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A review by frasersimons
Virtual Light by William Gibson
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Gibson’s strengths here are the world building and setting, and the, as usual, his uncanny ability to tap into social dynamics, particularly around deviations and evolutions of language. A kind of occupy movement springing up from a natural disaster in this near future is captivating.
Hanging on from this is a pretty handwavy Macguffin. The titular virtual light doesn’t really get explained in a satisfying way, as to why it’s driving so much plot. But I think the plot is the side show regardless. Most of the enjoyment hinges on being and experiencing the world in the presentation of the book.
It’s one of the more enjoyable experiences I’ve had with Gibson. His writing comes a long way, in terms of dialogue especially, from the Neuromancer days. That said, it sure drags sometimes because of how subjective the interest can be, with the plot not serving as a hook. Then again, it’s a pretty short book, so you aren’t waiting around for long, either.
Hanging on from this is a pretty handwavy Macguffin. The titular virtual light doesn’t really get explained in a satisfying way, as to why it’s driving so much plot. But I think the plot is the side show regardless. Most of the enjoyment hinges on being and experiencing the world in the presentation of the book.
It’s one of the more enjoyable experiences I’ve had with Gibson. His writing comes a long way, in terms of dialogue especially, from the Neuromancer days. That said, it sure drags sometimes because of how subjective the interest can be, with the plot not serving as a hook. Then again, it’s a pretty short book, so you aren’t waiting around for long, either.