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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
Breathtaking.
I didn't like [b:What is the What|4952|What is the What|Dave Eggers|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328837457s/4952.jpg|3271214] and [b:A Hologram for the King|13722902|A Hologram for the King|Dave Eggers|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1337179987s/13722902.jpg|19355962] as much as I liked this book. Yes, the story is far from being real, but who cares? I don't think it was Eggers' goal to come up with a story so close to reality, it's sience fiction. I enjoyed reading it, couldn't stop.
What I missed in Eggers' story was a more adequate description about Mae's emotions and feelings to all of this. Even when her parents were insulted by the Circle multiple times, she stayed calm and just moved along, like nothing happened. Same thing happened when Mercer killed himself, which was really predictive. Eggers' just took a jump from Mae being a unhappy and unknown employer of a small company to a Mae who's acting like a machine and couldn't care less about family and privacy.
I didn't like [b:What is the What|4952|What is the What|Dave Eggers|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328837457s/4952.jpg|3271214] and [b:A Hologram for the King|13722902|A Hologram for the King|Dave Eggers|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1337179987s/13722902.jpg|19355962] as much as I liked this book. Yes, the story is far from being real, but who cares? I don't think it was Eggers' goal to come up with a story so close to reality, it's sience fiction. I enjoyed reading it, couldn't stop.
What I missed in Eggers' story was a more adequate description about Mae's emotions and feelings to all of this. Even when her parents were insulted by the Circle multiple times, she stayed calm and just moved along, like nothing happened. Same thing happened when Mercer killed himself, which was really predictive. Eggers' just took a jump from Mae being a unhappy and unknown employer of a small company to a Mae who's acting like a machine and couldn't care less about family and privacy.
dark
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this for a course in college. While I found the subject matter to be somewhat topical- only moreso year by year- the story itself was boring and cliché.
The Circle lacks subtlety and depth, and it doesn't bring anything new to the table. All of the concepts have been done before, and way better.
Also, the main character is incredibly naiveto the point of stupidity and a doormat, but not likable or relatable.
Also, the main character is incredibly naive
This book started out with promise. I liked reading about the technical initiatives at the company called the Circle, a fictional amalgam of all today's and future social internet companies. But, I began to lose interest when the characters all became one dimensional and extreme to the nth degree. The Luddite was unwilling to compromise. The newbie became unwilling to question the company mission. The populace were overwhelmingly sheepish with little or no dissent. It turned what started out as an exciting work of speculative fiction and turned it into an allegory against social media.
I just.... can’t even give this...five stars...because the ending..... Having a character that is that easily influenced and idiotic almost seems unrealistic but also could be realistic I don’t know. I just finished it five minutes ago though I’m overwhelmed.
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting read, thought certainly ominous. Good food for thought, although I found the book a little bit frustrating to read.
The premise is great. The way that big tech slowly ingratiates it's way into our lives. Making changes, suggestions, creating technology that simplifies our lives and is often started for great reasons but can readily be used for other malicious means. All of this resonates as does the pernicious pressure to "socialize" our lives, share everything, gain the "liking" of the world. All of that rings true in it's benign creepiness. But somewhere along the line, Eggers just lost me. Badly.
I guess a major part of it was the protagonist kept doing such stupid things, making what felt like barely believable choices that I became more and more frustrated with her, the story and well it just stopped work for me. And by the end I was just pissed off. Maybe I should give it two stars for making me feel something.
I guess a major part of it was the protagonist kept doing such stupid things, making what felt like barely believable choices that I became more and more frustrated with her, the story and well it just stopped work for me. And by the end I was just pissed off. Maybe I should give it two stars for making me feel something.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes