rachelndlc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
beholdtheanimals's review against another edition
4.0
Holy shit, this book! First off, it's more like six books in one, with each episode of our heroine's journey a complete tale unto itself. This is a good thing though--it's not the largest book but it doesn't sprawl excessively, even a few of the subplots feel like a means to explain the world and thus disappointed me slightly when they didn't all tie together in the end. Most of the book's many threads do coalesce into something strange, beautiful, and poignant though. Like the structure, the language delighted me in parts and threw me off a little in others--Lee does a great job of establishing the collective voice of the people of B-Mor and even if it felt a bit too deliberately stilted in places, it sinks into the brain. Look up, I'm even using it myself ("our heroine's journey")
BONUS POINTS for the fact that, consciously or unconsciously, Lee seems to have channeled one of my very favorite fairytales, The Snow Queen. You'll have to read the book yourself to see if I'm right or if I'm nuts, and when you do it will 100% be worth your time.
BONUS POINTS for the fact that, consciously or unconsciously, Lee seems to have channeled one of my very favorite fairytales, The Snow Queen. You'll have to read the book yourself to see if I'm right or if I'm nuts, and when you do it will 100% be worth your time.
annabella82's review against another edition
4.0
So descriptive...I loved it (though it did take me some time to actually get into the novel)! This novel was so beautifully written it was hard not to enjoy the story being told. I liked the premise of the novel (dystopian world) but found that the characters actually made it better and you couldn't help but be entranced by the story.
I have to admit that I was surprised by the ending. Most of the time I have an idea of what's coming, so this was a nice surprise and it actually made me like the novel a little more.
I have to admit that I was surprised by the ending. Most of the time I have an idea of what's coming, so this was a nice surprise and it actually made me like the novel a little more.
maureenmcc's review against another edition
3.0
I really looked forward to reading this book because I love Chang-rae Lee's other works, especially Native Speaker. Despite this being a different genre for him, his elegant and muted style comes through, with some very descriptive and beautiful passages throughout. However, I really didn't feel engaged by the heroine, who is more symbolic than anything. The narrator basically interprets how the collective community she leaves behind projects their fears and hopes onto her. The dystopian world he describes seems like it could be five or ten years from now -- nothing very new or surprising. The story is really more of a fable about fate, freedom and fidelity. A complex, interesting work, but one that I ultimately found unsatisfying.
ingingenous's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
calvinho's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
_pickle_'s review against another edition
I could not bring myself to finish it. Too ponderous and dull.
birdy1luv's review against another edition
3.0
Beautiful language. Just got a bit lost in the end. Didn't totally understand what was happening.
But there is something here that is mysterious and deep and touches me.
But there is something here that is mysterious and deep and touches me.
quietdomino's review against another edition
4.0
Really, really liked this! Like the second person plural voice, liked the future dystopia, liked the strange questions about race and nationality -- okay, maybe didn't like reading _another_ novel about a tiny adorable asian girl/woman, but that was part of Lee's point as well, so...
megadallion's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars
There's some beautiful language and writing in this dystopian novel, but not nearly enough plot, world-building, or excitement in general to warrant almost 400 pages. With such an interesting premise and such a creatively bountiful setting, you'd think that reading this would be a breeze. But no, I felt like I was being dragged through sludge trying to get to the next point of the plot, all the while passing by (and appreciating) Chang-Rae Lee's poetic language and descriptions. At some point though these philosophical musings and incessant "we" statements were just driving me mad. I absolutely hated this method of narration, with the narrator as the collective "we" of B-Mor residents. I just wanted to know what happened with the main characters, Fan and Reg, and was very disappointed in the weak and anticlimactic ending. This could have been so much better had there been less banging on about politics and class systems and more focus on the actual plot and characters, most of whom remained flat and lifeless symbols, Fan especially.
There's some beautiful language and writing in this dystopian novel, but not nearly enough plot, world-building, or excitement in general to warrant almost 400 pages. With such an interesting premise and such a creatively bountiful setting, you'd think that reading this would be a breeze. But no, I felt like I was being dragged through sludge trying to get to the next point of the plot, all the while passing by (and appreciating) Chang-Rae Lee's poetic language and descriptions. At some point though these philosophical musings and incessant "we" statements were just driving me mad. I absolutely hated this method of narration, with the narrator as the collective "we" of B-Mor residents. I just wanted to know what happened with the main characters, Fan and Reg, and was very disappointed in the weak and anticlimactic ending. This could have been so much better had there been less banging on about politics and class systems and more focus on the actual plot and characters, most of whom remained flat and lifeless symbols, Fan especially.