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starlit01's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
beightmana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Body horror, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism
dezaraemd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Grief
scifi_rat's review against another edition
2.75
prose: ¼
pace: ¼
main character: ¼
side characters: 0
setting: ½
concept: ¼
ending: ¼
entertainment value: ½
vibes: ¼
Graphic: Confinement and Death
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Sexual content, Excrement, and Vomit
fatfatrat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Confinement and Death
Moderate: Violence and Gaslighting
Minor: Misogyny, Racism, and Medical content
mar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, and Racism
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Violence
mitchalkois's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book's philosophical and psychological concepts are fascinating. Crichton presents new ideas and allows them to exist in the space without feeling like characters know too much about different concepts. Allowing each character to have their specialization made for interesting and understandable dialogue, even if some characters sounded similar.
Minor spoiler ahead (CW: victim blaming)
No. In the end, the woman character faces her train. Is her her trauma that she was in a relationship with a man who held power over her? No. Is it that the man denied her credit on the research they performed together? No. Her trauma is that she seeks victimhood. And she must overcome that fault. There's no mention of power dynamics or the fact that she was shafted by the head researcher, only that she wants to play the victim to feel better.
It was a gross concept that soured the entire book for me. With a slight tweak, Crichton could have made the book better. By making her trauma stem from being abused and mistreated, you could have had a better story. Not perfect, as that idea is overused and problematic in itself, but at least it would be less offensive.
Overall, this book pushed some rich concepts, but failed to deliver on creating likable characters. And the offensive nature of the one character (not to mention the black stereotyping to a slightly lesser degree) made it so I could not recommend this book in good conscience.
Minor: Misogyny