beccaand's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Child death
Moderate: Suicide and Suicidal thoughts
dixiet's review against another edition
3.0
Well, this is about as depressing a post-apocalyptic story as I can imagine. I read Mary Shelley's biography earlier this year and it was sad to see how many of her own personal tragedies she put into this novel. Honestly I would have liked it more if it had been 1/3 as long; it was slow going in some parts, with pages of description of feelings or surroundings where the action ground to a halt. But I'm glad I read it, it was very interesting. The disaster Shelley chose to use is one that is eerily even more likely now than it was in her time. What a singular writer (and thinker) she was.
xanthippe's review against another edition
3.0
Read this for class. It’s has its moments, but I definitely will not read again.
fhm1998's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
beetific's review against another edition
3.0
Beautifully written but could have been pared down…a lot.
lucas_lex_dejong's review against another edition
3.0
There is a phenomenal book buried in the bloat. Of the 3 volumes, volume 1 is given over entirely to a silver-spoon drama establishing the characters, but unlike Austen or Brontë, I can't say that it made for a compelling narrative.
When the story is on-point, it is a revelation (pun intended), and carries horror, drama, tension, and awe all at once.
As a story, it runs through so many of the features which would one day become tropes: from denialism, to lawlessness, to migration, to compulsive leisure, to a sublime quietude, that it seems the entire post-apocalyptic genre owes itself to this one book.
However, I given the bloat and repetition, I think it is better viewed with a sense of forgiveness for these flaws, as an ode to the early death of the Romantic movement. With characters directly representing Percy Shelley & Lord Byron, this seems more a loving ode and even mythologising of their greatness, as well as a protracted eulogy of grief from Mary Shelley, who - amongst all these titans - survived them all, and was The Last Man.
When the story is on-point, it is a revelation (pun intended), and carries horror, drama, tension, and awe all at once.
As a story, it runs through so many of the features which would one day become tropes: from denialism, to lawlessness, to migration, to compulsive leisure, to a sublime quietude, that it seems the entire post-apocalyptic genre owes itself to this one book.
However, I given the bloat and repetition, I think it is better viewed with a sense of forgiveness for these flaws, as an ode to the early death of the Romantic movement. With characters directly representing Percy Shelley & Lord Byron, this seems more a loving ode and even mythologising of their greatness, as well as a protracted eulogy of grief from Mary Shelley, who - amongst all these titans - survived them all, and was The Last Man.
icepulsar's review against another edition
Too many description, too little action.
hotsake's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Dull, bland, and infuriatingly mediocre but the worst part is that it is way too long
This is a nearly 600-page book where the first 250 pages were character set up, filled with mostly vapid and unlikable characters with very little depth to them.
Finally, the plague is upon us, and our narrator, instead of describing the fall of mankind, spends the majority of his time waxing philosophically.
This is a nearly 600-page book where the first 250 pages were character set up, filled with mostly vapid and unlikable characters with very little depth to them.
Finally, the plague is upon us, and our narrator, instead of describing the fall of mankind, spends the majority of his time waxing philosophically.
vonny3492's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0