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Reviews tagging 'Death'
The Employees: A workplace novel of the 22nd century by Olga Ravn
43 reviews
kmhst25's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Weird, poetic, disturbing, and thoughtful. Unlike any other novel I’ve ever read. Completely non-traditional.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
carojust's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I'd been craving this -- something short, creative, futuristic, and haunting. I could see how this would be interpreted as dark humor, too.
"The Employees" is a collection of recorded statements from a group of workers on a ship traveling space, who are a mix of human and humanoid. They have mundane tasks like doing laundry, or incinerating the dead, and are judged by their productivity. There are ambiguous "objects" that are treated with reverence and even love, and in my mind they're like living rocks. Things get tense, and go awry, and you feel this from the very first page.
I love that Olga Ravn uses this format to allow for the unsaid -- you fill in the blanks easily and curiously. Everyone is anonymous, so you start to think of them as a collective, as a concept of humanity, but also as a company viewing its nameless workforce.
It evokes harsh questions about capitalism, AI, biotechnology, ethics and human frailty. I recommend this if you like Emily St. John Mandel (the writing feels so similar to me), and sci-fi that's more focused on psychological and moral consequences.
"The Employees" is a collection of recorded statements from a group of workers on a ship traveling space, who are a mix of human and humanoid. They have mundane tasks like doing laundry, or incinerating the dead, and are judged by their productivity. There are ambiguous "objects" that are treated with reverence and even love, and in my mind they're like living rocks. Things get tense, and go awry, and you feel this from the very first page.
I love that Olga Ravn uses this format to allow for the unsaid -- you fill in the blanks easily and curiously. Everyone is anonymous, so you start to think of them as a collective, as a concept of humanity, but also as a company viewing its nameless workforce.
It evokes harsh questions about capitalism, AI, biotechnology, ethics and human frailty. I recommend this if you like Emily St. John Mandel (the writing feels so similar to me), and sci-fi that's more focused on psychological and moral consequences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Mental illness
youngluteplayer's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
sunn_bleach's review against another edition
challenging
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love the conceit of this novella - brief little vignettes and reports where you can still kinda suss out who is saying what as it evolves. My one complaint is that Ravn gets a little too coy for the book's own good, especially at the start, which is oddly juxtaposed by some very talking-to-the-reader moments two-thirds through even for a book where the characters are literally talking to the reader. (I think that made sense.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Death
trips's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was alright?
Not great but far from bad.
I loved the unique method of storytelling. It feels odd to me that the person writing down the employees statements wouldn't ask for more detail as that is kinda the job of the person, right? To get a clearer picture? But can respect that the author wanted to make the situation as chaotic for you reading it as it was for the characters in the book.
Weird read, worth trying.
Not great but far from bad.
I loved the unique method of storytelling. It feels odd to me that the person writing down the employees statements wouldn't ask for more detail as that is kinda the job of the person, right? To get a clearer picture? But can respect that the author wanted to make the situation as chaotic for you reading it as it was for the characters in the book.
Weird read, worth trying.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Body horror, and Death
mlovesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Miscarriage, and Panic attacks/disorders
readingtotravel's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
heyheyhaley's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
How does one go about rating a book that was good yet you did not enjoy?
I always have this problem when I find books that I can acknowledge are good and have good themes and are well written, but I did not enjoy reading nor do I want to read similar books. I tend to just rate upon my enjoyment with the acknowledgement of its good features
The Employees cemented that poetry is not for me. It explored some very interesting ideas regarding what it means to be human and feelings of isolation but while I could like individual poems or lines, I could not fully connect as poetry is not a medium I enjoy.
3 stars but it would be higher if I liked poetry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Death
Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
mirandalikesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Once I settled into the poetry of the writing and the pov for the whole book being statements from separate people, I was strapped in and ready for the rest. I think this was an extremely thoughtful lens on how similar experiences can impact people differently. Power dynamics and class dynamics were examined in such a clever and memorable way.
I've never read a book that compares to it in style. So much was packed into <200 pages. It has incredible re-read value.
If you are someone who needs a plot and an answer and a loveable main character (or any main character at all), this is definitely not the book for you. This book will make you think, confuse you at times, punch you in the gut, and make you really think about the human condition.
I've never read a book that compares to it in style. So much was packed into <200 pages. It has incredible re-read value.
If you are someone who needs a plot and an answer and a loveable main character (or any main character at all), this is definitely not the book for you. This book will make you think, confuse you at times, punch you in the gut, and make you really think about the human condition.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Classism
adeline_rivero's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Poignant read, gave me a lot of space to think for such a short read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Minor: Death and Murder