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A review by zsabella
Authority by Jeff VanderMeer
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
liked it but didn’t love it! despite being less poetic and more sterile in atmosphere, the change in tone still worked for me. what brought this down for me though were the shoehorned backstory dumps... the character work was pitch perfect in annihilation, but it was less gracefully done here. going from the creepy, surreal vibes of book 1 and diving into the banal office politics of the southern reach tested my patience at times, but I was also open to a slow burn, conspiracy-esque read anyway.
when recalling significant story beats, there’s only a handful of scenes to dwell on. otherwise, the plot is very much a whirlwind of terse conversations in rooms and control sifting through office debris only to feel even more confused about. but I’m trusting this series will land somewhere interesting, and I think I’ll have a stronger, more informed opinion of this once I’ve read acceptance.
when recalling significant story beats, there’s only a handful of scenes to dwell on. otherwise, the plot is very much a whirlwind of terse conversations in rooms and control sifting through office debris only to feel even more confused about. but I’m trusting this series will land somewhere interesting, and I think I’ll have a stronger, more informed opinion of this once I’ve read acceptance.