Scan barcode
A review by lbw
The Echo Chamber by John Boyne
dark
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I was hoping for laugh out loud funny, but this book is a black comedy and did not make me guffaw.
The Cleverley family members are awful people--out of touch and arrogant--but I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to see what was going to happen to them next. I believe they are each a combination of some of everyone's worst or most annoying traits and beliefs. Who doesn't know someone who has this blindspot or that bad habit? As a group, the Cleverleys have them all!
This book skewers social media, especially Twitter as it was known at the time of the book, and highlights all sorts of problems from phone addictions. Most importantly, I think it makes one realize how society doesn't let people have the benefit of the doubt anymore. We are quick to judge and "cancel" people. It would be easy to cancel all the Cleverleys, but after spending ~400 pages with them, it becomes kind of hard not to see how they are just stupid not evil, deserving of pity if not some compassion.
(A companion book to this one would be Jon Ronson's "So You've Been Publicly Shamed.")
The Cleverley family members are awful people--out of touch and arrogant--but I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to see what was going to happen to them next. I believe they are each a combination of some of everyone's worst or most annoying traits and beliefs. Who doesn't know someone who has this blindspot or that bad habit? As a group, the Cleverleys have them all!
This book skewers social media, especially Twitter as it was known at the time of the book, and highlights all sorts of problems from phone addictions. Most importantly, I think it makes one realize how society doesn't let people have the benefit of the doubt anymore. We are quick to judge and "cancel" people. It would be easy to cancel all the Cleverleys, but after spending ~400 pages with them, it becomes kind of hard not to see how they are just stupid not evil, deserving of pity if not some compassion.
(A companion book to this one would be Jon Ronson's "So You've Been Publicly Shamed.")