Reviews

Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson

Only show reviews with written explanations

atticus13's review against another edition

4.0

Neuromancer and Count Zero are both very chaotic books with multiple moving parts being described by characters who have limited insight. Sometimes their perception is even impeded by drugs or constrained perception.

I like the idea of this kind of frenetic storytelling, but the actual experience usually just left me fatigued, confused and reliant on the internet to provide me synopsis.

I’m happy to say that Mona Lisa Overdrive finds the razors edge of chaos and clarity. For me at least, I could make sense of the story through the strained perceptions of warped characters.

Also, the authors afterward in my copy was a fantastic emotional conclusion to reading this trilogy—especially because I read this on a kindle.

chriseaton's review against another edition

Go to review page

medium-paced

3.75

wintermu7e's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

scottjp's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Well...I didn't know this was the third book when I picked it up. And then I did but read that it was a loose trilogy, so I thought it'd be okay anyway. I did enjoy a majority of the book, but I felt lost at certain times, particularly Angela's chapters. She kept referencing things that I assume happened in a prior novel without really explaining them. My fault, not Gibson's.

But I also felt that it was a lot of build-up to nothing. There's sort of a neat ending but I can't figure out what most of the previous happenings had to do with it. Why were Kumiko (the only really likeable character) and her father in it at all? Their drama is hand-waved away at the end.

I seem to recall Idoru, the only other Gibson I've read, being like that as well. So I'm putting that on him.

I might go back and read Neuromancer, go from there and see if any of it makes more sense, or I might not.