The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
lauraglovestoread's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
The Sentient includes a lot of heavy themes - cloning and medical/research ethics, religious coercion and patriarchal cults, trauma, memory, class disparities, reproductive justice - within the context of a coherent plot set in a relatively believable near-future setting with an interesting protagonist POV. In other words, I like a lot about this and I think it's a really solid debut. I feel like the characters were mostly well developed even though there were quite a lot of them, and it felt like a fresh take on the subject matter. What didn't quite work for me is some of the pacing toward the end; there were perhaps one or two too many things going on, and the technology got a bit convoluted and less believable. I also felt like in a few places it skewed YA (which isn't my thing) though I wouldn't say it reads as YA overall. Overall, though, I liked this and I'd happily read more from Nadia Afifi.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Confinement, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
craftysilicate's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
rumbledethumps's review
2.0
Filled with some cool and interesting ideas, but just not executed in a compelling way. I was confused by the POV (I think it was 3rd-person limited, but still not sure), and there were so many sentences that did so much expository work. For example, at the beginning while the reader is still trying to figure out the world the protagonist lives in, we are given some sentences that work really hard, probably too hard.
"It was no surprise that D’Arcy, a top quantum programmer at the Academy who custom-made her own Third Eye, had placed well – but Pandora? The project was both unusually prestigious and clandestine, even by the standards of insular Aldwych." These two sentences so clunkily convey too much information meant as character development and setting.
And this, relayed by an instructor at the academy to the protagonist "'But to do research on one of the stations, especially the Osiris, is reserved for the seasoned and the true elite. Only the best in the world go into space, no matter how they score at Placement.'" Would she really not have known this?
Some of the themes were interesting, which is why I gave it 2 stars, but the writing was just too awkward for it to be an enjoyable read for me.
"It was no surprise that D’Arcy, a top quantum programmer at the Academy who custom-made her own Third Eye, had placed well – but Pandora? The project was both unusually prestigious and clandestine, even by the standards of insular Aldwych." These two sentences so clunkily convey too much information meant as character development and setting.
And this, relayed by an instructor at the academy to the protagonist "'But to do research on one of the stations, especially the Osiris, is reserved for the seasoned and the true elite. Only the best in the world go into space, no matter how they score at Placement.'" Would she really not have known this?
Some of the themes were interesting, which is why I gave it 2 stars, but the writing was just too awkward for it to be an enjoyable read for me.
caitlinww's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Violence, and Medical content
Moderate: Sexual assault and Gaslighting
shellwitty's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kristinasshelves's review against another edition
4.0
"'I'm going to show you something' he said. 'If you're going down the rabbit hole, you need to see what could bite you at the end of the tunnel'"
Amira Valdez is a scientific prodigy with a gift for holometric reading, viewing the memories of others. She lives on another planet 200 years into the future. Her world is drastically different from ours but yet somehow seems familiar. Amira is chosen to take part in the Pandora project, assigned to a division that is seeking to create the first successful human clone after several highly publicized attempts did not come to fruition. While she thinks she knows whats happening, she is shocked to uncover she is embroiled in a conspiracy. This develops throughout the story, along with flashbacks and history about the religious polygamist cult from Amira's youth. The plot will definitely keep you on your toes and wanting to find out more!
"The Pandora project, spearheaded by a team of elite Aldwych scientists, was really a collection of projects with one common theme- a desire to push the boundaries of science as far as law, budget and human understanding would allow"
The fact that this is a debut novel blows my mind! Nadia Afifi has an incredible talent for storytelling and I can definitely see her becoming one of my favorite authors. This story has so many layers to unpack, with themes that will continue to be thought provoking long after I've finished this book. I enjoyed the way in which Afifi handled the topics of cloning, religious extremism, grief, medicine, scientific ethics and more! If you're interested in science fiction, this is a must read for sure!
I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook from the publisher, Flame Tree Press, via Netgalley; all opinions are my own.
Amira Valdez is a scientific prodigy with a gift for holometric reading, viewing the memories of others. She lives on another planet 200 years into the future. Her world is drastically different from ours but yet somehow seems familiar. Amira is chosen to take part in the Pandora project, assigned to a division that is seeking to create the first successful human clone after several highly publicized attempts did not come to fruition. While she thinks she knows whats happening, she is shocked to uncover she is embroiled in a conspiracy. This develops throughout the story, along with flashbacks and history about the religious polygamist cult from Amira's youth. The plot will definitely keep you on your toes and wanting to find out more!
"The Pandora project, spearheaded by a team of elite Aldwych scientists, was really a collection of projects with one common theme- a desire to push the boundaries of science as far as law, budget and human understanding would allow"
The fact that this is a debut novel blows my mind! Nadia Afifi has an incredible talent for storytelling and I can definitely see her becoming one of my favorite authors. This story has so many layers to unpack, with themes that will continue to be thought provoking long after I've finished this book. I enjoyed the way in which Afifi handled the topics of cloning, religious extremism, grief, medicine, scientific ethics and more! If you're interested in science fiction, this is a must read for sure!
I received an advanced reader copy of this ebook from the publisher, Flame Tree Press, via Netgalley; all opinions are my own.
shonatiger's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
Great premise, but the writing didn't work for me at all. Penalty more wordy than I would have liked. More a YA read, I think. Also, too much "sciencing", with too much explication.
Also, loads of triggers! CW.
Great premise, but the writing didn't work for me at all. Penalty more wordy than I would have liked. More a YA read, I think. Also, too much "sciencing", with too much explication.
Also, loads of triggers! CW.
jazzloops's review against another edition
'“This moment has already happened and this moment has yet to happen,” he said. “All things are possible, every outcome probable. I am dead and alive at the same time.” A Cosmic prayer, a last rite. '
Stunned by this debut. It features a lot of my favorite themes and topics - and I mean almost all of them, from dream science to desert cults to the evolution of human consciousness- in a story that's approachable, exciting and thought-provoking. Looking forward to more in this world.
Stunned by this debut. It features a lot of my favorite themes and topics - and I mean almost all of them, from dream science to desert cults to the evolution of human consciousness- in a story that's approachable, exciting and thought-provoking. Looking forward to more in this world.
senid's review against another edition
4.0
This was a solid sci fi book about cloning and other topics. Well-developed female characters which I appreciated.
theforeverbookworm's review
2.0
I was really intrigued by this book, but I'm not sure it was for me.
When I first started it, it reminded me of the Divergent series, which I absolutely love. However, as it progressed, it was a little bit more science fiction than dystopian, which isn't really my thing.
It's not a bad book by any stretch, but it was full of a lot of scientific and technical talk, and I also found it hard to keep up with the different characters.
Not a bad book, but definitely not for me.
When I first started it, it reminded me of the Divergent series, which I absolutely love. However, as it progressed, it was a little bit more science fiction than dystopian, which isn't really my thing.
It's not a bad book by any stretch, but it was full of a lot of scientific and technical talk, and I also found it hard to keep up with the different characters.
Not a bad book, but definitely not for me.