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vbroes 's review for:
The Book of Strange New Things
by Michel Faber
HERE THERE BE SPOILERS
A smooth read, but I didn't like it for any number of reasons. First off, if "adult science fiction", as some people call this, means poor world-building, boring descriptions and very little science indeed, count me out. Secondly, some of the symbolism is so facile its almost painful: e.g. As Peter's "losing" his faith, the cross-shaped ink stain on his Arabic-style garment fades away, into nothingness at the end when he's almost lost his faith completely. Third: this may be the character talking, but why are all the women considered butch?
Fourth: it's a sad thing when some of the best dialog (the Tartaglione passage, one of the few redemptive moments) only takes about ten to fifteen pages. Most of the rest of the book's dialogue is with such flat characters, it's a drag.
Anyone calling this a masterpiece, to my mind, is completely and utterly off his rocker, just like the lead character.
A smooth read, but I didn't like it for any number of reasons. First off, if "adult science fiction", as some people call this, means poor world-building, boring descriptions and very little science indeed, count me out. Secondly, some of the symbolism is so facile its almost painful: e.g. As Peter's "losing" his faith, the cross-shaped ink stain on his Arabic-style garment fades away, into nothingness at the end when he's almost lost his faith completely. Third: this may be the character talking, but why are all the women considered butch?
Fourth: it's a sad thing when some of the best dialog (the Tartaglione passage, one of the few redemptive moments) only takes about ten to fifteen pages. Most of the rest of the book's dialogue is with such flat characters, it's a drag.
Anyone calling this a masterpiece, to my mind, is completely and utterly off his rocker, just like the lead character.