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uncanny_lynx 's review for:
Central Station
by Lavie Tidhar
One day, the old stories say, a man fell down to Earth from the stars…
Central Station is, in some ways, more of an experience than a novel. It’s the rush of stepping onto a crowded street, taking in the sights and smells and sounds, aware that every person shoving passed you has their own story to tell, their own thread to follow.
Part of this is the fact that the novel is a number of short stories merged into one greater story. Another factor is the setting itself—a future close enough to touch, but different enough that stepping into the world of Central Station is like stepping into a virtual reality simulation. When you put the book down, you blink your eyes and “wake up” back to the real world.
The richness of description in the book is almost overwhelming. It perfectly captures the outskirts of a bustling city, where people do what they have to do to get by, where communities are tight-knit and everyone has a past. And overlaid on top of all of it is the Conversation, the digital noise of an entire world—worlds, even, as humanity has spread to the moon and Mars and beyond.
Machines and humans and machine-humans all exist together, but it’s a messy existence. And Lavie Tidhar plunges you right into the middle of it with details so vivid you can taste the air in Tel Aviv.
But this book is more about humans than it is about technology. Cultures blend together. Old traditions are held onto, or mutate, and new ones are created. And the people... The book really is about people. How do you survive in a world where religion is a drug? Where eye colors are trademarked? How do you make a life for yourself when the concept of life itself has changed?
The real beauty of Central Station is not in how different it is from the present, but how similar. It paints a picture of a future where we have more, but problems aren’t solved and questions aren’t answered. New technology has only given us new ways to experience the same old struggles. To me, the true message of Central Station is that humans never change, even as they become less human.
The one weakness is that Central Station tries to be too much all at once. It’s a story about humanity itself, about love, war, mortality, culture, poverty, faith, prejudice, family… It gets weighed down by its own commentary, as though checking items off a “human condition” checklist. Strangely, though, this overwhelming torrent of social discussion almost works in its favor. “Too much all at once” is a sensation the denizens of Tidhar’s future are very used to. Everything about Central Station is busy, and it's meant to be so.
I will admit, too, that while I enjoyed the read, the ending was a touch unsatisfying. Regardless, I stand by my 5-star review. Its flaws are part of what makes it perfect, and looking back, I’m not even sure if they’re flaws at all but intentional, carefully implemented imperfections.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy of Central Station by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Central Station is, in some ways, more of an experience than a novel. It’s the rush of stepping onto a crowded street, taking in the sights and smells and sounds, aware that every person shoving passed you has their own story to tell, their own thread to follow.
Part of this is the fact that the novel is a number of short stories merged into one greater story. Another factor is the setting itself—a future close enough to touch, but different enough that stepping into the world of Central Station is like stepping into a virtual reality simulation. When you put the book down, you blink your eyes and “wake up” back to the real world.
The richness of description in the book is almost overwhelming. It perfectly captures the outskirts of a bustling city, where people do what they have to do to get by, where communities are tight-knit and everyone has a past. And overlaid on top of all of it is the Conversation, the digital noise of an entire world—worlds, even, as humanity has spread to the moon and Mars and beyond.
Machines and humans and machine-humans all exist together, but it’s a messy existence. And Lavie Tidhar plunges you right into the middle of it with details so vivid you can taste the air in Tel Aviv.
But this book is more about humans than it is about technology. Cultures blend together. Old traditions are held onto, or mutate, and new ones are created. And the people... The book really is about people. How do you survive in a world where religion is a drug? Where eye colors are trademarked? How do you make a life for yourself when the concept of life itself has changed?
The real beauty of Central Station is not in how different it is from the present, but how similar. It paints a picture of a future where we have more, but problems aren’t solved and questions aren’t answered. New technology has only given us new ways to experience the same old struggles. To me, the true message of Central Station is that humans never change, even as they become less human.
The one weakness is that Central Station tries to be too much all at once. It’s a story about humanity itself, about love, war, mortality, culture, poverty, faith, prejudice, family… It gets weighed down by its own commentary, as though checking items off a “human condition” checklist. Strangely, though, this overwhelming torrent of social discussion almost works in its favor. “Too much all at once” is a sensation the denizens of Tidhar’s future are very used to. Everything about Central Station is busy, and it's meant to be so.
I will admit, too, that while I enjoyed the read, the ending was a touch unsatisfying. Regardless, I stand by my 5-star review. Its flaws are part of what makes it perfect, and looking back, I’m not even sure if they’re flaws at all but intentional, carefully implemented imperfections.
Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy of Central Station by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.