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taylorlanxon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Rape, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
vouija's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Death
lecheeese's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Thoughtful read! It can sway into stream of consciousness at times which was surprisingly a delight.
Anticipation is a gift. Perhaps there is none greater. Anticipation is born of hope. Indeed it is hope's finest expression. In hope's loss, however, is the greatest despair.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Body horror, Self harm, and Torture
Minor: Chronic illness and Terminal illness
misssleepy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I have come across this book on BookTok several times. It’s a short yet existential read.
Overall I liked the book. I thought the concept and story was fascinating, yet it was overall very bleak and sad. I do always a joy something with philosophical undertones
It reminded me of how The Good Place (TV Show) ends. With the realization that eventually there is a desire for life/after-life to end. That the monotony eventually becomes too unbearable. That diversity (in all senses) and meaning are major parts of what drives the human will to live.
I think this one will sit with me for a while. As someone who grew up religious and then eventually had to unwind many of the beliefs that were ingrained in me, the narrators struggle to unwind his morman beliefs in the face of his new truths really resonated with me.
I was kind of curious as to why the library only contained white people. It was a theme that kept being brought up but we were offered no explanation. Idk, maybe I need to think on it some more.
Overall I liked the book. I thought the concept and story was fascinating, yet it was overall very bleak and sad. I do always a joy something with philosophical undertones
It reminded me of how The Good Place (TV Show) ends. With the realization that eventually there is a desire for life/after-life to end. That the monotony eventually becomes too unbearable. That diversity (in all senses) and meaning are major parts of what drives the human will to live.
I think this one will sit with me for a while. As someone who grew up religious and then eventually had to unwind many of the beliefs that were ingrained in me, the narrators struggle to unwind his morman beliefs in the face of his new truths really resonated with me.
I was kind of curious as to why the library only contained white people. It was a theme that kept being brought up but we were offered no explanation. Idk, maybe I need to think on it some more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Injury/Injury detail
watermelleon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
An absolutely bizarre thought experiment that filled me with a weird sense of dread and also reflection. I feel a bit of similarity to "I have no mouth but I must scream" in terms of the dark tone and feelings of existentialism faced by the characters.
Think that mental image of falling will stay with me for some time.
Some parts were beautifully written, and I have some lovely highlights I will definitely be coming back to! Overall a really good novella that got me gripped, and gave me much to think about. It has also put the library of babel on my reading list!
Think that mental image of falling will stay with me for some time.
Some parts were beautifully written, and I have some lovely highlights I will definitely be coming back to! Overall a really good novella that got me gripped, and gave me much to think about. It has also put the library of babel on my reading list!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
barelyalex's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
So engrossing that I specifically chose to read this because it was short but immediately wish it were longer.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Bullying, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
depmythmoon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
“How do you give it up? How do you do things you thought you’d never do? Where do all the things you believed go, when all the supporting structure is found to be a myth? How do you know how or on what to take a moral stand, how do you behave when it turns out there are no cosmic rules, no categorical imperatives?” (pg. 43)
This book was an interesting read. It challenged moral character and religious beliefs in a really interesting and way that I enjoyed, and the above quote truly sums it up perfectly. What kind of person would you become if your religious morals or belief weren’t guiding you? In this story, it turned some people into human monsters.
Let me break it down to you, the task that is set out for this man, Soren Johansson. Those sent to his version of hell have to search through a seemingly endless library for a book that contains their life story; if they manage to find it, they are released from hell and sent to heaven. It gets even better when you realize they’re provided whatever food they want, they have showers, beds, they come back to life if they die, and their bodies are returned to the prime of their life. Now, you hear that and you may think that it’s gonna be the toughest thing you’ve ever done, but it’s doable, right?
That’s where you’re wrong, cause they’re not just in any library, they’re in the library of Babel, where every book that has ever been written and could be written is there. Oh, and by any book that could be written, we’re talking a book that contains nothing but periods EXCEPT for the millionth character—that one’s an exclamation mark; a book that looks like someone started raging on a keyboard; a book that is a retelling of “The Tortoise and the Hare” where the hare actually wins… oh and it doesn’t use the letter e at all, so it’s actually “Th Tortois and th Har”, oh and it was also written with every word backwards. Literally A N Y T H I N G that can be written or put together with all the alphabets and symbols is there.
You might start to feel a little hopeless then, but let me make it even worse. Those books, yeah, they’re all exactly 410 pages long. Not too big of a deal until you realize that the story of your ENTIRE life is not gonna fit in 1 book. So, guess what, you’ve gotta find multiple volumes of your life story scattered amongst layers upon layers and floors upon floors of shelves. Make sure you’re holding them tight because at the end of the night, all the books that you aren’t touching get returned to the shelves… wherever they were. Oh yeah, I didn’t even mention how long it takes to travel along one floor, let alone multiple. That’ll be a little surprise for if you read.
Learning of those odds, what kind of people do you think would be created? What kind of person would you become? This story allows you to explore what could happen. Remember, eternal peace is at stake here. I found myself intrigued and thoughtful throughout my read. It’s so short, but the setting was very well explained, and it all comes together so well.
This book was an interesting read. It challenged moral character and religious beliefs in a really interesting and way that I enjoyed, and the above quote truly sums it up perfectly. What kind of person would you become if your religious morals or belief weren’t guiding you? In this story, it turned some people into human monsters.
Let me break it down to you, the task that is set out for this man, Soren Johansson. Those sent to his version of hell have to search through a seemingly endless library for a book that contains their life story; if they manage to find it, they are released from hell and sent to heaven. It gets even better when you realize they’re provided whatever food they want, they have showers, beds, they come back to life if they die, and their bodies are returned to the prime of their life. Now, you hear that and you may think that it’s gonna be the toughest thing you’ve ever done, but it’s doable, right?
That’s where you’re wrong, cause they’re not just in any library, they’re in the library of Babel, where every book that has ever been written and could be written is there. Oh, and by any book that could be written, we’re talking a book that contains nothing but periods EXCEPT for the millionth character—that one’s an exclamation mark; a book that looks like someone started raging on a keyboard; a book that is a retelling of “The Tortoise and the Hare” where the hare actually wins… oh and it doesn’t use the letter e at all, so it’s actually “Th Tortois and th Har”, oh and it was also written with every word backwards. Literally A N Y T H I N G that can be written or put together with all the alphabets and symbols is there.
You might start to feel a little hopeless then, but let me make it even worse. Those books, yeah, they’re all exactly 410 pages long. Not too big of a deal until you realize that the story of your ENTIRE life is not gonna fit in 1 book. So, guess what, you’ve gotta find multiple volumes of your life story scattered amongst layers upon layers and floors upon floors of shelves. Make sure you’re holding them tight because at the end of the night, all the books that you aren’t touching get returned to the shelves… wherever they were. Oh yeah, I didn’t even mention how long it takes to travel along one floor, let alone multiple. That’ll be a little surprise for if you read.
Learning of those odds, what kind of people do you think would be created? What kind of person would you become? This story allows you to explore what could happen. Remember, eternal peace is at stake here. I found myself intrigued and thoughtful throughout my read. It’s so short, but the setting was very well explained, and it all comes together so well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, and Blood
buttercat42's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
natahoochie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
h4ppycupcake's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
This was the most depressing and nerve wracking book I’ve read in a long time. I do not recommend reading this if you’re having a crisis of spirituality, or if you have general anxiety. It was well written, but at what cost to the reader? I feel uneasy now that’s finished. How does one pack such an incredible amount of existential dread and terror into only 110 pages? I won’t be reading anything else by this author, lest he sends me into a panic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Self harm, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, and Grief