was due to the translation and how much is the author’s storytelling.
I loved the parallels between Ye Wenjie and the Listener on Trisolaris who sends the warning (right down to the echo of “slender fingers.”) The use of Three-Body, the video game, as a mix of recruiting tool, an identity theft scam, and a crowdsourcing campaign was just brilliant.
The scientific explanations were wasted on me, as I lack the understanding to see where the “science” ends and the “fiction” begins. Interactions among humans felt a little distant, but I don’t know how much of that was due to the translation and how much is the author’s storytelling.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Torture, and Violence
gabrielofthe14th's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The book is irregularly paced, and The changes between the video game world and reality are not transferred well. The characters don’t seem to have real depth, one character in particular seems to be a sociopath, but has no depth, perhaps a sociopath has no depth. The references will require a little more depth, and will prompt you to research as some of the concepts are difficult to “accept” within the story. Overall I like the premise of the story. This book is translated and there may be a “lost in translation” part to that which I can accept.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Hate crime, and Forced institutionalization
zone_a3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Classism, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide
mlewis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide and Grief
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Alcohol
budge's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Fascinating and gripping, keeps you guessing until quite near the end. It has an intriguing plot which switches about in time and between reality and virtual reality. The two main characters are easy to identify with but having said that, the zoomed out perspective is quite bleak at times because it's not afraid to look at humanity analytically as a stage of evolution. The physics involved takes a bit of effort (if you stopped at A level in 1983) but it's really cleverly explained and opens up a whole new way of thinking about pretty much everything, which is very exciting.
I didn't realise until the end that there are two more in the series, what a treat!
I didn't realise until the end that there are two more in the series, what a treat!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Suicide
isabelgalupo's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was dense and extremely difficult to read at points, but it has an undeniable “it” factor that makes you want to get through it quickly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Police brutality, and War
fruya's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Murder, Confinement, and Grief
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, and Medical content
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