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reading_and_wheeling's review against another edition
4.0
Sensation Machines is set in the near future and is a combination of satire, social commentary, and crime story. The story starts from two points of view, Michael and Wendy. Two well off Manhattanites whose marriage is crumbling as a result of a miscarriage and Michael losing their money in some bad investments. Michael is trying to find a way to replenish the money they lost (approximately 3 million) while Wendy is working on a project that can only be called data mining via a special suit the user wears that sends all kinds of data to a company that Wendy is working with who in turn sells it to companies for profit. The suit also influences your purchases using your own voice. Creepy, right?
The second part of the book introduces the murder mystery part when Michael's best friend Ricky is murdered. There are a lot of characters introduced in this part and it is hard to keep track of who is who. There is a bit of social commentary regarding government and police corruption as we see the police investigation of who killed Ricky unfold. The final part is Wendy in the aftermath of the unveiling of the suit and how her life is now.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, although a bit out of my usual reads. The majority of the characters are well rounded and the plot is drawn out really well. Given the curry state of the US, you can see how easily this hits close to home rather than if it had been published a year or two earlier.
Thank you to Soho Press, author AdamWilson, and NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The second part of the book introduces the murder mystery part when Michael's best friend Ricky is murdered. There are a lot of characters introduced in this part and it is hard to keep track of who is who. There is a bit of social commentary regarding government and police corruption as we see the police investigation of who killed Ricky unfold. The final part is Wendy in the aftermath of the unveiling of the suit and how her life is now.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, although a bit out of my usual reads. The majority of the characters are well rounded and the plot is drawn out really well. Given the curry state of the US, you can see how easily this hits close to home rather than if it had been published a year or two earlier.
Thank you to Soho Press, author AdamWilson, and NetGalley for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
literarymarvel's review against another edition
4.0
Darkly humorous, political, satirical fiction that’s incredibly smart - I just had a hard time getting into it. A lot of the economic stuff went over my head but I loved the writing and characters.
ji1's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
pvn's review against another edition
4.0
Although flawed, this is a solid drama with lots of ideas and some unexpected turns. This author has written a lot of stories, and his talent and experience are apparent. This one seemed a little uneven and I wasn't always engaged, but for readers seeking a good writing style and well formed characters, plus a good overall plot, this will probably work. 3.5 stars.
Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!
Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!
hamikka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Timely dystopia. Recommended.
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