Wool
Ratings789
Average rating4.1
Alright, so this has been on my to-read list for quite a while and I finally got to it! I'm really disappointed. Unfortunately this was not interesting at all and I feel quite opposed to the five-star reviews and the very high rating it has here on Goodreads. Definitely feels like I one of those moments where I think that I read something different than everyone else.
I don't know how this became so unbelievably boring. It started out very tight, focused and engaging because you wanted to know what happened and then it just shut that down entirely. As soon as anything interesting happens in this book, we flip to a different time, another character etc and climb some stairs. Actually have people going up and down stairs.
I also want to complain because the copy I read has a quote on it saying how it real the world building is basically and I did not find it real at all. I found it flat as hell and the characters felt like they were not talking naturally, I don't know if it's because they live underground and their style of speech has changed but didn't feel like a deliberate choice but just bad dialogue a lot of the time. I didn't really find any of the characters engaging and I had a very hard picturing them in my mind...and I wanted to and I tried! Everyone became kind of little cardboard cutouts acting out the story for me.
I don't usually write reviews but I had wanted to read this for such a long time and then it was such a damn struggle for me to get to the end of this book I really had to. Anyways, this isn't a one star review because I liked the concept of the book and I really wanted to explore that stuff further, there were parts where I was kind of skimming the b plot to get back to the a plot of discovery with the character of Juliette, but then I just became disappointed again because her main purpose was just to kind of keep doing the same thing over and over again of groping around in the dark in various ways. Now I'm thinking on it. I feel like none of the characters grew or changed very much in a believable way, except for the convenience of the story.
Also there was some discussion about why the silo was here and how it was constructed to make lives separate and difficult. I hope that the incredible amount of stairs were a part of that and I was just waiting for like an explanation as to why nobody had come up with a better solution than hundreds and hundreds of stairs all the damn time! No one has solved that in any way? I got really “tired” of hearing how “tired” all the characters were and the heavy-handed classism discourse. Definitely felt like I wanted more exploration and less time spent on build up to very boring events, like so much slow build up for nothing.
There's a lot actually I could just keep going and I don't know, Maybe skim this one if you want to know what the hype is all about but I honestly feel like nothing happened in this book and I don't think that was a style choice. I'm aware that The story continues in other novels, but honestly I'm not going to be reading them.
Not, as I was unreliably informed, the journey of wool from sheep to cardigan via my Nan's knitting needles. It is in fact a story about the survivors of some (unknown) cataclysmic event who live in a silo underground. Outside is bad, and if you think or speak bad things you are set outside to clean the sensors with...... wool? The original Novella (book 1 of my version) is brilliant, the other bits just don't live up to that although some of the reveals are pretty cool, large parts of it are just tedious.
Fun unfact : Wool is mentioned just 25 times during the book.
At first, I was completely bored, but once the story started to progress, that's when it got pretty good. I'm honestly excited to read more of this series, as it posed plenty of questions, and introduced some interesting elements. Though, the fact that it's short somewhat brings it down as we don't have much time to grow attached or fully invested in the world, but it did help keep the mystery.
At first, I was completely bored, but once the story started to progress, that's when it got pretty good. I'm honestly excited to read more of this series, as it posed plenty of questions, and introduced some interesting elements. Though, the fact that it's short somewhat brings it down as we don't have much time to grow attached or fully invested in the world, but it did help keep the mystery.
THis book is so fun. Very original even though the genre is not new. The characters are well developed and I was a little sad when the book ended.
Had me thinking the whole way through: about the plot, about the backstory, and about learning how to build a radio. Definitely want to check out the next book when I get a chance. I will pass this one on after, as it was given to me to enjoy.
Loved it! I've read dystopian fiction before and Wool really stands out from the rest as something unique and special. Looking forward to the rest!
In a post-apocalyptic world, some guy wants to die, because his wife went crazy and “killed herself” 3 years ago, and so he decides to do the same.
He is the sheriff of a fallout-like bunker, and dying means deciding to go outside. Everybody is afraid, because they want to know if when he goes outside to die, will he clean the lenses wit his wool. The guy is apathetic, and doesn't care one way or the other.
I found the writing to be unbearable. It is supposed to transmit a feeling of hopelessness, but it does so in detriment or character and plot. It is akin to a horror story for me. Give me content, not feelings.
So the main character wants to die. I hate suicidal characters. If means giving up reason and succumbing to emotions. His wife went hysterical, which means the same thing. Characters without intellect doesn't appeal to me.
This was an all drama experience, with nothing for me to hold on to.
Read 1:22/18:08 8%
Setelah sekian lama menunda membaca ini, akhirnya tersentuh juga. Bagusss ternyata.Di masa depan dimana udara sdh tdk layak dihirup manusia tinggal di bangunan ratusan lantai di bawah tanah, disebut silo. Namun pengetahuan ini hanya untuk kalangan tertentu saja, untuk org2 biasa yg hidup di silo hanya mengetahui dunia mereka saja. Ketika ada yg mempertanyakan hal2 yg tdk seharusnya diketahui, mereka menjadi ancaman & akan dikirim ke pembersihan.Sayang kelanjutannya gk diteruskan oleh penerbut bhs indonesianya...
Di masa depan dimana udara sdh tdk layak dihirup manusia tinggal di bangunan ratusan lantai di bawah tanah, disebut silo. Namun pengetahuan ini hanya untuk kalangan tertentu saja, untuk org2 biasa yg hidup di silo hanya mengetahui dunia mereka saja. Ketika ada yg mempertanyakan hal2 yg tdk seharusnya diketahui, mereka menjadi ancaman & akan dikirim ke pembersihan.
Sayang kelanjutannya gk diteruskan oleh penerbut bhs indonesianya...
Cerita berlatar di sebuah dunia pasca-apokaliptik, di mana umat manusia tinggal di silo bawah tanah raksasa untuk melindungi diri dari lingkungan luar yang mematikan. Sistem sosial di silo ini diatur dengan ketat, dan ada larangan keras untuk membicarakan dunia luar. Siapa pun yang melanggar aturan ini akan diusir ke luar untuk "membersihkan" sensor, sebuah hukuman mati yang disaksikan seluruh penduduk silo, biasa disebut "pembersihan".
Kisah ini mengikuti beberapa tokoh, tetapi fokus utamanya ada pada Juliette, seorang mekanik dari tingkat bawah silo, yang dipilih untuk menjadi sheriff baru. Saat Juliette menggali misteri di balik aturan-aturan yang ada, dia menemukan rahasia gelap tentang silo dan dunia luar yang mengubah segalanya.
Ini adalah baca-ulang setelah aku menyelesaikan serinya 2 season, karena sudah lupa ceritanya. Aku membaca ini pertama kali di 2017. Kesanku masih sama seperti membacanya pertama kali, aku suka dengan ide membangun pemukiman dibawah tanah 140 lantai dengan tatanan tersendiri karena dunia luar sudah tidak layak huni.
Apabila tema dystopia belum ketinggalan jaman buatmu, aku sangat merekomendasikan novel dystopia ini bagi penggemar fantasi & sci-fi.
Very interesting dystopian concept: earth has become uninhabitable and humanity lives under earth, in a huge silo. Recreating society and class division on it's 144 levels. But there are mysteries and too many rules that seem to keep people from asking questions.
The story is told from the point-of-view of different characters, which worked well for the sheriff, the mayor and Juliette, but then felt flat for Lucas and the rest. Also, there is a really good twist at the end of the first segment (Sheriff), that then needs to be rediscovered by another character later on, that repetition being rather boring for the reader. But, I understand that the first segment had been released as a standalone story beforehand, so changing it for the sake of longer sustained mysteries wouldn't have worked.
All in all, I loved the concept and the potential of the world, but while the book started strong it continuously lost steam along the way. Don't feel compelled to read more of the series.
Entertaining entry in the post-apocalyptic dystopia genre. However, the two sequels in this trilogy were a bit of a letdown.
Took me a while to get engaged with it, I was on the fence for the frist 100-150 pages if I would continue but in the end found the story engaging and the second half really kept my interest.
Seems ripe for continuation or branching out from the original story so I will keep an eye out for more from Howey.
4.5 stars. This fast paced, post-apocalyptic thriller kept me in suspense and turning the pages. Looking forward to continuing the series!
“It turned out that some crooked things looked even worse when straightened. Some tangled knots only made sense once unraveled.”
The world, the characters, the writing, it was all so amazing in this book. I had no idea what to expect going into this book. I had heard a lot of good things about it from people, but went in fairly blind especially with respect to the plot and what it was really about. I basically knew it was a science fiction novel.
And I was so blown away by this book. It was fantastically written with such real, human characters. I really felt everything they were going through and really cared what happened to them. There were so many layers to what was going on with them and how they were coping with finding out everything about their world.
This book unfolds in a very unique way. You are basically placed at a certain point in time with no background and see the events unfold with some flashbacks, but mostly simply following along. I would say the main character is Juliette, because we do follow her the most, but we also follow the events though other characters too, which I loved.
The last thing I want to comment on is the world. I was so fascinated by this idea of 150 story Silos housing people. This whole idea of having to walk up and down stairs to get anywhere was so intriguing. It also raised the question of why there were not elevators! But I think control is the answer. Going back to the Silos, I loved the disparity that they created. It was fascinating to see how where you lived in the Silo affected your station in life and also your career. The culture was designed in this really weird way that was highly unique.
Overall, this was a great read and I'm really glad I took the time to read it. It is 5 “stories” in one but I think reading all five together is important. However the first few stories were not as gripping and action heavy as the last two. And I think some aspects of the last two could be cut to make the book shorter because some plot points did seem to drag on. I also was disappointed with the ending. I feel like there are still a lot of questions that need answering. I know their is a sequel of sorts, but I'm not sure how much of a direct sequel it actually is. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a unique science fiction world and for people who do no mind longer books that can drag in places.
Good story, ultimately falls short of excellence. Great idea, interesting dystopian world, not sure what it wants to say about any of it, though.
Fantastic dystopian novel in a time where they seem to be everywhere. Excellent storytelling, characters and overall plot with its various twist and turns. Cannot wait to read the next book!
Great post-apocalyptic suspense in the realm of M. Night Shamalan's The Village
This book started with a very predictable story arc and then blew it to pieces. Although the pace slowed a bit from the middle onwards it was still a great read and I'm really looking forward to reading the following and seeing the upcoming movie.
Truly an epic and suspenseful novel. Though it starts as a crime story in a unique surrounding (silo), the plot quickly becomes something else entirely. The direction changes so many times that it is really hard to classify the scifi subgenre. Besides that, the drama is captivating. You're told early on that something is going to happen, but not what. I found that extremely compelling.
Definitely continuing with this series shortly...
I know this book has garnered excellent reviews. It's very well written. My problem is that I'm not a sci-fi reader; it's not the genre I tend to read, so my review reflects that. I got bogged down at times with the technical aspects of the work, but again, that's more of a reflection of my taste rather than the quality of the book. Hugh Howey has created an unusual world in the future, but there were aspects that reminded me of what I've seen before in Hollywood films. The action takes place in a different setting, but the characters that populate it seemed familiar, too familiar for me. Again, reviews are subjective, so just because I'm not raving about it, doesn't mean it won't appeal to many readers, as I know it has. It's rocketed to the top of the charts, and that is why I read it in the first place. I wanted to see what the fuss was about.
The author presents a poetic narrative. The story is interesting and disturbing. It is only 49 pages but this story holds a punch. The short story/novelette is effortlessly crafted.
This story is a very interesting concept and like nothing I've ever read before. It took me in right from the beginning and I found it at times difficult to put down. Which is quite unusual for a sci-fi/post apocolyptic novel for me. It's not something I normally read. But I loved the idea of this the premise behind this novel.
It was very easy to read but I think the only thing that let it down was that I'd have loved to have seen the characters development a little more. We don't really get to know the characters very well and they seemed a lot of the time just to be 2D characters. I've read books where the characters became like a part of my life, that was missing in this book. If he characters had been more developed, if have given this a 5 star rating for sure. I have the other 2 books in the series sitting on my bookshelf so hopefully we get a bit from the characters in those two.
Would have been 5 stars if not for the inexplicably obsessive and possessive Lukas. He knew Juliette for 2 seconds and then got jealous about her ex, and all that sobbing! But otherwise, totally addictive reading.