I have already read Henry James - with The Turn of the Screw and I really didn't like it, mostly because of the writing-style. But I was 4.5 stars
I have already read Henry James - with The Turn of the Screw and I really didn't like it, mostly because of the writing-style. But I was willing to give this author a new chance as this book was recommanded to me.
I still had a bit of a hard time with the writing-style in the beginning, but I quickly got used to it, focused on the plot and the characters and ended up loving it! I even highlighted some of the passages in my edition. There was something true, something beautiful in some of the sentences that resonated with the beauty of the story. What I loved the most though was (view spoiler)[the tragic of the situation. This man is SURE something awful will happen to him, and it does: his life passes him by, he never lives. The woman of his life is so close and so far from him at the same time and he never realises that SHE is the thing that could have happened to him, their love could have happened to him. It's so tragic! And the ending was perfect: is he dying on her grave when he understands it all? (hide spoiler)]
So, I don't regret giving Henry James a second chance! I have other books by him and I'm willing to keep reading him! ...more
And here we go again: still in love with Murderbot, her tone, her humour. She seems so powerful here, compared with the humans around her. Mo4.5 stars
And here we go again: still in love with Murderbot, her tone, her humour. She seems so powerful here, compared with the humans around her. Moreover, as they (view spoiler)[prevent her from doing as she pleases, from doing what she usually does, she seems powerless... and all the more powerful because she can do such amazing things in such a small amount of time. She seems superior in intellect, in reflection, in aptitude, in rapidity... she might brag a little, and it can be a tad annoying! But she's still Murderbot, so I still love her! (hide spoiler)] There was a bit less action here - it might be because the previous volume was a novel? - and I thought it, overall, a bit "behind" the rest of the series, I don't really know why. It was still good and I can't wait to listen to the seventh volume as soon as I can! ...more
Still charmed by Murderbot, her tone, her spontaneity in the narration, her awkward self!
I was glad to meet again characters that we've encountered inStill charmed by Murderbot, her tone, her spontaneity in the narration, her awkward self!
I was glad to meet again characters that we've encountered in other books in this series! The dynamic is different because time passed and things happened, but I still love to see them interact together!
This volume made me feel like the red thread of the series was put forward: here, we're still in the same pattern as in the first three volumes (Murderbot must help humans complete a mission), but we're also focused on the main plot of the entire series (view spoiler)[as she's back with Dr. Mensa and her team (hide spoiler)]. I think book 5 will go on this way! ...more
I continued this series on a whim - best way to pick a book for me! - and I'm really glad I did!
I was happy to get back to Murderbot; she made me lauI continued this series on a whim - best way to pick a book for me! - and I'm really glad I did!
I was happy to get back to Murderbot; she made me laugh from the start! I love her tone, her sarcasm, her sometimes dark humour, her spontaneous reactions! She's becoming one of my favorite SF characters! Listening to the series in audio is a bonus for me because I get to hear her voice; I can practically imagine her next to me when I read! So, I laughed; but what I particularly like in this series is that there is also emotion. It's not just humour and action, it's also about the relationships between the characters and their psyche, mostly Murderbot's, of course. She goes through anxiety, clearly, she has a hard time dealing with people - in the larger sense of this term - and she protects herself behind her sarcasm; but, sometimes, she's having an emotion, and she makes the reader both laugh and feel this emotion with her. It's easy to get attached to her, even to identify with her sometimes.
As for the plot, it's a bit like the first two books: we're going on a mission with Murderbot and a bunch of humans she'll have to protect, even if she doesn't have/want to. It might feel repetitive but it's not annoying as there is always a red thread guiding the general plot of the entire series. The ending (view spoiler)[was really emotional this time! I kind of guessed Miki would get injured or even "die", but it still was a hard scene to listen to. (hide spoiler)]
Finally, I love that this book broaches the subject of AI, bots and so on and what they are, the relationship between them and humans. Through these first three books, we get that Murderbot is never considered a fully sentient being; humans put aside her feelings, or even don't think she has some. (view spoiler)[Witnessing the relationship between Miki and one of the humans in Don Abene's crew - I can't recall her name and don't know how to write it -, she is moved and values this friendship she never saw between these two different "species". (hide spoiler)]
So, I had a great time and I'll go on listening to Murderbot's Diaries!! ...more
I decided to start Artificial Condition in audio on a whim, because I suddenly wanted SF but didn't know what to read exactly. It was there o4.5 stars
I decided to start Artificial Condition in audio on a whim, because I suddenly wanted SF but didn't know what to read exactly. It was there on Scribd, I had liked All Systems Red so I jumped in! It's very short so it's not surprising, but I finished it in a day, when I had such a hard time finishing a book for months!
