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rapini's review against another edition
3.0
I saw the movie first and did not particularly enjoy it, mostly because the violence and extreme action are not to my taste in entertainment. Therefore I was reluctant to read this book, but I did anyway because my book group chose it. I enjoyed this book much more than expected -- and the book is quite different in plot and tone from the movie -- but the dystopic setting is still not my favorite.
chloe_row's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
erinbirnel's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.25
braeden03's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
slettlune's review against another edition
4.0
Usually when I read the book after the movie it's because I fell completely in love with the setting or characters and want to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of something.
This wasn't that.
I thought the movie was pretty cool and interesting, and then I kinda forgot about it. It was later that I received this book as a gift with the comment that "hey, both the book and movie are pretty good but they're completely different stories, check it out". And I'm an eternal sap for apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic media, so I did. I checked it out.
This novel turned out to be more my kind of thing than the movie, actually. A world where humanity has gone unexpectedly barren, with increasingly aging generations just waiting for themselves to die out -- sure, interesting in both mediums, but the book paints such a complete picture of what knowledge like that does to the world's population, how it influences their politics, their pop culture, their daily lives, their religions. The characters actually feel secondary to the world-building, which is my only real criticism of the book. But it's a great ride -- slow, pondering, introverted, dark, and not something I think I would have enjoyed quite as much when I was younger and new to the dystopian genre.
I do love the perspective of a main character who is in most ways powerless, but who has close familial ties to one of the most powerful people in the world. Theo's journey from miserable complacency to his pleasure at finally having something to fight and struggle for is pretty damn satisfying.
This wasn't that.
I thought the movie was pretty cool and interesting, and then I kinda forgot about it. It was later that I received this book as a gift with the comment that "hey, both the book and movie are pretty good but they're completely different stories, check it out". And I'm an eternal sap for apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic media, so I did. I checked it out.
This novel turned out to be more my kind of thing than the movie, actually. A world where humanity has gone unexpectedly barren, with increasingly aging generations just waiting for themselves to die out -- sure, interesting in both mediums, but the book paints such a complete picture of what knowledge like that does to the world's population, how it influences their politics, their pop culture, their daily lives, their religions. The characters actually feel secondary to the world-building, which is my only real criticism of the book. But it's a great ride -- slow, pondering, introverted, dark, and not something I think I would have enjoyed quite as much when I was younger and new to the dystopian genre.
I do love the perspective of a main character who is in most ways powerless, but who has close familial ties to one of the most powerful people in the world. Theo's journey from miserable complacency to his pleasure at finally having something to fight and struggle for is pretty damn satisfying.
arbitrariecanarie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
meginsanity's review against another edition
4.0
I love post-apocalyptic fiction. I will read basically anything that has that phrase in there somewhere, whether it is good or shockingly bad. I'm definitely not an expert, but I've dipped my toes in at least, and the funny thing is that I still don't have an actual favorite way the book goes. The designated post-apocalyptic event could be disease, or zombies, or nuclear warfare, or regular old warfare, or a natural disaster. (Or it could even be a Biblical apocalypse, but I haven't read any of those.) The story could follow an entire civilization or one individual. I don't really care.
Most people are bashing Children of Men for being dull and slow, but for me, the story works. It's the right setting, plot, and characters for the story that P.D. James was telling. I have not seen the movie, but I would anticipate that just by virtue of being a visual event crammed into 2 hours it would move more quickly than the book. In fact, I very much liked the slow pace of the novel. It mimics the aging population of England. No one is moving quickly. Even the youngest of society could be experiencing arthritis and gray hairs. Beyond being old, most people in society are complacent. There is nothing to look forward to; why act quickly when any betterment will be fleeting, when soon, the buildings will be empty and nature will overtake what you've worked so hard on?
I also liked the unreliable narrator. He is annoying, a sometimes stereotypical old professor, yet he changes and grows throughout the novel. He's thoughtful, but confused at times, and judgmental. However, it was a little silly to bother having bits from his diary in the novel when the rest of it is first-person omniscient anyway. It felt superfluous, almost like it was supposed to serve some other purpose.
Overall, I really did enjoy it. I might try watching the movie (again; I think I got ten minutes into it when it first came out), but I think I will naturally see it and the book as different beasts.
Most people are bashing Children of Men for being dull and slow, but for me, the story works. It's the right setting, plot, and characters for the story that P.D. James was telling. I have not seen the movie, but I would anticipate that just by virtue of being a visual event crammed into 2 hours it would move more quickly than the book. In fact, I very much liked the slow pace of the novel. It mimics the aging population of England. No one is moving quickly. Even the youngest of society could be experiencing arthritis and gray hairs. Beyond being old, most people in society are complacent. There is nothing to look forward to; why act quickly when any betterment will be fleeting, when soon, the buildings will be empty and nature will overtake what you've worked so hard on?
I also liked the unreliable narrator. He is annoying, a sometimes stereotypical old professor, yet he changes and grows throughout the novel. He's thoughtful, but confused at times, and judgmental. However, it was a little silly to bother having bits from his diary in the novel when the rest of it is first-person omniscient anyway. It felt superfluous, almost like it was supposed to serve some other purpose.
Overall, I really did enjoy it. I might try watching the movie (again; I think I got ten minutes into it when it first came out), but I think I will naturally see it and the book as different beasts.
abissette's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
cherrick8's review against another edition
2.0
This is a book that proves the old saying "the book is better than the movie" untrue. It's hard to believe such a good movie was made from this boring book. Total snooze fest.