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mausszi 's review for:
The Difference Engine
by William Gibson
I found this book frustrating. I wanted to like it more, nay, I wanted to love it, alas, I'm left feeling that somehow I didn't even like it very much.
The world it sets up to create is fascinating. The characters (or, rather, the way the characters and historical figures are reworked) are interesting, entertaining, and at times baffling. However, the plot is… boring. I was interested in the alternate history, but couldn't get into the story the book was trying to tell me.
I also didn't quite get the point of it all. What were the authors trying to tell me, aside showing off their knowledge of historical/literary trivia? Why was everyone after the cards? What did it all mean? Why was I supposed to care? Perhaps I am superficial in my wish for a denouement, but in a book of this sorts one needs it. This isn't Joyce or Woolf, I'm not reading it for the characterisation nor am I reading it for the prose, so I want a conclusion to my story that doesn't leave me unsatisfied.
Ultimately, my problem with this book is similar to the problem I have with most of its kind: the world is interesting, but I don't care for the writing style nor the plot. Oh well...
The world it sets up to create is fascinating. The characters (or, rather, the way the characters and historical figures are reworked) are interesting, entertaining, and at times baffling. However, the plot is… boring. I was interested in the alternate history, but couldn't get into the story the book was trying to tell me.
I also didn't quite get the point of it all. What were the authors trying to tell me, aside showing off their knowledge of historical/literary trivia? Why was everyone after the cards? What did it all mean? Why was I supposed to care? Perhaps I am superficial in my wish for a denouement, but in a book of this sorts one needs it. This isn't Joyce or Woolf, I'm not reading it for the characterisation nor am I reading it for the prose, so I want a conclusion to my story that doesn't leave me unsatisfied.
Ultimately, my problem with this book is similar to the problem I have with most of its kind: the world is interesting, but I don't care for the writing style nor the plot. Oh well...