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thisbooklife 's review for:
The Definitions
by Matt Greene
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
I loved this book. The writing is fantastic, and the way that Greene plays with language made my word-loving self giddy. The fact that the characters are learning about definitions and deeper meanings with a blank slate allows for an powerful examination of language. This bled into my own understanding of the words I use, and it's been fun to sit with the ideas presented in The Definitions. In addition to the direct consideration of definitions, there were several really fresh and interesting metaphors and similes throughout the story - always a plus!
The characters were compelling and well-fleshed out, despite not having previous memories (which is so often used to add character depth). I appreciated how all of the characters felt unique and real, even in the midst of such a controlling setting. Similarly, the Center is designed with so much uniformity, but there were these pockets of uniqueness and nonconformity (characters setting fashion trends with minuscule changes to their uniforms, note passing, drawings, budding love) that provided a rich contrast.
Another highlight was the constant dance between humor, tragedy, and deep reflection. Some of the classes that the characters sit through, such as Politeness, are ridiculous and bring up a sense of levity. But then I started thinking about the ways that these characters are being controlled and molded, and it stopped feeling funny and morphed into sadness and indignation. The interplay between these emotions throughout the story is engaging and makes for a powerful read.
The only part of this book that I'm not sure how I feel about is the level of clarity we're left with. Not much gets answered in this book, and on one hand, I appreciate that. It places us in the characters’ shoes, and it parallels the idea of words having multiple meanings that are all true in their own right. There are so many things that could be happening with the Center, and leaving that to the reader makes sense for this story. However, I also got so hooked on the world that I think I would have liked a little bit more resolution. There is so much to be explored in the world that Greene built, and I find myself wanting more.
I’d definitely recommend this book, especially to people interested in dystopian worlds, thought-provoking, character-driven stories, and books that play with language. There is so much going on in this short novel, and it’s one that I’ll be sitting with for a while.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The characters were compelling and well-fleshed out, despite not having previous memories (which is so often used to add character depth). I appreciated how all of the characters felt unique and real, even in the midst of such a controlling setting. Similarly, the Center is designed with so much uniformity, but there were these pockets of uniqueness and nonconformity (characters setting fashion trends with minuscule changes to their uniforms, note passing, drawings, budding love) that provided a rich contrast.
Another highlight was the constant dance between humor, tragedy, and deep reflection. Some of the classes that the characters sit through, such as Politeness, are ridiculous and bring up a sense of levity. But then I started thinking about the ways that these characters are being controlled and molded, and it stopped feeling funny and morphed into sadness and indignation. The interplay between these emotions throughout the story is engaging and makes for a powerful read.
The only part of this book that I'm not sure how I feel about is the level of clarity we're left with. Not much gets answered in this book, and on one hand, I appreciate that. It places us in the characters’ shoes, and it parallels the idea of words having multiple meanings that are all true in their own right. There are so many things that could be happening with the Center, and leaving that to the reader makes sense for this story. However, I also got so hooked on the world that I think I would have liked a little bit more resolution. There is so much to be explored in the world that Greene built, and I find myself wanting more.
I’d definitely recommend this book, especially to people interested in dystopian worlds, thought-provoking, character-driven stories, and books that play with language. There is so much going on in this short novel, and it’s one that I’ll be sitting with for a while.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!