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re_leyendo 's review for:
Lifel1k3
by Jay Kristoff
I enjoyed this book. A lot. I do have to say I didn’t love it as much as the other books I’ve read by Jay Kristoff, but it was amazing nonetheless. Also, it took me ages to read. I was reeling from a book hangover and it definitely affected my reading; I spent less and less time doing it. The problem was that it took me a long time to really get into the story. I knew it would be great, but I had a hard time focusing on the book at first. I liked this book, but I had one small problem with it: I never connected that much with the characters, so it slowed down my reading. Other than that the writing was great, as it usually is with Jay. The slang was a bit difficult at first, but you get used to it. Nothing as bad as the slang in A Clockwork Orange. The descriptions were good, and mostly easy to understand. Of course some things were a bit more difficult, with it being a science fiction book that relies heavily on technology. At firsts I thought the pacing was slow at first, but now I see that I was wrong. It jumped right into the action, and even though it slowed down when they were underwater it escalated quickly from there too. The story was incredible. I think the way Jay described it just nails it. It is a bit of Romeo and Juliet, with Blade Runner and Mad Max as a setting, and characters that come right off the pages of an X-Men comic. It sounds like an amalgamation of many things, right? Wrong, it was one of the more interesting and unique stories I’ve read this year. Honestly, it is worth reading just because of the story. I really did like this book. It was dark and kind of hopeful and it vaguely resembles the story of a certain Russian family that was killed in a revolt, many years ago. Also, the whole debate about whether artificial intelligence actually has a choice and makes decisions, and wants or was programmed to act like that is fascinating. Are they human then? Do they obey a code because it resonates with their beliefs or because it was programmed inside their matrixes?
I liked the characters, even if I couldn’t empathize with them as I wanted. I didn’t much like Silas or Cricket. I never cared for Silas, even though I didn’t hate him. Cricket was there more for the comic relief and to provide amusement than anything else. He was pretty funny, I must admit. But sometimes he crossed the line into slightly annoying. I sort of liked Eve. She got on my nerves occasionally. I like her courage, and her sense of loyalty. I like that she is a strong character that fights for those she loves. What I didn’t like was much, even though I understood it, was her constant crisis in who she was. She was too fixated on defining herself through her past, and it brought all sort of trouble to her. The betrayal she felt at the lies of others was so intense. I had a hard time with that too. Of course, who could say if I would be any different. Then there’s Ezekiel, who I liked to some degree. I would like to see more of him, because we only saw the side of him that cared about Ana and nothing else. I think there has to be so much more to him. I actually loved the other lifelikes. Gabriel reminded me so much of the original Blade Runner and its antagonist. I like his motives, even though I know he brings things to the extremes. I liked Hope and Faith too. I want to see more of them in the next book, that’s for sure. Also, the idea of this ´virtually indestructible killers with human emotions that are too powerful is just brilliant. And frightening. Lastly, there’s the one and only Miss Lemon Fresh. I adored Lemon. She was quirky and strong and loving. Her personality won me over pretty quickly and that made her my favorite character in the book. I like her witty banter and how she can have real moments, full of emotion, too. I really want to see more of her and where she’s going in the story. If this book told me anything, is that what happened was nothing compared to what will come with the rest of the series.
4.5/5
I liked the characters, even if I couldn’t empathize with them as I wanted. I didn’t much like Silas or Cricket. I never cared for Silas, even though I didn’t hate him. Cricket was there more for the comic relief and to provide amusement than anything else. He was pretty funny, I must admit. But sometimes he crossed the line into slightly annoying. I sort of liked Eve. She got on my nerves occasionally. I like her courage, and her sense of loyalty. I like that she is a strong character that fights for those she loves. What I didn’t like was much, even though I understood it, was her constant crisis in who she was. She was too fixated on defining herself through her past, and it brought all sort of trouble to her. The betrayal she felt at the lies of others was so intense. I had a hard time with that too. Of course, who could say if I would be any different. Then there’s Ezekiel, who I liked to some degree. I would like to see more of him, because we only saw the side of him that cared about Ana and nothing else. I think there has to be so much more to him. I actually loved the other lifelikes. Gabriel reminded me so much of the original Blade Runner and its antagonist. I like his motives, even though I know he brings things to the extremes. I liked Hope and Faith too. I want to see more of them in the next book, that’s for sure. Also, the idea of this ´virtually indestructible killers with human emotions that are too powerful is just brilliant. And frightening. Lastly, there’s the one and only Miss Lemon Fresh. I adored Lemon. She was quirky and strong and loving. Her personality won me over pretty quickly and that made her my favorite character in the book. I like her witty banter and how she can have real moments, full of emotion, too. I really want to see more of her and where she’s going in the story. If this book told me anything, is that what happened was nothing compared to what will come with the rest of the series.
4.5/5