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mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Racism and Suicide
alliyyamo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The future is terrifying... Nearly every passenger was a full person to me that I felt like I could've known somehow, making it better and worst every time. I could literally see the tv series.
I wish I could've learned more about the aftermath of the families of the deceased passengers to see that impact. My heart still breaks for Shabana. It felt particularly pointed that all the POC passengers were eliminated first but didn't feel surprising given the current political climate .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Pedophilia and Suicide
chicitytyty's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Wow!!!
If Black Mirror were a book that kind of reads like a play….you’d have ‘The Passengers’.
From the get go we had an interesting premise that continued to unfold in later upon layer of social commentary making the reader face many of the issues that we are already starting to see arise in our use of AI.
Character names were difficult at times as there was a large cast who some were not frequently returned to. Had to keep going back to find the differences in some Passengers but that’s more of a me issue as John did a great job of giving them all distinct issues and backgrounds.
All in all an amazing read and now wanting to pick up more John Marrs.
It did at times take on a preachy tone but clearly the author has an opinion and this book was an opportunity to explore that theme. Only reason for the not perfect 5.
If Black Mirror were a book that kind of reads like a play….you’d have ‘The Passengers’.
From the get go we had an interesting premise that continued to unfold in later upon layer of social commentary making the reader face many of the issues that we are already starting to see arise in our use of AI.
Character names were difficult at times as there was a large cast who some were not frequently returned to. Had to keep going back to find the differences in some Passengers but that’s more of a me issue as John did a great job of giving them all distinct issues and backgrounds.
All in all an amazing read and now wanting to pick up more John Marrs.
It did at times take on a preachy tone but clearly the author has an opinion and this book was an opportunity to explore that theme. Only reason for the not perfect 5.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pedophilia, Suicide, Xenophobia, Trafficking, and Murder
emeraldsanto's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The Passengers by John Marrs is a gripping and fast-paced thriller that explores the potential dangers of self-driving cars. The story follows eight passengers who are locked inside their autonomous vehicles and forced to play a deadly game orchestrated by an unknown hacker. With their lives on the line, the passengers must race against time to uncover the hacker's identity and save themselves.
While the concept of the book is intriguing and the plot is well-paced, as someone who works in IT I found some of the technical aspects of the story to be a bit tacky or exaggerated. The book is clearly written with a layperson audience in mind, and some of the technological details may not be entirely accurate or plausible.
That being said, Marrs does a good job of keeping the reader engaged with his skillful use of suspense and multiple perspectives. Each passenger's backstory is revealed through a series of flashbacks, which adds depth and complexity to the characters. The ending of the book is surprising and satisfying, wrapping up the story in a neat and unexpected way.
Overall, while The Passengers may not be entirely realistic in its portrayal of technology and cybersecurity, it's still an enjoyable and thrilling read. If you're looking for a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns, then The Passengers is definitely worth a look.
While the concept of the book is intriguing and the plot is well-paced, as someone who works in IT I found some of the technical aspects of the story to be a bit tacky or exaggerated. The book is clearly written with a layperson audience in mind, and some of the technological details may not be entirely accurate or plausible.
That being said, Marrs does a good job of keeping the reader engaged with his skillful use of suspense and multiple perspectives. Each passenger's backstory is revealed through a series of flashbacks, which adds depth and complexity to the characters. The ending of the book is surprising and satisfying, wrapping up the story in a neat and unexpected way.
Overall, while The Passengers may not be entirely realistic in its portrayal of technology and cybersecurity, it's still an enjoyable and thrilling read. If you're looking for a fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns, then The Passengers is definitely worth a look.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
amorales107's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, and Murder
alex_reads_'s review
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Pedophilia
xwritingstoriesx's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The Passengers was a great deep dive into surveillance, survival, privacy, rebellion, change vs tradition, groupthink, mob mentality, capitalism, artificial intelligence and and much, much more. Despite my interest in tech thriller/horror content, this was my first experience with reading a modern day dystopian focused entirely around our technological advancement. It's far too close for comfort but that dose of realism made it much more terrifying. The social media aspect to this story was awfully true to life. The general public are so far removed from the matter in question that they become desensitised to the trauma they are witnessing. I could see this genuinely happening in modern day society. Don’t let the length of this book deter you from picking it up as it was engaging and fast-paced throughout. I thoroughly recommend if the themes I mentioned interest you and you enjoy sci-fi literature.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Pedophilia, Suicide, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Classism
bethmalena's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It was a good “beach read” - fast paced and I could half-pay-attention without losing the plot. It felt like an elaborate expansion of the trolley problem, combined with the perils of social media and hacking. I know the two women of colour were killed off early to show the racism and colonialism of the public, but it still felt like an injustice to cut their stories off so early.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicide, Kidnapping, Car accident, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Domestic abuse
electricvaps's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Murder
themoodreader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Stalking, and Death of parent