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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A conclusion for the first two books of the trilogy: after an exceptional first book and meh-y second book, this is a mix of them both.
Writing quality-wise, this book is mostly an average of the first two, keeping the hyperbolic style of the second. Plus, the language of this one is full of foul words.
Not only that, the two stories are merged, with Artyom becoming a main character, while meeting and adventuring with Homer and Sascha (from 2034). While the first half is mediocre at best, the last half has some unexpected turns, compared to 2033.
If you have managed to read through the second book, you must read the last one. It's MUCH better than that one, while still not reaching the value of the first one.
Writing quality-wise, this book is mostly an average of the first two, keeping the hyperbolic style of the second. Plus, the language of this one is full of foul words.
Not only that, the two stories are merged, with Artyom becoming a main character, while meeting and adventuring with Homer and Sascha (from 2034). While the first half is mediocre at best, the last half has some unexpected turns, compared to 2033.
If you have managed to read through the second book, you must read the last one. It's MUCH better than that one, while still not reaching the value of the first one.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I first read this book I tried a new approach - audiobook + kindle. The audiobook for my car, Kindle for... not my car. Well, the approach sucked, it made a mess out of the whole experience. But nevermind that... I re-read this book in 2020 with a clearer head (I was going through some rough patches when I read it the first time) and I had to adjust my rating a bit.
In short: Plato's cave, but in the future. Also, ironic, because they literally live in caves. In long: Artyom uncovers a big cospiracy aimed to keep the "sheeple" of the Metro in the dark while the "ruling elites" are feasting and living in luxury because... and this is where all the conspiracy theories fall short: the actual reason. But, moving on...
As far as tropes go, you have all your classics here: the madman that uncovers the whole thing, the father figures that knew all along, the unfulfilled love story, the rebirth of a marriage, "Slacktivism" etc. My impression is that this was too much though and here's why: Artyom is beaten, shot, cut, drugged, exposed to radiation, beaten again, starved, beaten some more, exposed to some more radiation, and yet he rises up again. The uncovering of the conspiracy starts up interestingly, yet becomes boring, because once you uncover *one* conspiracy, uncovering another one within the first one becomes overly complicated. "Hey, look, I found this conspiracy. Not, it's not that, it's this other conspiracy and we knew about it. Hey, look I found this another conspiracy which you think it's not, but it is because you were foooled. Ha Haaa!".
...and then proceeds to ride into the sunset with his own wife which we care very little about because she wasn't given enough space in the book.
However, there is an aspect of the humans that this book gets right, albeit a depressing one - apathy. The old "the devil you know" plague, which is a thing that you see more and more as authoritarian regimes start to rise aroud the world. See, this hit a little too close to home, since we recently have some elections around here: people voted again for convicted felons, people voted again for "not-convicted-but-everyone-knows-he's-crooked", people voted again for illiterates that barely finished highschool. Because it's the devil they know.
5/7, made me sad.
In short: Plato's cave, but in the future. Also, ironic, because they literally live in caves. In long: Artyom uncovers a big cospiracy aimed to keep the "sheeple" of the Metro in the dark while the "ruling elites" are feasting and living in luxury because... and this is where all the conspiracy theories fall short: the actual reason. But, moving on...
As far as tropes go, you have all your classics here: the madman that uncovers the whole thing, the father figures that knew all along, the unfulfilled love story, the rebirth of a marriage, "Slacktivism" etc. My impression is that this was too much though and here's why: Artyom is beaten, shot, cut, drugged, exposed to radiation, beaten again, starved, beaten some more, exposed to some more radiation, and yet he rises up again. The uncovering of the conspiracy starts up interestingly, yet becomes boring, because once you uncover *one* conspiracy, uncovering another one within the first one becomes overly complicated. "Hey, look, I found this conspiracy. Not, it's not that, it's this other conspiracy and we knew about it. Hey, look I found this another conspiracy which you think it's not, but it is because you were foooled. Ha Haaa!".
...and then proceeds to ride into the sunset with his own wife which we care very little about because she wasn't given enough space in the book.
However, there is an aspect of the humans that this book gets right, albeit a depressing one - apathy. The old "the devil you know" plague, which is a thing that you see more and more as authoritarian regimes start to rise aroud the world. See, this hit a little too close to home, since we recently have some elections around here: people voted again for convicted felons, people voted again for "not-convicted-but-everyone-knows-he's-crooked", people voted again for illiterates that barely finished highschool. Because it's the devil they know.
5/7, made me sad.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
fast-paced
If it is the final book of this trilogy, then this one hits the right nerve on all counts!
I skipped 2034 due to the 'please avoid' tags by other fans of the original book.
But I was happy with this part, in large due to its theme of redemption for humankind, despite all imaginable troubles created by humans for men for themselves.
The writing is clunky and not very free, especially in the middle part, where it prods along without any direction. But it picks up serious pace when we are shown the huge, terrible secret behind Metro and how it was hidden all along from all its inhabitants.
Artyom's character is the definite standout writing in this book, who goes through the extremes of human emotions, in his attempt to bring his fellow men to true enlightenment.
Will keep an eye out for this author.
I skipped 2034 due to the 'please avoid' tags by other fans of the original book.
But I was happy with this part, in large due to its theme of redemption for humankind, despite all imaginable troubles created by humans for men for themselves.
The writing is clunky and not very free, especially in the middle part, where it prods along without any direction. But it picks up serious pace when we are shown the huge, terrible secret behind Metro and how it was hidden all along from all its inhabitants.
Artyom's character is the definite standout writing in this book, who goes through the extremes of human emotions, in his attempt to bring his fellow men to true enlightenment.
Will keep an eye out for this author.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes