A review by danijoy
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

adventurous challenging dark sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

I had a difficult time making it through this book. While Card is a decent writer and crafted a compelling enough story, I could not get past the horrible treatment of the children (and especially the protagonist) in this novel. Also, I felt like the book lagged quite a bit in the middle - I was bored until the finale. Speaking of which, the ending caught me off guard. I should’ve seen it coming.

This novel is about human nature and the lengths we will go to in order to survive no matter the cost. This is not a happy story, although there is a silver lining at the end that elevated the book for me. The themes of love, mercy, and forgiveness played small roles as well.