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A review by lizcallahan
Bridge by Lauren Beukes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
UPDATED REVIEW FROM 3 TO 4 STARS BELOW:
INITIAL: I've been sitting on this review for a few days, attempting to decipher my feelings on the book, so I'll give my unfiltered thoughts here, maybe I'll come back and edit this as I sit longer with the finished story:
1) It was hard for me to start this book. I think the pacing in the beginning does not build up nicely to the rollercoaster that I was gripping onto for dear life as I got to the halfway point. But once I was strapped in, boy oh boy I was LOCKED in. The thrill had gotten to me.
2) what was the point of Aiden's character? He had crucial information that he never revealed to Bridge, and Dom figured out most of the information through Jo's diaries. It felt like he was there just because someone had to die.
3) I feel like we got a lot of partial information about characters because every narrator was unreliable in some manner. We barely understand Amber's backstory before Chris, how Dom and Bridge became connected, etc. Even Jo's relationship to Bridge feels so stilted, most of the memories we receive about their relationship come from the perspective of Jo's diary, not Bridge's perspective.
4) I literally love Dom, will protect them with my life. Bridge was fucking lucky she had a slightly stable person in her life.
Overall a fun read, but I wanted more conflict and development from these characters.
UPDATE: Had a discussion with my book club about this last night! I can see I was definitely reading this as a sci Fi novel, but in reality it's more like a coming of age novel with sci Fi elements. I was looking for extensive plot and backstory about these characters, when in reality they are serving a purpose in relation to Bridge. They showcase that their lives are crazy and wild and fun and full of possibility with the dreamworm, but they are so isolated they have no community to fall back on.
Bridge explores her identity through the lens of her grief, and how she truly doesn't know who she is without her mom, even though their relationship was fraught in so many ways and lack basic communication. She finally realizes that her mother's desire to see her again were selfish at heart, and she cannot play along with it.
Recontextualizing as a coming of age novel, characterization and plot make so much more sense, I like it a lot more!
INITIAL: I've been sitting on this review for a few days, attempting to decipher my feelings on the book, so I'll give my unfiltered thoughts here, maybe I'll come back and edit this as I sit longer with the finished story:
1) It was hard for me to start this book. I think the pacing in the beginning does not build up nicely to the rollercoaster that I was gripping onto for dear life as I got to the halfway point. But once I was strapped in, boy oh boy I was LOCKED in. The thrill had gotten to me.
2) what was the point of Aiden's character? He had crucial information that he never revealed to Bridge, and Dom figured out most of the information through Jo's diaries. It felt like he was there just because someone had to die.
3) I feel like we got a lot of partial information about characters because every narrator was unreliable in some manner. We barely understand Amber's backstory before Chris, how Dom and Bridge became connected, etc. Even Jo's relationship to Bridge feels so stilted, most of the memories we receive about their relationship come from the perspective of Jo's diary, not Bridge's perspective.
4) I literally love Dom, will protect them with my life. Bridge was fucking lucky she had a slightly stable person in her life.
Overall a fun read, but I wanted more conflict and development from these characters.
UPDATE: Had a discussion with my book club about this last night! I can see I was definitely reading this as a sci Fi novel, but in reality it's more like a coming of age novel with sci Fi elements. I was looking for extensive plot and backstory about these characters, when in reality they are serving a purpose in relation to Bridge. They showcase that their lives are crazy and wild and fun and full of possibility with the dreamworm, but they are so isolated they have no community to fall back on.
Bridge explores her identity through the lens of her grief, and how she truly doesn't know who she is without her mom, even though their relationship was fraught in so many ways and lack basic communication. She finally realizes that her mother's desire to see her again were selfish at heart, and she cannot play along with it.
Recontextualizing as a coming of age novel, characterization and plot make so much more sense, I like it a lot more!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use and Death of parent