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iridescencedeep's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
The utopia sections reminded me of Becky Chambers' work; a really lovely vision of the future.
Deeply fucked up ending. Kind of crushing to read.
I didn't find most of the book especially gripping. The prose was occasionally brilliant but mostly just there. Some interesting reflections on choice and hope.
Deeply fucked up ending. Kind of crushing to read.
I didn't find most of the book especially gripping. The prose was occasionally brilliant but mostly just there. Some interesting reflections on choice and hope.
alicemaryblanks14's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
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? Yes
3.75
laffols's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. Though the characters felt very flat and robotic and the plot and nuances of the bigger thematics overexplained and trite, I quickly became obsessed with how Piercy wrote her ideal future. I have never so desperately wanted a future shown in a scifi novel as the one Piercy has imagined in this book.
spoon55's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
4.5
An important and frustrating book; one I would share with others but may not read again. The protagonist, Connie, is sympathizing and annoying. What even was that ending???
madfil's review against another edition
1.0
(3 February, 2019)
Pee-ewww, I did not like this at all. Piercy's view of our (possible) future is terrible, although it is not all her fault here. She would flip out at seeing present day 20-somethings freak out when not in possession of their cellphones - making the novel's 13-year olds' quest for self-reliance a rather fanciful and unattainable dream. I might be projecting here but much of her future has a new-age, spiritual feel to it, which is not the best. The whole was a bit naive, not unlike '[b:Ecotopia|550165|Ecotopia|Ernest Callenbach|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1420404504l/550165._SY75_.jpg|3209155]' but with better writing.
Connie is not a compelling character, she is dim-witted and happily so. Her wary awareness of guys in a particular bar is weird, a bit like a racist's thoughts when in the company of black people, thinking "Aw shit, I'm gonna get mugged here." Both are wrong, off-putting and ignorant. She just can't imagine herself cleaning some 'rich white lady's house' for money but prefers doing nothing and having less but complains about it. I wanted to like her but just couldn't.
Piercy's 'per' was ridiculous. Uni-lingual anglophones will not understand this but French and Portuguese (both of which I speak) do not have non-gendered pronouns, which is why I fail to see the need to invent one for English. It already has one: 'it'. What's wrong with using that word? As for her use of 'mother' - oh boy! She drops 'father' and keeps 'mother' for 'parent' (instead of, you know... 'parent'!), it's somewhat of a letdown and, to be honest, really sexist.
The best part of Piercy's future is human gestation, it is despicable. We have numerous ways for women to not get pregnant; all the safe sex alternatives; abortion; adoption et cetera... but she thinks us being grown is a good idea. I share in Morpheus's disgust when he states (in The Matrix) "... human beings are no longer born...we are grown." 'nuff said.
This book was not really on my radar, I really want to read her '[b:He, She and It|788331|He, She and It|Marge Piercy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347374695l/788331._SY75_.jpg|163871]' but cannot find it. Saw this and thought "What the Hell, how can this hurt?"... ouch!
Pee-ewww, I did not like this at all. Piercy's view of our (possible) future is terrible, although it is not all her fault here. She would flip out at seeing present day 20-somethings freak out when not in possession of their cellphones - making the novel's 13-year olds' quest for self-reliance a rather fanciful and unattainable dream. I might be projecting here but much of her future has a new-age, spiritual feel to it, which is not the best. The whole was a bit naive, not unlike '[b:Ecotopia|550165|Ecotopia|Ernest Callenbach|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1420404504l/550165._SY75_.jpg|3209155]' but with better writing.
Connie is not a compelling character, she is dim-witted and happily so. Her wary awareness of guys in a particular bar is weird, a bit like a racist's thoughts when in the company of black people, thinking "Aw shit, I'm gonna get mugged here." Both are wrong, off-putting and ignorant. She just can't imagine herself cleaning some 'rich white lady's house' for money but prefers doing nothing and having less but complains about it. I wanted to like her but just couldn't.
