sjlee's review against another edition
2.0
The final book in the World Made By Hand series confirmed for me a feeling I had as I went along: the series was declining in quality as I read through it. Some of the flaws of the story were there from the beginning: the 'magic' or surreal nature of parts of the story, the casual misogyny, and sometimes cartoonish characters. Kunstler at times displays the things that made me fall in love with these books in the first instance though.
Let's begin with some positives. As much as I hated it, the book has an early tragedy that was heartrending. It was obvious from the very beginning how it was going to turn out, but dramatic irony held its sway and you have to push through and watch something truly awful happen. It was difficult, but powerful.
Another minor plot concerns a woman and a man who wish to conceive a child, but the man is no longer able to have children. For most of the book a distressing suggestion of using a relative to get the woman pregnant is floated and it made me quite uncomfortable. It felt like a betrayal, regardless of how it resolved.
The third book in the series painted caricatures of the American South and right in how it would deal with the post-collapse society. This novel decides to take a swing at the left. Kunstler offers his ham-fisted unnuanced criticism of the modern left, but blends it with 1960s Marxist/socialist ideas. A group of strangers claiming to represent a political union in New England arrive in Union Grove preaching collaboration. It become abundantly clear that it is a con not long after they arrive.
Not to harp on the point, but Kunstler introduces a "radical" feminist, whose radicalism seems mostly defined by the fact that she has a fiery temper and doesn't like being called "ma'am" or "miss". The author undercuts her by sexualizing her from the start and giving her character a completely ridiculous conclusion.
I liked these books for showing the struggles of living within a small town in the wake of the collapse. It lost that grounding, or at least that focus, after the second book, I feel. The tragic plot hones closer to what I think these books did best and the ridiculous conspiracy of leftists from Berkshire People's Republic shows what it does at its worst, or weakest. Fans of the series should perhaps read it just to conclude it, but it sadly pales to the first book.
Let's begin with some positives. As much as I hated it, the book has an early tragedy that was heartrending. It was obvious from the very beginning how it was going to turn out, but dramatic irony held its sway and you have to push through and watch something truly awful happen. It was difficult, but powerful.
Another minor plot concerns a woman and a man who wish to conceive a child, but the man is no longer able to have children. For most of the book a distressing suggestion of using a relative to get the woman pregnant is floated and it made me quite uncomfortable. It felt like a betrayal, regardless of how it resolved.
The third book in the series painted caricatures of the American South and right in how it would deal with the post-collapse society. This novel decides to take a swing at the left. Kunstler offers his ham-fisted unnuanced criticism of the modern left, but blends it with 1960s Marxist/socialist ideas. A group of strangers claiming to represent a political union in New England arrive in Union Grove preaching collaboration. It become abundantly clear that it is a con not long after they arrive.
Not to harp on the point, but Kunstler introduces a "radical" feminist, whose radicalism seems mostly defined by the fact that she has a fiery temper and doesn't like being called "ma'am" or "miss". The author undercuts her by sexualizing her from the start and giving her character a completely ridiculous conclusion.
I liked these books for showing the struggles of living within a small town in the wake of the collapse. It lost that grounding, or at least that focus, after the second book, I feel. The tragic plot hones closer to what I think these books did best and the ridiculous conspiracy of leftists from Berkshire People's Republic shows what it does at its worst, or weakest. Fans of the series should perhaps read it just to conclude it, but it sadly pales to the first book.
jenniferbbookdragon's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this last book of the World Made by Hand trilogy very much (although I must confess book #2 Witch of Hebron is my favorite.) Kunstler excels at world building and character development, and the town of Union Grove and its residents have evolved and changed. The story also addresses those who feel that they can prepare for any disaster, and the sustainability of our forms of society.
jgn's review
4.0
Supposedly the last volume in the World Made by Hand series -- in many ways this is a sort of re-do of the first novel but resolves some story lines from the 3rd novel especially.
Kunstler does a good job telling the story of a post-collapse North America, with a lot of interesting detail about diet, health, and technology; meanwhile, he doles out the satire, this time regarding an invading force from the Berkshires.
Kunstler does a good job telling the story of a post-collapse North America, with a lot of interesting detail about diet, health, and technology; meanwhile, he doles out the satire, this time regarding an invading force from the Berkshires.
ndsr's review
5.0
Although aspects of this book border on the satirical, it is a very strong finish to the series, and perhaps my favorite in the series. I was surprised and impressed by how much I found myself caring about the characters and how their lives turned out. Very impressive.
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