In the beginning, I wasn't that invested; little by little I remembered what happened in the first book and was caught laughing and getting into the story. I was glad to get Murderbot's voice back: she made me laugh unexpectedly with her remarks and her reactions! And, at the same time, I love that the novella deals with heavy topics too: anxiety, depression mostly, and what it implies to be a (view spoiler)[rogue bot and to live and interact with humans, augmented or not (hide spoiler)]. I also really liked ART! I don't know why but(view spoiler)[the scene in which Murderbot shows ART TV series and, after that, he needs time to process certain elements is stuck in my mind. It was such a bonding scene, I loved it! (hide spoiler)] I loved that even if there is action, what really matters (to me at least) is the relationship between the narrator and the other characters (mostly ART here). It seems to deepen (view spoiler)[thanks to Murderbot's departure at the end of book 1 (hide spoiler)]. I liked that we got to know more about (view spoiler)[what happened to Murderbot before the series begins, it's kind of the red thread (hide spoiler)], but it nearly felt like a bonus to me! I'm getting more intrigued, it might get bigger with the following volumes!
So, a really good series I'll keep reading! Can't wait to get back into Murderbot's thoughts!...more
I was intrigued by this book for multiple reasons: - its cover, both beautiful and disturbing to me - the eyes, mostly, are unsettling; - its synopsisI was intrigued by this book for multiple reasons: - its cover, both beautiful and disturbing to me - the eyes, mostly, are unsettling; - its synopsis that promised something strange, something hiding in this perfect life; - the fact that I already read two middle-grade books by the author and I wanted to read an adult piece by her.
First, it is well-written and I was a bit annoyed to be disturbed while I was reading because I felt like this writing-style demanded my total attention. I loved some images, the way some elements were described: it felt poetic.
[Beware: from then on, this review is full of spoilers! I put the formatting tips to hide them, but I know it doesn't work if you're reading this review on the app!]
Then, plot-wise, I rapidly got that the story would be a (view spoiler)[Bluebeard retelling (hide spoiler)] because of little hints such as (view spoiler)[the cave in which Sophia cannot go because her husband told her not to, the fact that she married a man that seems to be an intimidating giant even though she doesn't seem intimidated - but it has something to do with another element of the story -, the brush and the lock of hair she finds in her dressing table. (hide spoiler)] What I wasn't expecting was the retelling of (view spoiler)[Adam and Eve's myth. It surprised me and I loved to gather the clues throughout the story: Arcadia Gardens being the Eden Garden, Arcadia being a reference to an idyllic land in Greek mythology; the neighbours' names being animal ones and the fact that they had families contrary to Sophia and her husband; all the rules to live happily in this kind of heaven. The fact that the animals loved Sophia touched me, I don't really understand why. It was just something moving. (hide spoiler)] It was cleverly made: (view spoiler)[as Adam had different spouses through the years, they grew unsatisfied with life in Eden, asking the question of Sophia's happiness and of humanity's when they are having everything without thinking - I could go too far there, but I love to interpret the books I read and wonder how they could make me think about different topics. I also loved that Sophia was named this way, as it is the Ancient Greek for "wisdom": her name makes sense in the end, when the reader is told that she was made from one of Adam's eye and that she is seeing too much, being too wise. (hide spoiler)]
Without any surprise, I hated (view spoiler)[Adam as a character. He looks like a spoilt brat who dismisses a toy when he is no longer amused by it - he is well described by Cascavel. His behaviour being endorsed by his Father, God, was a bit heartbreaking to read as Sophia wonders why she isn't loved as much by her Creator: it resonated with how I felt when I started questioning women's place in the religion I was raised in. Why was she made for him, why weren't they equal? But back to Adam: his dismissing disdain, his way of putting her aside, calling her responsible, being glad that she was a better version of a perfect wife for him, actually saying he is SAD because of what he now HAS to do because she discovered the truth... Really, this character is the embodiement of sexism and misogyny, quite archetypal and, here, excessive to the core. He wasn't even really a character to me, he couldn't be. (hide spoiler)]
I loved the ending, with (view spoiler)[Sophia imprinting her rage and despair in Adam's flesh for Eve to find. When I gathered that she was about to die anyway, I knew that Eve was the next one and the last. It was, again, cleverly made. (hide spoiler)]
I can't really explain why this book is not a five-star read. The only reason I see is that I struggle with my reading this year and can't seem to love books as much as they deserve it. I might stick to nonfiction now and get back to fiction when I feel like the urge is back....more
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