mafo
Sort of a cerebral beach read. Mostly interesting trivia, centered around the theme of “we don't even really know anything”. A satisfying thesis for scientists like me.
Interesting plot with unexpected (and expected) turns of events, but the logistics are too sloppy for this nitpicker.
Starts stupid. I ended up liking it a lot, but the first few chapters read very self-involved, and are sorta weirdly less well written. But stick with it!
Sci-fi element: good, general flow of plot/twists: good, lovey-dovey stuff: a little overwrought. But I do like a female character who actually gets to do stuff even in a romance book, and after about halfway through the lovey-dovey crap tones down. Oh, and in general quite well written.
Fairly interesting book about a fairly uninteresting person. The author spent a lot of time extolling Ruess' virtures, but a) I wasn't sold, and b) it doesn't help the story. It's a great mystery, but this kid makes Chris McCandless look like Ernest Shackleton. Hard to rate on the stars scale, because I obviously just wanted to punch the guy who disappeared. Good enough to read to the end, though, and ultimately worth it.
A great pick for my personal tastes - good narrative progression with lots of primary source, highlights a famous figure who you're secretly embarrassed to know nothing about, and it weaves together history and science, with a touch of “truth is stranger than fiction”.
Take away was two things: Mindy Kaling is exactly like me, Mindy Kaling is not that likeable. Harsh takeaway.