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bookishexpat 's review for:
Artificial
by Maria Llovet
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Note: I was granted access to an e-ARC of this work by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Artificial offers a commentary on our dependency on modern technology in everyday life, offering a fictional cautionary tale to tell us why we should perhaps be a bit less trusting and instead a lot more cautious in our use of various aspects of technology, including but not limited to AI. It also hints a little at the fact that it is our responsibility to pay attention to details and make sure we are not exposing ourselves to risk by speeding through things like warnings, terms of use, etc.
The artwork is striking, filled with little details and vibrant colors, and it’s the best thing about this graphic novel.
I really liked the premise and the overall idea but I feel like it was sped through and not developed as well as it could have been. More background and a slower approach to the conflict would have allowed for better characterization and made the story as impactful as it deserves to be, considering the themes.
Because the characters were so underdeveloped, the MC came across as silly and flighty with unrealistic expectations, as opposed to the poor ex boyfriend who simply didn’t know how to express his affections (all together now: awww) which frankly comes across as a bit victim-blamey and like its aim is actually to reinforce the misogynistic narrative that women who don’t settle when unhappy in relationship are just asking for too much and that finding comfort in fictional romance is only “filling our heads with nonsense”.
So in the end I find myself questioning the aim of the author and since this is the first work of theirs I have ever read I don’t have anything to suggest whether this was a meaningful work of fiction that missed the mark or a work stemming from internalized misogyny that used valid themes to fire a few hits against sex positivity and the ability to choose what type of relationships we want to dedicate our time and resources to.
So although I had started this review thinking I’d give it 3 1/2 stars for having a good premise and just coming up a bit short, upon reflection these doubts make me want to rate it 2 STARS because not only I can’t clearly distinguish its motives, but I feel like it can be weaponized to support the misogynistic narrative I mentioned above.
Artificial offers a commentary on our dependency on modern technology in everyday life, offering a fictional cautionary tale to tell us why we should perhaps be a bit less trusting and instead a lot more cautious in our use of various aspects of technology, including but not limited to AI. It also hints a little at the fact that it is our responsibility to pay attention to details and make sure we are not exposing ourselves to risk by speeding through things like warnings, terms of use, etc.
The artwork is striking, filled with little details and vibrant colors, and it’s the best thing about this graphic novel.
I really liked the premise and the overall idea but I feel like it was sped through and not developed as well as it could have been. More background and a slower approach to the conflict would have allowed for better characterization and made the story as impactful as it deserves to be, considering the themes.
Because the characters were so underdeveloped, the MC came across as silly and flighty with unrealistic expectations, as opposed to the poor ex boyfriend who simply didn’t know how to express his affections (all together now: awww) which frankly comes across as a bit victim-blamey and like its aim is actually to reinforce the misogynistic narrative that women who don’t settle when unhappy in relationship are just asking for too much and that finding comfort in fictional romance is only “filling our heads with nonsense”.
So in the end I find myself questioning the aim of the author and since this is the first work of theirs I have ever read I don’t have anything to suggest whether this was a meaningful work of fiction that missed the mark or a work stemming from internalized misogyny that used valid themes to fire a few hits against sex positivity and the ability to choose what type of relationships we want to dedicate our time and resources to.
So although I had started this review thinking I’d give it 3 1/2 stars for having a good premise and just coming up a bit short, upon reflection these doubts make me want to rate it 2 STARS because not only I can’t clearly distinguish its motives, but I feel like it can be weaponized to support the misogynistic narrative I mentioned above.