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jeremynelson0899's Reviews (49)
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was a loose re-writing of Jane Austen, with a mysterious twist.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-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:
Complicated
Let's start with the good things first:
The plot was very, very good. Especially in the latter half of it. The characters were very compelling and I couldn't help rooting for them throughout.
For a book out of one of the bigger publishing houses, I was slightly shocked by the editing. Or seemingly a lack, thereof. There were noticeable sentences which made absolutely no sense, such as "As a woman, I had no tech permissions, so wrote to Arthur, and then when I didn't hear back, My Rymen." And yes, the full stop is where the sentence genuinely ended.
Also, the first part had very key and engaging parts to the plot, however in between said moments, it felt extremely slow and handled sluggishly. These are the reasons it got a 3.5 stars from me. However, I would still recommend it.
The plot was very, very good. Especially in the latter half of it. The characters were very compelling and I couldn't help rooting for them throughout.
For a book out of one of the bigger publishing houses, I was slightly shocked by the editing. Or seemingly a lack, thereof. There were noticeable sentences which made absolutely no sense, such as "As a woman, I had no tech permissions, so wrote to Arthur, and then when I didn't hear back, My Rymen." And yes, the full stop is where the sentence genuinely ended.
Also, the first part had very key and engaging parts to the plot, however in between said moments, it felt extremely slow and handled sluggishly. These are the reasons it got a 3.5 stars from me. However, I would still recommend it.
slow-paced
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
Funny and thought-provoking. Though not quite as funny as the previous installments, as it felt haphazardly put together at time, it still made for an entertaining read.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Lovely tale involving Fauns, Driads, Nymphs, and most importantly, talking horses and lions. An engaging read that I finished in two days, contrary to what my previously organised logs say.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"So Crake never remembered his dreams. It's Snowman that remembers them instead. Worse than remembers: he's immersed in them, he's wading through them, he's stuck in them. Every moment he's lived in the past few months was dreamed first by Crake. No wonder Crake screamed so much."
The writing style? What can I say other than it's Atwood? It's beautifully written as expected.
The characters are not wholly likeable, and if it's done really well, it makes for a fantastic story. Atwood does it expertly, weaving past traumas into present-day choices made by the characters, regardless of them being questionable choices or not.
The plot does get perhaps slightly too clever in parts, especially when Atwood goes into deeply scientific lingo about 'cell splicing' and 'deprogramming of the neurons' and such (I put it very simply here). However, the plot kept me wanting more until the very end. And dear God the twists were soooooooooo satisfying!
And the predictions the author made about the future? Yeah... they live up to their eerie reputation. From lab grown meat to mutated man-made animal species to viruses released by corporate pharmaceutical companies so they can keep selling 'cures'. Hell, Atwood even wrote a 'digital clipboard' into one of the scenes!!!
Is it Margaret Atwoods best one? Easily one of them. I still consider Alias Grace to be her Magnum Opus. However, Oryx and Crake comes a close second. A very, very close second indeed.
The writing style? What can I say other than it's Atwood? It's beautifully written as expected.
The characters are not wholly likeable, and if it's done really well, it makes for a fantastic story. Atwood does it expertly, weaving past traumas into present-day choices made by the characters, regardless of them being questionable choices or not.
The plot does get perhaps slightly too clever in parts, especially when Atwood goes into deeply scientific lingo about 'cell splicing' and 'deprogramming of the neurons' and such (I put it very simply here). However, the plot kept me wanting more until the very end. And dear God the twists were soooooooooo satisfying!
And the predictions the author made about the future? Yeah... they live up to their eerie reputation. From lab grown meat to mutated man-made animal species to viruses released by corporate pharmaceutical companies so they can keep selling 'cures'. Hell, Atwood even wrote a 'digital clipboard' into one of the scenes!!!
Is it Margaret Atwoods best one? Easily one of them. I still consider Alias Grace to be her Magnum Opus. However, Oryx and Crake comes a close second. A very, very close second indeed.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I spent all of October reading nothing, as I wanted nothing to do with reading after a year of it being as forced as a laugh at awkward family reunions.
However, what a book to start off my reading again with! A fantastic plot, complicated and well-described, characters who are both unlikeable and tangible, with beautifully floral language to describe it all.
Having said this, there were two things I disliked- one was the grammatical mistakes (such as 'a room with a massive windows') and that the character of DD was a bit of a dick through the whole thing? I thought he loved Maali? And the fact nothing between them was resolved in the end left me with a feeling that something was lacking. I wanted more in that area.
Other than that, highly recommended. One of this year's best, certainly!
However, what a book to start off my reading again with! A fantastic plot, complicated and well-described, characters who are both unlikeable and tangible, with beautifully floral language to describe it all.
Having said this, there were two things I disliked- one was the grammatical mistakes (such as 'a room with a massive windows') and that the character of DD was a bit of a dick through the whole thing? I thought he loved Maali? And the fact nothing between them was resolved in the end left me with a feeling that something was lacking. I wanted more in that area.
Other than that, highly recommended. One of this year's best, certainly!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Suicide, Violence
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The plot was fantastic, no question about it.
What let it down enough for me to reduce the rating to 3.5 stars is that the writing went on and on and on and on and on, without making a point. This to the stage where I did not want to pick it up- the little progress I made each time seemed paintful.
I kept going because of the plot, the social speculation surround gender, and the political climate of this world Le Guin built in such detail was all well-done. The next book by this author I will read is Earthsea, and I have many hopes for it. Unless its prose is just as purpley as in The Left Hand of Darkness.
What let it down enough for me to reduce the rating to 3.5 stars is that the writing went on and on and on and on and on, without making a point. This to the stage where I did not want to pick it up- the little progress I made each time seemed paintful.
I kept going because of the plot, the social speculation surround gender, and the political climate of this world Le Guin built in such detail was all well-done. The next book by this author I will read is Earthsea, and I have many hopes for it. Unless its prose is just as purpley as in The Left Hand of Darkness.