Minus points for more weird trad gender role stuff (mention of high school having "cross dress day" for spirit week which is "embarrassiLoved the plot
Minus points for more weird trad gender role stuff (mention of high school having "cross dress day" for spirit week which is "embarrassing for the boys")...more
Enjoying the intrigue of the storyline, but now that I noticed the weird 1950s vibe and sometimes lazy worldbuilding the sparkle is a little gone for Enjoying the intrigue of the storyline, but now that I noticed the weird 1950s vibe and sometimes lazy worldbuilding the sparkle is a little gone for me...more
I am loving this series. I know that the high school setting is meant to help readers connect to the characters, but wondering why high school on FutuI am loving this series. I know that the high school setting is meant to help readers connect to the characters, but wondering why high school on Future Earth feels like it has 1950s gender dynamics? Why is Amy's mom not also looking for a job? Why are girls worried about being thin and on a diet? Why are girls waiting to be asked to a dance by boys?
I went into this Hunger Games spinoff not knowing anything, including that it was a prequel. I'd also forgotten almost everything about the original tI went into this Hunger Games spinoff not knowing anything, including that it was a prequel. I'd also forgotten almost everything about the original trilogy including everything about President Snow so I also didn't realize this was going to be a villain origin story.
Overall, I thought that Collins handled Coriolanus' psychological progression really well - from a boy reckoning with hunger and trauma to a man who finally crosses the line from an innate sense of horror about subjecting people to the Hunger Games to the justification of it. Collins also gives us other characters who face the same horrors but come to different conclusions: his sister Tigris, his frenemy Sejanus, his tribute Lucy. So I think the point is made that crossing that line is a choice, or comes from a series of choices. Yet, with the exception of Tigris, all the characters have moral blindspots and are not free from causing others harm.
I do agree with others that the ending felt rushed and less intentional then the rest of the book.
One thing I wonder is if Collins ever toyed with the idea of telling the story from multiple perspectives; I would have been interested in Lucy's perspective, for example.
Even though I devoured the original trilogy, I found that in the ensuing decade+ that I am finding it more difficult to stomach the brutality and violence inherent in this story. It is not a criticism of the book, but a reflection on myself as a consumer of books and other media. ...more
I was nervous at the beginning; I felt disoriented with the book starting immediately after the action of the previous installment. I didn't remember I was nervous at the beginning; I felt disoriented with the book starting immediately after the action of the previous installment. I didn't remember what had happened, and I hadn't yet "tune" my ear to Murderbot's particular narration style. I think I was a whole third into the novella before everything clicked, and I actually went back to the beginning to skim that first third before finishing up. Aaaaaaaaaaa I loved it. All I want is Murderbot. I can see where the continuing story might be going with the (view spoiler)[growing number of liberated SecUnits struggling to deal with a new life of autonomous thinking (hide spoiler)]...more
I love that this was a novella because I love that format and also it really could not have sustained itself at a longer length. There are two main chI love that this was a novella because I love that format and also it really could not have sustained itself at a longer length. There are two main characters - a Monk and a Robot, and I only really liked the Robot, who comes into the story at the halfway mark. More Robot please!
I didn't really like the Monk character, or understand the role of Monks or their services in this semi-utopian future world. The rest of this future world was really well described, so it seems odd that the main character's profession would be so vague. The word monk evokes to me someone with very little possessions who ministers to the poor and devotes themselves to spiritual undertakings. This monk seemed to care very much about their own ego, performance, and the opinions others had of them and seemed to spend very little time engaging or talking about spiritual matters. Instead it felt like their goal was to be "the best tea monk" in all the land by setting up an aesthetically pleasing tea food truck and dispensing tea and and a quiet space - if not wisdom - to those who needed it.
I also didn't care for the Monk's speech patterns replete with lots of F-bombs and other Earth-contemporary patterns. It's not that I am looking for cheesy sci/fi fantasy writing, but I wish the writing and been a bit more graceful and artful. ...more
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