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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Starts very slow and weird, starts picking up pace… then ends. Now I need to go for the next volume.
I definitely can't fault the quality of the writing, though there were a few times where I felt the point got lost in the florid language and I had to go back and reread passages to understand what was going on. There were some references to classical mythology like little Easter eggs, which I enjoyed. I haven't decided if I'll keep on with the series, or go back and reread these first two installments with a bit clearer understanding of the world in which they're set 🤷
Don't get me wrong, it's good. But what I was looking for in this book I found in another which was much better and I didn't have the enthusiasm to come back to this one.
A look at Earth's (Urth's) distant future through the eyes of a young torturer in training. You'd think that with that particular job description this would be an exciting, adventurous, action-packed book. You'd be wrong.
I do not understand how this book has over a 4-star rating. It was only through a massive effort of will that I finished it, and I was tempted to give up several times throughout; I had hoped, based on the average rating of 4.2 at this time, that it would get better. That it would soon earn the stars it had shown! I was wrong.
The prose is dense, inscrutable, rambling and often downright boring. Somehow the main characters "just know" certain things, while at the same time they manage to not realize the painfully obvious! It's amazing. The narrator and main character, Severian, wants you to know that his memory as perfect, and to not hold it against him, as he continuously reminds you. There seems to be a lot of attempted symbolism that doesn't really add up or mean anything in the end.
So if you're big on long-winded prose and/or symbolism for symbolism's sake (rather than the advancement of the plot), I would recommend this book. Otherwise, pass.
I do not understand how this book has over a 4-star rating. It was only through a massive effort of will that I finished it, and I was tempted to give up several times throughout; I had hoped, based on the average rating of 4.2 at this time, that it would get better. That it would soon earn the stars it had shown! I was wrong.
The prose is dense, inscrutable, rambling and often downright boring. Somehow the main characters "just know" certain things, while at the same time they manage to not realize the painfully obvious! It's amazing. The narrator and main character, Severian, wants you to know that his memory as perfect, and to not hold it against him, as he continuously reminds you. There seems to be a lot of attempted symbolism that doesn't really add up or mean anything in the end.
So if you're big on long-winded prose and/or symbolism for symbolism's sake (rather than the advancement of the plot), I would recommend this book. Otherwise, pass.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No