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I loved so many aspects of this book...the almost-reality satire of the "cordless modern man," pre-programmed humans unwittingly screaming advertisements as a means of paying off debt, scientifically calculated love, the biologically engineered, murderous corporate icons designed to replace cats and dogs, all taking place in a dystopian future where the planet seems to revolve around the Icelandic Oxnadalur valley and the eponymous scientist LoveStar. The only drawback I noted was the relative lack of development of Indridi and Sigrid, the star-crossed lovers who challenge LoveStar's preordainment of soul mates. On many occasions I felt like that were simply vehicles driving the plot, as if they were templates or archetypes. Perhaps something was lost in translation, or perhaps an archetypal approach was intended. Either way, I felt less sympathetic for Indridi and Sigrid and more concerned with how their quest for love and happiness would end. In a science fiction story pregnant with thought-provoking futuristic views on love, death, marketing and consumerism, maybe this is a necessarily expedient treatment of these characters. But carefully applying a more emotionally complex layer of who they are as individuals would have made this great story even better. Still, I found LoveStar to be a poignant yet entertaining, at times hilarious read. I can understand its recent notoriety as a nominee for the 2012 Phillip K. Dick Award. It must have faced strong competition to "only" receive a special recognition.