A review by rubybastille
Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“If mans’s capacity for the fantastic took up as much of his imagination as his capacity for cruelty, the worlds, seen and unseen, might be very different.” Page 346

A celebration of freedom and technology and faith and love and hope. It’s exhilarating and funny and I could start over and read it again right now.

2024 reread: same thoughts. The pacing isn’t perfect, but I love how this book handles power/pride/humility, the mundane vs the spiritual, and the capacity of technology to both save us or control us. I also love watching Alif mature in how he views Dina, his coding abilities, and his value as a friend and human.

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