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stabaquail's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
In the year 2037, true crime has become a commodity. In our own year of 2023, the victims of true crime are being increasingly exploited, and the author explores a future in which people clamor to experience the true crimes they have read about firsthand in a virtual reality. They can talk to a murderer, witness their crimes, and investigate the crime scenes for clues they think the detectives missed. All for a subscription fee, of course….and those involved have to sign away the rights to their stories, usually as a result of great manipulation and desperation.
The beginning of the book was slightly disjointed, and I wasn’t initially engaged as I waited for the story to come together. I debated not finishing this one. Luckily, after the first few chapters, the introduction came together and the story moved forward, so I decided to stick with it. I’m glad I did!
Though I’m skeptical that the industry will ever get THIS bad, it is an interesting idea to explore. As someone with an interest in true crime, I do have a lot of concerns about the ethics of the industry lately and have become much more selective about what I consume. Unfortunately, in this future world, most people have no qualms about being as gross and exploitative as possible.
The mysteries that main character Cassie West works to uncover are interesting and surprising. Also, the bonds she forms with her found family are really sweet and I was glad there was a note of hope at the end.
My only other complaint was some slightly clunky exposition here and there. At times, a character would explain some aspect of this future world to another character as if they didn’t already know all about it. For example - I assume everyone who uses a visor and goes into Earth Plus knows about hyponeutremia. I would think the narrator could just tell us about it instead of two characters explaining to to each other for no clear reason. The lady at the orphanage also gave a TON of background and explanation and, while I can appreciate that we needed some context for why Allie didn’t want to be there or go back, most of the detail we got was not relevant to the rest of the book. It seemed like it was just the author trying to work in all the cool ideas he had.
Other than those small notes, this book was great. I highly recommend even if you don’t read a lot of science fiction. It’s a really interesting dive into a possible future world, and a good reminder to remain thoughtful about the “entertainment” we consume and who it is really serving.
The beginning of the book was slightly disjointed, and I wasn’t initially engaged as I waited for the story to come together. I debated not finishing this one. Luckily, after the first few chapters, the introduction came together and the story moved forward, so I decided to stick with it. I’m glad I did!
Though I’m skeptical that the industry will ever get THIS bad, it is an interesting idea to explore. As someone with an interest in true crime, I do have a lot of concerns about the ethics of the industry lately and have become much more selective about what I consume. Unfortunately, in this future world, most people have no qualms about being as gross and exploitative as possible.
The mysteries that main character Cassie West works to uncover are interesting and surprising. Also, the bonds she forms with her found family are really sweet and I was glad there was a note of hope at the end.
My only other complaint was some slightly clunky exposition here and there. At times, a character would explain some aspect of this future world to another character as if they didn’t already know all about it. For example - I assume everyone who uses a visor and goes into Earth Plus knows about hyponeutremia. I would think the narrator could just tell us about it instead of two characters explaining to to each other for no clear reason. The lady at the orphanage also gave a TON of background and explanation and, while I can appreciate that we needed some context for why Allie didn’t want to be there or go back, most of the detail we got was not relevant to the rest of the book. It seemed like it was just the author trying to work in all the cool ideas he had.
Other than those small notes, this book was great. I highly recommend even if you don’t read a lot of science fiction. It’s a really interesting dive into a possible future world, and a good reminder to remain thoughtful about the “entertainment” we consume and who it is really serving.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Suicide
mostlyliterate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.5
I received an advance review copy of the audiobook Past Crimes by Jason Pinter from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for feedback. Thank you!
This novel kind of blew me away! Science fiction can be very hit and miss for me, and this is definitely a hit. Ellen Quay is a fantastic narrator, and the plot kept me riveted until the last page.
The characters are complex and engaging, and the not-so-distant future that they inhabit is close enough to home that there’s a certain edge to this book’s experience. I often found myself thinking that although we don’t currently have murder-themed amusement parks, the exploitation and fixation supported by the true crime industry hold tremendous influence in contemporary society.
In its triumphant balancing act between bleakness and hope, I think that Past Crimes will be a hit this year. I would especially recommend it to fans of Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death, Child abuse, Miscarriage, and Murder
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Police brutality
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