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hethyrfethyr's review
The ending felt sudden and rushed, but I enjoyed the imagery and humor.
mondaythehuman's review
5.0
I received an ARC from a Goodreads giveaway, and wow, the book was stunning. Wonderful world building, and wonderful characters that you cheer for until the very end as they live in this ragged city. An absolute thrill of a read!
arthreader's review
5.0
4.5 plus an extra .5 for the book jacket design
I love Jeff VenderMeer's books, and Borne is now one of my favorites (along with City of Saints and Madmen). Neel Mukerjhee of The Guardian says it best, "No one writes a post-apocalyptic landscape like VanderMeer, so detailed and strange in all its lineaments and topography."
I love Jeff VenderMeer's books, and Borne is now one of my favorites (along with City of Saints and Madmen). Neel Mukerjhee of The Guardian says it best, "No one writes a post-apocalyptic landscape like VanderMeer, so detailed and strange in all its lineaments and topography."
littlefreeinterrobang's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I love VanderMeer for the bizarre and dreamlike worlds he constructs, populated by eerie, wholeheartedly surreal biology that arouses equal parts wonder and horror. Compared to Area X, Borne definitely registers lower on the horror meter, and while it isn’t quite as unnervingly fascinating, it still offers up an intriguing world for readers to explore.
When I read Area X, I found it had some lovely, poetic lines scattered throughout, and I was looking forward to more of the same here. However, there wasn’t anything in this book that really struck me in the same way, and without those little jolts of aesthetic appreciation, I found VanderMeer’s writing here slightly lacking in comparison.
There is something about his writing in general that I struggle with, although I have yet to put my finger on precisely what it is. There’s something dull about it, sometimes, and my mind drifts elsewhere even as my eyes continue reading across the page. It’s not like he’s using a bunch of esoteric vocabulary or indulging in convoluted navel gazing or overly pompous musings, but for whatever reason, it takes a little bit of effort to keep my attention trained on the story. Some authors can carry you along on a reading experience that feels entirely engrossing and effortless, but VanderMeer just doesn’t do that for me.
Regardless, I keep coming back for more, so he’s clearly doing something right.
When I read Area X, I found it had some lovely, poetic lines scattered throughout, and I was looking forward to more of the same here. However, there wasn’t anything in this book that really struck me in the same way, and without those little jolts of aesthetic appreciation, I found VanderMeer’s writing here slightly lacking in comparison.
There is something about his writing in general that I struggle with, although I have yet to put my finger on precisely what it is. There’s something dull about it, sometimes, and my mind drifts elsewhere even as my eyes continue reading across the page. It’s not like he’s using a bunch of esoteric vocabulary or indulging in convoluted navel gazing or overly pompous musings, but for whatever reason, it takes a little bit of effort to keep my attention trained on the story. Some authors can carry you along on a reading experience that feels entirely engrossing and effortless, but VanderMeer just doesn’t do that for me.
Regardless, I keep coming back for more, so he’s clearly doing something right.
brisingr's review against another edition
4.0
doing myself the biggest favour in the world by getting into horrror via the sci-fi route, thus ensuring i am absolutely falling in love with the genre!
ps: this book was written with the exact purpose of scaring someone from my country (largest brown bear population country in europe)
ps: this book was written with the exact purpose of scaring someone from my country (largest brown bear population country in europe)
coraciiformes23's review
4.0
I loved Southern Reach and the Strange Bird, so I was thrilled to try this book (and series) as well. It definitely lived up to my expectations! I’m confused and inspired after finishing this book, something I never thought would be ideal- but something that I feel after finishing Vandermeer’s novels. Can’t wait to start Dead Astronauts and see where this strangeness goes!
duanebutcher's review against another edition
4.0
Really a wonderful story. Tests the boundaries of what post-apocalyptic fiction can mean. Real characters with real relationships that are believable. And an unforgettable creation in Borne himself.
The audio book is particularly to recommend--the reader's performance added so much to the characterization of both Rachel and of Borne really added a dimension to the experience--this may be the only time I've ever suspected that the audiobook was actually a superior experience to reading the book.
The audio book is particularly to recommend--the reader's performance added so much to the characterization of both Rachel and of Borne really added a dimension to the experience--this may be the only time I've ever suspected that the audiobook was actually a superior experience to reading the book.
hadidee's review
5.0
One of the reasons I love being in a book club is being introduced to books and authors that I would normally read.
Dystopian future, bio-tech stuff etc etc - is not my thing. I had the book for three weeks and I just couldn't bring myself to read it; the cover, the synopsis all put me off. I finally started it on a flight to Ottawa (figuring that as I had nothing else to read, then at least I'd get through it.)
The first few pages were a bit whacky, but by page 8-9 I was in this world. I had no idea what to make of it or of Rachel and Wick or of Borne but I trusted VanderMeer enough to just enjoy the ride.
The world he creates is brutal and fantastical, but really it's a story of parental love and of redemption. The relationship between between Borne and Rachel is by turns, funny, frightening, heartening, hopeful, loving; and that between Rachel and Wick unfolds slowly but realistically. The ending was satisfying and realistically hopeful.
Getting ready to read the Annihilation-Authority-Acceptance trilogy
Dystopian future, bio-tech stuff etc etc - is not my thing. I had the book for three weeks and I just couldn't bring myself to read it; the cover, the synopsis all put me off. I finally started it on a flight to Ottawa (figuring that as I had nothing else to read, then at least I'd get through it.)
The first few pages were a bit whacky, but by page 8-9 I was in this world. I had no idea what to make of it or of Rachel and Wick or of Borne but I trusted VanderMeer enough to just enjoy the ride.
The world he creates is brutal and fantastical, but really it's a story of parental love and of redemption. The relationship between between Borne and Rachel is by turns, funny, frightening, heartening, hopeful, loving; and that between Rachel and Wick unfolds slowly but realistically. The ending was satisfying and realistically hopeful.
Getting ready to read the Annihilation-Authority-Acceptance trilogy
purkinjefibers's review
3.0
I’ll chalk it up to fantasy/sci-fi not being a very engaging genre for me. I was super excited to start this but lost interest pretty quickly; I struggled through the first quarter before giving up. I’ll try again another time.