Scan barcode
rogoreads's review
2.0
This book has such a strong concept that I wish I liked it better. I'm into reading about futures where corporations rule and people are forced to earn basic rights, because that's pretty real right now. Add in medical debt and hiding an extremely expensive illness contracted while being indentured in the mines and you should have yourself a harrowing dystopia.
However, the plot moved at a breakneck speed that left me pretty confused half the time. I couldn't quite get a grip on the world's rules because of seemingly contradictory plot points and decisions. It felt like some important descriptions had been cut to make the story move faster. I didn't understand what even happened in the first few chapters, until well into the story. I still don't know why they went to the planet surface and why many things progressed the way they did.
I also found the characters pretty inconsistent. Some characters changed their minds so frequently that I never got a sense of what they were actually like, beyond doing what was necessary to either throw up an obstacle or advance the plot (sometimes in rapid succession). I think Ash was the strongest one, and it's cool to see a bi woman with a past and current relationship. Although the current one has weird power dynamics and doesn't really get meaningful screen time to be believable.
The alien concept was cool, and there were some poignant bits about what it means to be human. But there were too many flaws for me.
However, the plot moved at a breakneck speed that left me pretty confused half the time. I couldn't quite get a grip on the world's rules because of seemingly contradictory plot points and decisions. It felt like some important descriptions had been cut to make the story move faster. I didn't understand what even happened in the first few chapters, until well into the story. I still don't know why they went to the planet surface and why many things progressed the way they did.
I also found the characters pretty inconsistent. Some characters changed their minds so frequently that I never got a sense of what they were actually like, beyond doing what was necessary to either throw up an obstacle or advance the plot (sometimes in rapid succession). I think Ash was the strongest one, and it's cool to see a bi woman with a past and current relationship. Although the current one has weird power dynamics and doesn't really get meaningful screen time to be believable.
The alien concept was cool, and there were some poignant bits about what it means to be human. But there were too many flaws for me.
rikerandom's review
3.0
Okay, that was … weird? I’m actually not sure if it was weird in a good or bad way, I just know it was weird and not what I expected and I’m not sure I understood all of it but I kinda wanna read the sequel?
sadiebelles_books's review
4.0
This book was fast-paced and has you on the edge of your seat the whole time. However (and I can’t believe I’m saying this and it’s probably a holdover from reading so much fantasy which can sometimes OD on world-building), I wanted to know more about the world of this book. Who are these big bad corporations? How did the world get like that? I guess this is a common thing in sci-fi books, keep it mysterious and vague and kind of ominous, and you kind of figure some of it out as you go along, but there are still many mysteries for the reader to noodle through, which I guess is part of the point of sci-fi. This has now become a ramble about genre haha. Anyway, this was different from my normal reading flavors and a welcome change of pace, and I’m living for the major anti-capitalist vibes.
quietnyx's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
dorianm's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
jenn_the_unicorn's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
3.25
hsinjulit's review
4.0
Indenture Ash knows if Aurora found out about her celestium sickness, she will never become citizen. But priorities change when she stumbles upon a huge corporate conspiracy that contradicts everything she used to know.
I love how this quote is on the cover of the book. It pretty much sums up the ongoing conflicts yet gives up none of the plot. The overall concept of Vai was both beautiful and terrifying to read. And when Ash and Kate started to learn more about the alien species as well as the truths about the corporates, we did as well. That heightened the sense of participation for the readers.
As much as a science fiction Architects of Memory is, I also read it as a political work. With Ash and the other indentures working to lower the years in their citizenship accounts while birthright citizens have higher default ranks, it is a story on the hardships and unfairness of immigration. Since the equivalent of countries in our world is the corporates, do we know if those in power are working toward a better future or prioritizing profits?
The corporates' conspiracies also prompts us to ask ourselves what the truths are if authorities cannot be trusted. Could we, like Ash and Kate and their friends, know how to react when everything we have ever known turned out to be lies? And what does it mean to trust a person when it comes to that? What is loyalty? How fast can misunderstandings, fights for domination, and violence escalate on a global scale?
There were a lot of "bloody" scenes and murders and massacres in the story. And all are necessary evil for the plot, almost logical. While the whole book happened within an estimated two days, it was intense and I felt myself invested in the story. However, the last chapter felt a little rushed since it covered the time span of about a week, but it left me wondering what happens next.
Architects of Memory is a look on humanity through the world of science fiction and the perspectives of Vai, and what it means to be truly alone. There is no doubt I will be looking forward to its sequel.
I received an e-ARC from Tor Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"They didn't know we could die." – Ash
I love how this quote is on the cover of the book. It pretty much sums up the ongoing conflicts yet gives up none of the plot. The overall concept of Vai was both beautiful and terrifying to read. And when Ash and Kate started to learn more about the alien species as well as the truths about the corporates, we did as well. That heightened the sense of participation for the readers.
As much as a science fiction Architects of Memory is, I also read it as a political work. With Ash and the other indentures working to lower the years in their citizenship accounts while birthright citizens have higher default ranks, it is a story on the hardships and unfairness of immigration. Since the equivalent of countries in our world is the corporates, do we know if those in power are working toward a better future or prioritizing profits?
The corporates' conspiracies also prompts us to ask ourselves what the truths are if authorities cannot be trusted. Could we, like Ash and Kate and their friends, know how to react when everything we have ever known turned out to be lies? And what does it mean to trust a person when it comes to that? What is loyalty? How fast can misunderstandings, fights for domination, and violence escalate on a global scale?
There were a lot of "bloody" scenes and murders and massacres in the story. And all are necessary evil for the plot, almost logical. While the whole book happened within an estimated two days, it was intense and I felt myself invested in the story. However, the last chapter felt a little rushed since it covered the time span of about a week, but it left me wondering what happens next.
Architects of Memory is a look on humanity through the world of science fiction and the perspectives of Vai, and what it means to be truly alone. There is no doubt I will be looking forward to its sequel.
I received an e-ARC from Tor Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
youcallherhephanie's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
4.0
took 100 pages to really get into it but the plot twists hooked me
jmbq_reads's review
3.0
I spent the first two thirds of the book debating whether or not to DNF as it just wasn't grabbing me. I liked the idea behind the plot, but the story didn't seem to go beyond the cliches for the longest time. (Especially when one character actually said they "released a breath I didn't realize I had been holding." Seriously? Can you get more cliched?) The final third redeemed it, as did the good rep among the characters, but overall I'd give it a 2.5 stars and don't plan to continue the series.