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jameskirk1's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-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
Extremely thoughtful and creative world building, but the actual plot progresses at a snails pace
aarongertler's review against another edition
3.0
Might be the most frustrating book I've read this year. The setting holds so much promise -- rich history, alien philosophy, intriguing mystery, adjective noun, etc. But the characters (the narrator excepted) are... the adjective-noun pair that comes to mind is "flat cardboard". And there are so FEW of them!
The world is split into ~7 major factions. Each faction is led by two or three important people. These ~20 people account for something like 75% of everything interesting that happens in the world. The political leader of one faction is also the world's foremost art collector and also the most attractive person in the world and also one of the smartest people in the world (even though you'd think genetic engineering, which does exist, would level many of these playing fields). The single female-presented leader is the mother of the world, a combination Mother Theresa // Angela Merkel // Meryl Streep who is said to embody more virtues than the writer can possibly back up. Our narrator is apparently really good at processing data... or something... he has "skills" which leave him jetting from world leader to world leader, helping them solve problems using his... skills.
This is what Eliezer Yudkowsky might call the classic flaw of writing smart characters -- it's easy to *show* them being smart without ever making them *feel* smart. And though this was an excellent novel on the level of the written world, and the built world, I'm very tired of these characters. I hope some of them get killed off // voted out when the sequel comes along. As the perfect Olympian gods of a setting that shouldn't have gods, they are too boring to live. (Unless they have weaknesses, I'd love to see some weaknesses!)
The world is split into ~7 major factions. Each faction is led by two or three important people. These ~20 people account for something like 75% of everything interesting that happens in the world. The political leader of one faction is also the world's foremost art collector and also the most attractive person in the world and also one of the smartest people in the world (even though you'd think genetic engineering, which does exist, would level many of these playing fields). The single female-presented leader is the mother of the world, a combination Mother Theresa // Angela Merkel // Meryl Streep who is said to embody more virtues than the writer can possibly back up. Our narrator is apparently really good at processing data... or something... he has "skills" which leave him jetting from world leader to world leader, helping them solve problems using his... skills.
This is what Eliezer Yudkowsky might call the classic flaw of writing smart characters -- it's easy to *show* them being smart without ever making them *feel* smart. And though this was an excellent novel on the level of the written world, and the built world, I'm very tired of these characters. I hope some of them get killed off // voted out when the sequel comes along. As the perfect Olympian gods of a setting that shouldn't have gods, they are too boring to live. (Unless they have weaknesses, I'd love to see some weaknesses!)
misha_ali's review
This did not engage me. The style and also the worldbuilding throws a lot at you at once and I'm not really getting into it
smartflutist661's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
5.0
A showcase of the best of what science fiction can do. Forward-looking and backward-looking, layered, clearly a work of love, and extremely artful. Hard to talk about without spoilers, so...
I particularly loved the slow reveal of the power structure and seedy(?) underbelly of the New World Order. You get a sense that not is all as hunky-dory as Mycroft suggests almost from the beginning (in fact, even the "legal disclaimer" before the story starts gives that impression), but just how much the world is balanced on a knife's edge isn't clear even up to the very end. Also the complete debauchery and Enlightenment fetishism in the halls of power is... quite something. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against a good debauch, but the way they hide it is not encouraging. The way they claim to be enlightened about gender, but Mycroft says that his narrative won't make sense without the "antiquated" concept and so will include it for the reader's sake, then goes on to assign gendered pronouns based on traditional gender roles was a particular standout, as well.
Actually, when looking up what Mycroft said, exactly, I stumbled upon the author's essay on gender in the world, where she says:
> This element of the world is intentionally polarizing for my readers, creating a future that feels like utopia to some and dystopia to others.
Which I find particularly interesting because I found it overall to be neither utopia nor dystopia, just... a world. There have been some good choices and some bad choices, and people generally continue on with their lives despite the discontent bubbling below the surface. Which is part of what I loved about the book.
I really hope we get more of the Utopians in future books.
Actually, when looking up what Mycroft said, exactly, I stumbled upon the author's essay on gender in the world, where she says:
> This element of the world is intentionally polarizing for my readers, creating a future that feels like utopia to some and dystopia to others.
Which I find particularly interesting because I found it overall to be neither utopia nor dystopia, just... a world. There have been some good choices and some bad choices, and people generally continue on with their lives despite the discontent bubbling below the surface. Which is part of what I loved about the book.
I really hope we get more of the Utopians in future books.
idle_audacity's review
I cannot seem to get invested atm and need to return the library loan. I will have to come back to this later.
rosie_reads_7's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
messner's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
moominvalley's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This took me a few tries to get into, but when it clicked, oh boy- found myself ordering the next three halfway through reading it. Not really sure how to recommend or describe this one, but my advice is to rope in a book club or reading buddy to make it really shine