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A review by josiah17
Recursion by Blake Crouch
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I'm conflicted on a rating right now, so I'll roll with a 3.5.
The characters were great. Crouch seems to have mastered the ability to maximize characterization in a short page count and make you feel attached. The plot also keeps your attention. It's engaging in the way that it makes the reader ask questions and explores the concept of memory. But it also felt increasingly convoluted as I read. There's a certain point in the book (you'll know if you've read it) where things kind of explode and overlap. There's a lot to keep track of. And it feels somewhat overwhelming the more I read.
I'm also not sure how I feel about how suicide was handled in this book. It felt rash.
But even with those criticisms, Crouch still had me feeling emotional by the end of the book.
The characters were great. Crouch seems to have mastered the ability to maximize characterization in a short page count and make you feel attached. The plot also keeps your attention. It's engaging in the way that it makes the reader ask questions and explores the concept of memory. But it also felt increasingly convoluted as I read. There's a certain point in the book (you'll know if you've read it) where things kind of explode and overlap. There's a lot to keep track of. And it feels somewhat overwhelming the more I read.
I'm also not sure how I feel about how suicide was handled in this book. It felt rash.
But even with those criticisms, Crouch still had me feeling emotional by the end of the book.
"Life with a cheat code isn't life. Our existence isn't something to be engineered or optimized for the avoidance of pain. That's what it is to be human--the beauty and the pain, each meaningless without the other."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Suicide attempt