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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
Wow I did NOT like this. It was so overly convoluted and didn't need to be written in such cryptic prose.
I loved it, but damn does it make you work for it.
This is a book where I finished it and then immediately had to go back and reread about 75% of the book, taking notes at the same time. It's not an easy book to read by any means, but it's also not an impossible read.
I was drawn in by the way that VanderMeer tells stories. It's the same thing that happened with the Southern Reach trilogy or when I'm playing games like Dark Souls. There is a lot of Lore and background to understand, but it's not being given to you in easily digestible formats. You need to work for it.
I do recommend this book, but only for people who enjoy piecing together those kind of lore puzzles or pondering over the details. If you're a more straight forward reader? Skip it.
This is a book where I finished it and then immediately had to go back and reread about 75% of the book, taking notes at the same time. It's not an easy book to read by any means, but it's also not an impossible read.
I was drawn in by the way that VanderMeer tells stories. It's the same thing that happened with the Southern Reach trilogy or when I'm playing games like Dark Souls. There is a lot of Lore and background to understand, but it's not being given to you in easily digestible formats. You need to work for it.
I do recommend this book, but only for people who enjoy piecing together those kind of lore puzzles or pondering over the details. If you're a more straight forward reader? Skip it.
An admirable addition to the series, I just think there was more potential that could have been fulfilled.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Tough read. A cubist painting of a book. I have no idea what happened, but I know how I feel about it
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
This is different to the other VanderMeer books I've read; it's experimental enough to be more poetry than prose. I struggled through the first half but ended up finding its conclusion quite moving. And I like the notion that, at the end of the world, even narrative falls apart.
Possibly the worst book I have ever read.
Story, structure, narrative, characters, plot? This book has none of these. It goes nowhere. It has bits of recurring words, of paragraphs that just continue sometimes for five or six pages, just saying the same thing over an over again.
I suspect the author thinks they are being clever. But it's just boring and pointless.
I assume the "author" lives in an echo chamber of sycophants who tell them how great they are.
Emperor's new clothes, and they really are not wearing any.
This is garbage.
NOT RECOMMENDED TO ANYONE.
Story, structure, narrative, characters, plot? This book has none of these. It goes nowhere. It has bits of recurring words, of paragraphs that just continue sometimes for five or six pages, just saying the same thing over an over again.
I suspect the author thinks they are being clever. But it's just boring and pointless.
I assume the "author" lives in an echo chamber of sycophants who tell them how great they are.
Emperor's new clothes, and they really are not wearing any.
This is garbage.
NOT RECOMMENDED TO ANYONE.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was interesting but also weird and confusing, and I don’t know if that’s good or bad.
I don't know if I could write a proper review for this book because it took me such a long time to read it. I started reading it in January and read it a few more times and then kind of stopped reading it in March and then started reading it again in June until I finished it. This sporadic reading pattern definitely did not help me understand what was happening in this story and it certainly won't help me try to write a review for this story. But I'll try the best I can to write a review using on the random notes I wrote as I was reading this book.
Anyway, based on my random notes, it seems like I was in a constant state of intrigue and confusion while reading this book. And for awhile, I thought I had to be in the right mood and state of mind to properly focus on and understand this book, but honestly, I think this book is just confusing. There were certain lines and details and moments in this book that were beautifully-written, but they didn't help me understand or care about the overall story and characters. And I think the only reason why I understood any of it was because I read Borne and The Strange Bird previously. So, I appreciated this book because it was an interesting addition to the Borne universe, but I didn't necessarily enjoy it.
I recognize that there are stories that aren't meant to be understood, but are rather meant to be ~vibed~ with. And in this case, I did not vibe with this story. But oh well!
Rating: 3/5
(I forgot to add my rating at the end, but I'm going to assume that I would've put 3/5 when I originally wrote this review)
I don't know if I could write a proper review for this book because it took me such a long time to read it. I started reading it in January and read it a few more times and then kind of stopped reading it in March and then started reading it again in June until I finished it. This sporadic reading pattern definitely did not help me understand what was happening in this story and it certainly won't help me try to write a review for this story. But I'll try the best I can to write a review using on the random notes I wrote as I was reading this book.
Anyway, based on my random notes, it seems like I was in a constant state of intrigue and confusion while reading this book. And for awhile, I thought I had to be in the right mood and state of mind to properly focus on and understand this book, but honestly, I think this book is just confusing. There were certain lines and details and moments in this book that were beautifully-written, but they didn't help me understand or care about the overall story and characters. And I think the only reason why I understood any of it was because I read Borne and The Strange Bird previously. So, I appreciated this book because it was an interesting addition to the Borne universe, but I didn't necessarily enjoy it.
I recognize that there are stories that aren't meant to be understood, but are rather meant to be ~vibed~ with. And in this case, I did not vibe with this story. But oh well!
Rating: 3/5
(I forgot to add my rating at the end, but I'm going to assume that I would've put 3/5 when I originally wrote this review)