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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved Annihilation and Borne, so I was excited about this book. I wanted to love this book, but I just didn’t. If anyone other than Jeff VanderMeer had written it, I doubt I would have finished it, but I hung in until the end hoping to see some of what I loved in his other books.
I think what’s really missing here is the imagery and sense of wonder that his other books contain. He evokes such rich worlds in his other novels, but I couldn’t picture the world in this one, even though it’s not much different than our own. (Another nitpick here - this is set in the Pacific Northwest, but it doesn’t feel at all like the Pacific Northwest.)
Also, Borne, even though he is completely imaginary, felt more like a real character than the humans in this book.
I’m just so disappointed.
I think what’s really missing here is the imagery and sense of wonder that his other books contain. He evokes such rich worlds in his other novels, but I couldn’t picture the world in this one, even though it’s not much different than our own. (Another nitpick here - this is set in the Pacific Northwest, but it doesn’t feel at all like the Pacific Northwest.)
Also, Borne, even though he is completely imaginary, felt more like a real character than the humans in this book.
I’m just so disappointed.
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Al principio está muy bien y le sobran 50 páginas de pseudowikipedia sobre colibríes. Después está decente, y le siguen sobrando páginas. Conforme avanza, el personaje principal mejora y la trama se vuelve más absurda. El final es decepcionante, pero también es verdad que le tengo mucha manía a los libros construidos sobre un misterio que no acaban con un final completamente cerrado. Igual también influye que las ganas que tengo de leer sobre pandemias durante la pandemia son nulas.
6.14 on CAWPILE.
Very intriguing, and definitely held my interest, but a little underwhelming towards the end.
Very intriguing, and definitely held my interest, but a little underwhelming towards the end.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A bunch of stuff that in the end doesn’t answer anything and has no motives or contexts to back it up. Also, concluded as a regular thriller, the ‘eco’ part seemed forced in and preachy. Also also, it’s hard to get into a book if the narrator doesn’t have at least one redeemable quality
I have this weird relation with VanderMeer's books, since reading Annihilation, I'm always, always curious about them! Yet after reading the second book in the Southern Reach series, I wasn't as impressed anymore. But then, some parts of it got stuck in my mind! So, it's like a sort of book that might haunt you later. And Hummingbird Salamander, well, it first kind of annoyed and bored me, as "Jane" didn't seem to make any logical decisions at all... Some of it is explained later, but really not all. The character is so unlikeable, that only Silvina kept me interested in the novel, but even she seems to be a bit of a rich-brat annoying. And then the ending, what can I say, it just didn't do it for me ... So, mixed feelings about this one.
Interesting read. Compelling at times, and I wanted to know what would happen, but the main character just didn’t do it for me.
I couldn’t get behind why she would destroy her life just to chase down this ecoterrorist woman. I dunno.
A Dan Pyne suggestion
I couldn’t get behind why she would destroy her life just to chase down this ecoterrorist woman. I dunno.
A Dan Pyne suggestion