Piercy's 'per' was ridiculous. Uni-lingual anglophones will not understand this but French and Portuguese (both of which I speak) do not have non-gendered pronouns, which is why I fail to see the need to invent one for English. It already has one: 'it'. What's wrong with using that word? As for her use of 'mother' - oh boy! She drops 'father' and keeps 'mother' for 'parent' (instead of, you know... 'parent'!), it's somewhat of a letdown and, to be honest, really sexist.
The best part of Piercy's future is human gestation, it is despicable. We have numerous ways for women to not get pregnant; all the safe sex alternatives; abortion; adoption et cetera... but she thinks us being grown is a good idea. I share in Morpheus's disgust when he states (in The Matrix) "... human beings are no longer born...we are grown." 'nuff said.
This book was not really on my radar, I really want to read her '[b:He, She and It|788331|He, She and It|Marge Piercy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347374695l/788331._SY75_.jpg|163871]' but cannot find it. Saw this and thought "What the Hell, how can this hurt?"... ouch!
alicia_sg's review against another edition
4.0
Mujer al borde del tiempo, el libro de Marge Piercy editado por Consonni , con traducción de Helen Torres y con una preciosa portada diseñada por Carla Berrocal, cuenta la historia de una mujer latina , Consuelo Ramos, Connie, cuya vida siempre se ha desarollado en situación de exclusión, repudiada por su familia, arrancada de los brazos de su hija e internada en cárceles y sanatorios mentales por su padre y hermano, descubre que tiene la capacidad de conectar con un futuro próximo y con las personas que allí habitan.
Luciente, Liebre , Abeja viven en Mattapoisett, un futuro utópico e idílico donde el equilibrio emocional es la tónica de convivencia, no existe el machismo , ni la desgualdad de género o raza. Un espacio donde Connie conecta, se evade mentalmente de su internamiento psiquiátrico, un lugar donde recibe paz y amor. Un lugar seguro al que huir en situación de encierro, donde nunca queda claro si es uno de los futuros real o simplemente un espacio de la disociación mental de la herida mente de Connie.
¿No necesitaríamos todos un espacio donde permitir a nuestra mente huir de nuestro encierro?, ¿un lugar lleno de amigos, amantes y lugares nuevos donde sentirnos queridos y valorados? ¿No necesitaríamos tener la capacidad de conectar nuestra mente para poder tocar a quienes más añoramos?
Reseña completa
Luciente, Liebre , Abeja viven en Mattapoisett, un futuro utópico e idílico donde el equilibrio emocional es la tónica de convivencia, no existe el machismo , ni la desgualdad de género o raza. Un espacio donde Connie conecta, se evade mentalmente de su internamiento psiquiátrico, un lugar donde recibe paz y amor. Un lugar seguro al que huir en situación de encierro, donde nunca queda claro si es uno de los futuros real o simplemente un espacio de la disociación mental de la herida mente de Connie.
¿No necesitaríamos todos un espacio donde permitir a nuestra mente huir de nuestro encierro?, ¿un lugar lleno de amigos, amantes y lugares nuevos donde sentirnos queridos y valorados? ¿No necesitaríamos tener la capacidad de conectar nuestra mente para poder tocar a quienes más añoramos?
Reseña completa
bookhouseboys's review against another edition
4.5
I finished the Southern Reach trilogy and was in desperate need of another good book and my friend lent me this (leftover from a 'Sex and Utopia' class she'd taken in college). Definitely took me a little while to get into it, but I did get hooked eventually. I preferred the chapters in the mental hospital (utopia is a little too close to fantasy for me personally, not my taste) I appreciate the depictions of what went on, and hopefully it opens the eye of anyone who is unaware of the history (and present day practices) of mental institutions. My copy had a forward by the author written pretty recently that spoke about a lot of things in our culture that really aligned with my values (although later I looked her up on Wikipedia and found that she'd signed an open letter that could be interpreted as TERF idealogy - which seems strange given the way that gender and sex are portrayed in her utopia. I do think it is worthwhile to read works by people you don't agree with (within reason and with regards to your comfort of course)). I think I will keep reading Piercy, and certainly more feminist speculative science fiction (which is a genre I realized exists by picking up this book!)
allthehopeyouneed's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0