A review by lunaquarius
Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer

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? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Finally, we experience more of pre-Area X, and the ill-fated first expedition. Still unsettling and horrific, I am yet again left with somehow more questions and less  answers than before. 
 
While there was continuity in feeling to the original trilogy, Absolution had a very different voice that drew a distinct line in narrative style. Many of the sentences were choppy and felt fragmented. Example:
“That wasn't a person, not in the usual way. He resisted that. He kept the photo of her in his wallet. Never looked at it. Sometimes looked at it. Sometimes when he played the piano, though, he got glimpses of her. Little things. Little moments. She'd liked the piano, he remembered. She'd like to hear him play the piano. Maybe it reminded her that he could be things other than a field agent. Maybe it made it seem like they could have a normal life.
What was a person, sometimes, but a wandering fire. But put the flames out, and what was left?”
Page 112
The narrative style of different sections was great for distinguishing the character we were following, as each were very unique. However, this book is written in third person so it felt a bit jarring. I don’t necessarily thing it would be be better in first person, but it was like a blend of third and first person that was a bit hard to settle into. 
 
While the characters we follow aren’t very likable, they were fascinating to read. Following Lowry—that was  rough. His perspective is very crass, but I did enjoy reading a really unlikable character, knowing the context of what happens from other books.

I felt this book was pretty slow-paced but then went rapidly. Sections one and two felt like they dragged, but section three felt like it flew by. This felt appropriate, given we were setting up a lot, and then the execution of presenting the first expedition should be fast-paced.
 
The Forgotten Coast / Area X itself is just as strange and disconcerting as always. I’m glad we got a look into the Forgotten Coast before the event, and VanderMeer did a wonderful job filling in the blanks while opening more questions. While it seems this is the last installment, I was very fulfilled after finishing it, just as I was at the end of Acceptance.

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