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patientpengwen 's review for:
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
by Neal Stephenson
Stephenson's writing style is mostly post-modern, and he sometimes utilizes stream-of-consciousnes and varying typefaces. His description of the later 21st century Shanghai is frightenly believable. He exquisitely details the nanotechnology of the future and how it is "installed" into people, so that the reader can visualize exactly what each must look like and how it would work. Fans of centuries past might also find fascination with the rebirth of the Victorian culture integrated around the world. Characters are equally as well developed through their strengths and weaknesses in horribly difficult situations, so that Nell, Hackworth, and Miranda are perhaps more important to the reader than they are to each other. The pace sometimes slows because of high attention to detail, but since there are several stories developing at the same time, the author leaves cliffhangers regularly as he focuses the next section to another character. Stephenson also assists the reader keep up with the multiple storylines by keeping sections short. The mood and tone changes regularly depending on which character Stephenson is focusing on at the time. There is a dark, Grimms-like storybook quality to Nell's character; a proper, analytical feeling to sections dealing with Hackworth; and a lighter, romantic mood to Miranda. However, the storybook quality is carried to the end, so readers will find a somewhat hopeful conclusion.