Reviews

Galápagos by Kurt Vonnegut

ksopko8823's review against another edition

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5.0

The concept here is super fun and well-executed - what would happen if humanity had to rebuild itself, with only a random smattering of not-totally-ideal starter population. It's an interesting point, the idea that the surviving population of an apocalyptic event might not be the best suited, the most survival-worthy. Just a lucky (?) group of individuals who happened to be there.
Starting over, but not from scratch. A guy with an incurable hereditary disease. A survivor of the nuclear attacks on Japan whose child was born with fur all over her body. A blind girl. A man with a brain tumor. Over the coming years, evolution takes hold super quickly, and what we end up with is a funky, motley crew.
Galapagos is a fun, easy read - if you want it to be - or a tangled thought piece - if you'd prefer that. High re-read potential with this one.

brooklynncollier's review against another edition

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4.0

I really loved this breadcrumbs kind of take on storytelling, especially from this ominous all-knowing narrator that in itself is a breadcrumb until you figure out how they fit into the story. It’s also just a different take on an apocalypse tale that isn’t so apocalyptic if you will. Overall a very good, enjoyable read

trainisloud's review against another edition

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4.0

Kurt's storytelling, wit, and optimistic hopelessness make for a lovely read. Throw this combo in a tropical boat cruise filled with family, humanity in all its flaws and glory and you have yourself a great novel! Also has one of my favorite lines, this follows the death of a character, "well it's not like he was going to write Beethoven's V Symphony anyway." I will put that on my tombstone! Thanks Kurt where ever you are.

timpurches's review

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4.0

A quirky and delightfully misanthropic tale about the present and future state of humanity, told looking back from the far future.

steven_nobody's review against another edition

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5.0

This is not as melancholy as other Vonnegut works. Maybe just somber and disturbing. I really like depopulation stories.

jadekern's review against another edition

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5.0

LOVED!

littlemightyone's review against another edition

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5.0

Vonnegut Vonnegut Vonnegut.
I just love him.

simonlitton's review

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1.0

This is a satire, apparently. What exactly is being satirised is not clear to me. And isn't satire supposed to be, you know, funny? One simple and not particularly exciting idea is stretched to over 250 pages via shameless padding and mind-numbing repetition. The irritatingly smug narrator keeps reminding us who's going to die and that everyone in the story is basically stupid and a waste of space.
An ugly, misanthropic and depressing book.

logickat's review against another edition

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3.0

Told from the perspective a million years in the future, a sometimes confusing and complex intersection of the lives of the future of humanity. There is a lot of back and forth in the timeline, and bouncing between characters, and clues randomly dropped to be explained later. I enjoyed the eventual story but it took me a bit to get into it due to the nonlinear narrative style.

sheldar's review against another edition

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4.0

Well done, as per usual, by Kurt Vonnegut. I enjoyed the journey into a different type of human evolution than I have ever imagined. A great, quick read!