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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
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?
This book was part of my goal this year to read different types of fiction. As much as I do have an affection for post apocalyptic fiction, I have never really delved into the realm of science fiction before & I think Metro 2033 definitely combines both of these elements.
Metro 2033 is essentially a hero's journey about Artyom a young man who is conscripted by a mysterious figure to go on a journey throughout the Moscow Metro to the Polis group of stations in order to deliver a message about the horrors of the dark ones that seem to be infiltrating the system.
One of the main criticisms I have of this book is that like in all hero's journey tales, the supplementary characters only use it seems is to help Artyom in one fashion or another and then either die, disappear or sagely give advice by a campfire whilst Artyom is passing through.
The overall plot of this book is an interesting one and it was interesting to view how humans have adapted to living underground for such a long period of time and the groups and social structures that they have adapted to. Humans are social animals and Glukhovsky makes it clear that different interest groups have different priorities and living standards. The map that was located at the front of the book was a good reference, but I recommend to get the most out of the experience to print out a larger map or have a webpage handy for reference as at times multiple stations are referenced and I found the situational reference helpful to my understanding and overall immersion in the novel.
Overall great idea and world creation, but I found at times the characters to be lacking depth.
Metro 2033 is essentially a hero's journey about Artyom a young man who is conscripted by a mysterious figure to go on a journey throughout the Moscow Metro to the Polis group of stations in order to deliver a message about the horrors of the dark ones that seem to be infiltrating the system.
One of the main criticisms I have of this book is that like in all hero's journey tales, the supplementary characters only use it seems is to help Artyom in one fashion or another and then either die, disappear or sagely give advice by a campfire whilst Artyom is passing through.
The overall plot of this book is an interesting one and it was interesting to view how humans have adapted to living underground for such a long period of time and the groups and social structures that they have adapted to. Humans are social animals and Glukhovsky makes it clear that different interest groups have different priorities and living standards. The map that was located at the front of the book was a good reference, but I recommend to get the most out of the experience to print out a larger map or have a webpage handy for reference as at times multiple stations are referenced and I found the situational reference helpful to my understanding and overall immersion in the novel.
Overall great idea and world creation, but I found at times the characters to be lacking depth.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Non posso scrivere una vera recensione perché ho preferito abbandonarlo.
I presupposti della trama sono magnifici per chiunque ami i post apocalittici ma la scrittura mi risulta terribile.
I presupposti della trama sono magnifici per chiunque ami i post apocalittici ma la scrittura mi risulta terribile.