eyeszekeny's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
dannikinetic's review against another edition
5.0
This story evokes a sense of sadness and mourning. What is literally happening is a technologically advanced house is left unscathed when presumably a bomb has gone off killing its residents that were outside at the time. Silhouettes of their bodies and activities left on the side of the house showing their final moments before death. The house not knowing that its owners have died continues to go through the motions of its programmed schedule over the course of a day when suddenly the house catches fire and it becomes destroyed just like the family that once lived there. Figuratively it feels as if the house is alive and misses its family. By reading the poem you catch a glimpse of a day in the life of this futuristic family and how without mankind’s existence the technology is hollow and meaningless. The house couldn’t carry on indefinitely without the aid of humans because it ran out of water and without it being restocked it couldn’t fight the fire that leads to its demise. The language in the poem alluded to the deaths of all mankind. The imagery of a desolate land caused by human destruction. The house was personified throughout the story giving it an alive but lonely feeling and at the end, it felt as if the house itself died too. Metaphors added to the personification of the house. Onomatopoeia gave background noise to the work of the robot mice. The irony of the poem within the story saying nature will flourish after humans have passed but the only thing left in the area is the manmade house which couldn’t survive without the aid of people. The entire story detailed the last day of the house's existence. A new stanza was made every hour or when you moved from room to room getting a feel for the inside and outside of this place and time leading up to the fire consuming everything and the technology left within the house is left repeating “August 5, 2026” which you assume will also end at some point.
sckanque's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
howtobealuve22's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best stories I've ever read! I read this at school and it has stuck with me ever since! I love this!!
starscreaming's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
leilin's review against another edition
4.0
A short story that expresses themes and fears that feel once again topical, those days.
In this reality, nature has seemingly been obliterated together with humankind. In contrast to the poem from which the story gets its title, there doesn't seem to be much left that can afford to not care about us having waged the final war. Outside is nothing but desolation and the last house standing is a metaphor of humanity, functioning automatically, running business as usual as it burns, unable to realize it is dying, unable to save itself.
In this reality, nature has seemingly been obliterated together with humankind. In contrast to the poem from which the story gets its title, there doesn't seem to be much left that can afford to not care about us having waged the final war. Outside is nothing but desolation and the last house standing is a metaphor of humanity, functioning automatically, running business as usual as it burns, unable to realize it is dying, unable to save itself.
carringtonshaw's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Well, this was eerie. A creepy and sad tale about a smart house that "lives" on after humanity is gone. Really makes you think about what might be left on this planet after no one is alive to see it. This was haunting and will stay with me. Although I recognized the title, I'm not sure I'd ever read it before.
Dropped it to four stars only because it felt like it ran on for too long...like a lot of words could have been cut without losing anything. I seem to recall feeling the same about <i>Fahrenheit 451</i>. Speaking of which, the smart house featured in this story reminded me a lot of the screen rooms in that book. It was interesting to note the author's mind following a theme.
Dropped it to four stars only because it felt like it ran on for too long...like a lot of words could have been cut without losing anything. I seem to recall feeling the same about <i>Fahrenheit 451</i>. Speaking of which, the smart house featured in this story reminded me a lot of the screen rooms in that book. It was interesting to note the author's mind following a theme.