A review by katherine_shelton
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick

dark funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was a strange book, with major noir attitude. The dialogue is campy and all the human women are secretaries or switchboard operators - which I found hilarious because the book takes place in 2021 (or a decade earlier, depending on the edition you read). The Dashiell Hammet style, the sexism, the Soviet union, the comparison between one woman and Greta Garbo(!) were all hilariously anachronistic, but also irritating at times. Male Sci-Fi writers of this generation all seem to suffer from the same disease, being forward thinking in a superficial/mechanical way, but obstinately regressive socially. If read like a satire, it can be enjoyable. If you like The Maltese Falcon, this is kind of like that - but with androids. 
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