Jordan
4.5 stars. I “liked” this more than the first. As much as one can like a book about such horrific history.
4.5 stars. I “liked” this more than the first. As much as one can like a book about such horrific history.
I really liked it! It was a fun break from some of the heavier stuff I've read recently. I would love to see a series made from the book. The meta meta thing would be neat.
I really liked it! It was a fun break from some of the heavier stuff I've read recently. I would love to see a series made from the book. The meta meta thing would be neat.
3.5 probably.
I had a hard time focusing on the audiobook for whatever reason. I enjoyed the book when I could focus, but it took me a long time to get through it. The cast of characters, geographic details, and info about magic and houses felt like it was spewed out endlessly.
The biggest reason I'm knocking the rating down is commits one of my least favorite storytelling sins. Loooong exposition by the villain laying out everything in detail while the protagonist records it all.
Edit to add: the overly descriptive nature of the writing didn't feel like world building or setting the scene. It felt like a Wikipedia article and I think it diluted the world because I felt like I had to hold onto to some much information about the characters, the campus, the societies, and ultimately not very much of that mattered. Maybe she was just trying to throw so many things at you to make the “mystery” harder to solve.
3.5 probably.
I had a hard time focusing on the audiobook for whatever reason. I enjoyed the book when I could focus, but it took me a long time to get through it. The cast of characters, geographic details, and info about magic and houses felt like it was spewed out endlessly.
The biggest reason I'm knocking the rating down is commits one of my least favorite storytelling sins. Loooong exposition by the villain laying out everything in detail while the protagonist records it all.
Edit to add: the overly descriptive nature of the writing didn't feel like world building or setting the scene. It felt like a Wikipedia article and I think it diluted the world because I felt like I had to hold onto to some much information about the characters, the campus, the societies, and ultimately not very much of that mattered. Maybe she was just trying to throw so many things at you to make the “mystery” harder to solve.
Damn you Goodreads for your lack of half or quarter stars. This is more 3.5 to me. I think this is an instance of the movie being better than the book. Though I saw the movie first. So that's likely skewing my opinion. The movie is also fairly vague and inconclusive. Which doesn't bother me too much. It leaves room to take what you will from the story.
I felt themes of divorce and/or loss. I didn't immediately made the connection. When I got divorced I remember seeing “dissolution of marriage” on the final paperwork. Only then did it really set in. I think the final part of the book being named “Dissolution” put me in that frame of mind. So maybe I was looking for meaning when there might not have been.
The biologists journey through the tower and past the crawler reminded me of pushing through grief, seeing all the permutations of it and deciding that you will go on. There were a couple quotes I neglected to highlight to support my theory. I'll try to dig them up.
Damn you Goodreads for your lack of half or quarter stars. This is more 3.5 to me. I think this is an instance of the movie being better than the book. Though I saw the movie first. So that's likely skewing my opinion. The movie is also fairly vague and inconclusive. Which doesn't bother me too much. It leaves room to take what you will from the story.
I felt themes of divorce and/or loss. I didn't immediately made the connection. When I got divorced I remember seeing “dissolution of marriage” on the final paperwork. Only then did it really set in. I think the final part of the book being named “Dissolution” put me in that frame of mind. So maybe I was looking for meaning when there might not have been.
The biologists journey through the tower and past the crawler reminded me of pushing through grief, seeing all the permutations of it and deciding that you will go on. There were a couple quotes I neglected to highlight to support my theory. I'll try to dig them up.
Many of my favorite stories center around what it means to be a good person, redemption, and ethics. Upon finishing a quote from The Good Place (of all places) popped into my head.
“It turns out life isn't a puzzle that can be solved one time and it's done. You wake up every day, and you solve it again.”
I would die for Lee, and I would happily read an entire book of him and Sam chatting about life.
Many of my favorite stories center around what it means to be a good person, redemption, and ethics. Upon finishing a quote from The Good Place (of all places) popped into my head.
“It turns out life isn't a puzzle that can be solved one time and it's done. You wake up every day, and you solve it again.”
I would die for Lee, and I would happily read an entire book of him and Sam chatting about life.
1.5 stars. Edit to add: I listened to a bit of it as my gf listened because she wasn't done with it and now I'm even more mad about how stupid this book is.
The premise is interesting but she didn't really say much. If she hadn't taken our current reality and just replaced any of the current struggles with equality and division with the strings, I could have been more on board. The Crash like ending was eye rolly and the lack of any meaningful arc left me unsatisfied.
1.5 stars. Edit to add: I listened to a bit of it as my gf listened because she wasn't done with it and now I'm even more mad about how stupid this book is.
The premise is interesting but she didn't really say much. If she hadn't taken our current reality and just replaced any of the current struggles with equality and division with the strings, I could have been more on board. The Crash like ending was eye rolly and the lack of any meaningful arc left me unsatisfied.
