Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
This is the fourth Neal Stephenson book I’ve read (no previous familiarity with Nicole Galland) and the first one that I didn’t like. I was hoping for a carefully elucidated system of time travel from Stephenson, but instead the rules seem arbitrary and nonsensical. That would be fine if the book excelled in other areas, but it mostly doesn't.
The characters’ obliviousness strains credulity at times.
The plot meanders slowly without really gaining direction until very late in the book - just in time. Some of the early subplots are interesting, but as it gets towards , the lack of a strong answer to “what is the point of any of this?” becomes increasingly exasperating.
The writing style is charming and amusing at times; there’s some stuff I really liked, and I might have rated this higher if it were shorter. But for me there wasn’t enough reward to justify the length.
The characters’ obliviousness strains credulity at times.
Spoiler
If the military is explicitly creating a program to use witches to control people’s minds, would it really never occur to the leadership that putting themselves in the proximity of those witches is risky? Worst of all is Melisande being taken by surprise that she encounters Erszebet in 1851, when she knew from the beginning that that encounter is why Erszebet joined their group in the first place.The plot meanders slowly without really gaining direction until very late in the book - just in time
Spoiler
for an unsatisfying non-endingSpoiler
the Constantinople sectionThe writing style is charming and amusing at times; there’s some stuff I really liked, and I might have rated this higher if it were shorter. But for me there wasn’t enough reward to justify the length.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
I found it a little confusing being bounced from one narrator to another. They did their best to make it clear by using different fonts & page borders, but some of them were rather difficult to read.
Also, the idea - a secret organization whose members travel through time using pods - often reminded me of another series I've read. Now don't get me wrong, there's a lot of difference in the details, but the similarities kept pulling me out of the story. Otherwise, this would've gotten a solid 4 stars.
Also, the idea - a secret organization whose members travel through time using pods - often reminded me of another series I've read. Now don't get me wrong, there's a lot of difference in the details, but the similarities kept pulling me out of the story. Otherwise, this would've gotten a solid 4 stars.
It is a fun read about magic, time travel and bureaucracy that is build and grow around it.
It is a good mix of sci-fi, fantasy and a parody of bureaucracy.
It is a good mix of sci-fi, fantasy and a parody of bureaucracy.
A very creative sci-fi time travel book. I loved the addition of the linguistic and historic details to the time traveling adventures. I did feel like the varieties of narration type (diaries, first person narrative, letters, etc.) made it difficult to ever get very invested in the characters and some major issues brought up in one section were not picked up again in later parts of the book.
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
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:
Yes
I did enjoy this while reading, but am a bit irked by the sudden ending.
And what seems like a plot hole:
In subsequent Strands, Grainne is "wending" and so she knows what happened in Tristan's previous visits, I have no problem with that.
But despite the fact that those subsequent visits start a day earlier, recall that she explicitly told him to come the day before next time and confirms this: "He has been Sent to several Strands, always on the Sunday". So the fight never happens and they never get clothes from the theatre...but she always has the clothes ready for him when he arrives AND she ends up with the dropped dagger in that last Strand (which the authors draw attention to as being the dagger from that first fight).
I hoped this was some clue about Grainne's abilities that would pay off later, but...now it just seems like a mistake.
And what seems like a plot hole:
Spoiler
In Tristan's first DEDE, the very first strand, he gets in a fight with one of Grainne's customers who drops a dagger. Later Tristan and Grainne go get a bunch of clothes from the theatre.In subsequent Strands, Grainne is "wending" and so she knows what happened in Tristan's previous visits, I have no problem with that.
But despite the fact that those subsequent visits start a day earlier, recall that she explicitly told him to come the day before next time and confirms this: "He has been Sent to several Strands, always on the Sunday". So the fight never happens and they never get clothes from the theatre...but she always has the clothes ready for him when he arrives AND she ends up with the dropped dagger in that last Strand (which the authors draw attention to as being the dagger from that first fight).
I hoped this was some clue about Grainne's abilities that would pay off later, but...now it just seems like a mistake.
Cared only a little bit about one minor character. Very disappointed. I should avoid all time travel books, probably.
My only complaint is that this is a standalone novel. I want to have the continuing adventures of our diachronically challenged group. Don't let the comments about the way the novel is written put you off. Yes, it is set up as diary entries, memos and letters. But they all make sense and are so entertaining that, if you get it, you will thoroughly enjoy it.
Time-travel, magic, great characters and an epistolary format. Yes, please! This book has several of my favorite things and it did not disappoint. I read the physical doorstop of a book and also the audio. The audio format was exceptionally well done. This one might be frustrating on a kindle because of the changing format and desire to flip back to past information. Loved this one.