Scan barcode
A review by dsuttles
Altar of Eden by James Rollins
2.0
Mehhh... interesting use of scientific ideas in fiction, but the story ultimately fell flat due to one-dimensional characters and cliche action tropes.
The main female character Lorna's tragic background includes problematic depictions of abortion and rape. I honestly don't have interest in analyzing it further, but figured I'd put the warning out there for any fellow ladies and allies who are tired of the usual moralizing and tired plot arcs involving these two topics.
Finally, the ending is hot defeatist garbage. Creatures who have developed group sentience are tortured beyond empathizing with their own offspring, so much so that when given the opportunity to reunite with their kin they instead choose suicide. I call bullshit. What a gross oversimplification of the psyche of survivors of abuse and violence.
But hey, at least the leading dude gets the pretty girl in the end, amiright?
A friend recommended this book to me. I'm looking forward to giving her back her paperback.
The main female character Lorna's tragic background includes problematic depictions of abortion and rape. I honestly don't have interest in analyzing it further, but figured I'd put the warning out there for any fellow ladies and allies who are tired of the usual moralizing and tired plot arcs involving these two topics.
Finally, the ending is hot defeatist garbage. Creatures who have developed group sentience are tortured beyond empathizing with their own offspring, so much so that when given the opportunity to reunite with their kin they instead choose suicide. I call bullshit. What a gross oversimplification of the psyche of survivors of abuse and violence.
But hey, at least the leading dude gets the pretty girl in the end, amiright?
A friend recommended this book to me. I'm looking forward to giving her back her paperback.