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existentialhell's Reviews (77)
God it's just so bad. Poor characterization where there is any, lazy caricature of sexism for the "work villain", mis-/noncommunication "conflict", corny dialogue. Disappointing example of the faking-dating trope and romance in general. Check out Talia Hibbert and Kimberly Lemming
Neat concept, but irritatingly cliché portrayals of mental health and medication that I'm tired of seeing. "You're not the REAL you on psych meds" "They dull your mind" "They numb you out", all the classics. There's compelling and real and interesting ways to write about being treated w the wrong medications (I'm walking proof), but this ain't it.
The pacing's also frustratingly slow. I'm sure it picks up later in the book (generally how books work, go figure), but I'm well over 100 pages in and have been given virtually nothing for my efforts. Noor's done some bare bones research on RASA and who Louise was secretly calling, the Arizona couple's about to have dinner with the wife's old fling who's also Noor's former doctor neighbor, Mei's just getting on the plane to Amsterdam - but I can't bring myself to give a shit because there's virtually no broader tension. The book seems to think that plot alone is enough to establish the atmosphere and it just falls flat. The Arizona couple's the only one that convinced me to care, and I still don't even remember their names! Just feels like a slog.
If the writing were better, I probably would have stuck it out. Maybe I'll give the book another shot in a year or two with fresh eyes and attitude.
The pacing's also frustratingly slow. I'm sure it picks up later in the book (generally how books work, go figure), but I'm well over 100 pages in and have been given virtually nothing for my efforts. Noor's done some bare bones research on RASA and who Louise was secretly calling, the Arizona couple's about to have dinner with the wife's old fling who's also Noor's former doctor neighbor, Mei's just getting on the plane to Amsterdam - but I can't bring myself to give a shit because there's virtually no broader tension. The book seems to think that plot alone is enough to establish the atmosphere and it just falls flat. The Arizona couple's the only one that convinced me to care, and I still don't even remember their names! Just feels like a slog.
If the writing were better, I probably would have stuck it out. Maybe I'll give the book another shot in a year or two with fresh eyes and attitude.
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Murderbot books just make my soul happy. Great, fun reads. I cannot stress how high of a compliment this is - The Murderbot Diaries are fun.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Like most of VanderMeer's works, star ratings are useless WRT my actual experience. The book evolved far away from what I'd anticipated from the front half, but its hooks bit through the gills of my curiosity to the last gasp. Ask me in a year whether I liked it - I probably won't have an answer but I'll have wholeheartedly recommended it to every eco-mindfuck genre nerd I meet in the interim.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Should've DNFed. I've heard Wil Wheaton's audiobook narration is a much more compelling experience, I'd recommend that route if you're curious!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A thoroughly lovely follow-up to A Psalm For The Wild-Built. I have some personal hang-ups about the entanglement of disability and existential identity and What It Means To Be A Robot that I haven't fully processed, but overall it's a charming read.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The horror and humanity of empire, and what loving it can do to its prey. And what the prey can do to the empire. Read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Colonisation
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
It is too guttingly close to my own life to be anything other than 5⭐️. Not necessarily because I enjoyed it as a book, but because I needed it as a person.
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's celebrated for a reason. Goes so much further than "The first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about Fight Club" - you'll love it. Narrator perfectly captures the tone of the book.