jasminek90's review against another edition
dark
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
read4dessert's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
3.5
pharmdad2007's review against another edition
4.0
Super interesting book about a near-future that seems all too possible. Frightening, funny, touching, and downright scary. Great read.
annataeko's review against another edition
4.0
Witty, insightful, page-turning.
"Freedom is yours until you give it up."
Keywords:
- Mass production
- Learned helplessness
- Market dictating
- Panopticon
- Omelas
If you enjoyed The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, you may want to pick up this story next. As thought-provoking as Ursula K. L. Guin's story.
"Freedom is yours until you give it up."
Keywords:
- Mass production
- Learned helplessness
- Market dictating
- Panopticon
- Omelas
If you enjoyed The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, you may want to pick up this story next. As thought-provoking as Ursula K. L. Guin's story.
heddahboots's review against another edition
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
beccaatx's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
What a fun dystopian romp that absolutely made me want to either cancel my Amazon prime subscription, or build a bunker in West Texas and go off the grid. Too-big, too-powerful big brother company has all but entirely taken over the National economy, and you’re either with them or against them.
Loved the three different characters’ perspectives, and the narrative illustration of a potential future when truly everything is privatized (and capitalism is a religion).
Loved the three different characters’ perspectives, and the narrative illustration of a potential future when truly everything is privatized (and capitalism is a religion).
oddly's review against another edition
3.0
I think we’re all aware of the impact that Amazon is having on our consumerist culture, but yet so many of us keep using it. Despite the articles about the terrible working conditions and the worker strikes—people still came out (virtually, of course) in droves to buy cheap whatsits and hobnobs on Prime Day due to the low, low prices. Amazon isn’t cornering the market, it’s engulfing it.
The Warehouse is a near-future dystopian novel that takes a look at an Amazon-type company called Cloud, and what happens when that company truly takes over.
There are three main perspectives: the owner of Cloud, who is looking back on his life and legacy; a man whose company was bought out by Cloud, so to make ends meet he ends up going to work for them; and a woman who has been paid to infiltrate Cloud for their dirty secrets.
You don’t just work for Cloud, you live at Cloud, with a bracelet that monitors your activity 24/7. You work more than you have free time, and you pay for Cloud products and Cloud food with Cloud money. They own you. You are just a number to them, a rating, and if you dip too low, there’s another person waiting to take your job because Cloud owns what’s left of the economy too.
This is a scary reality, and reading it felt ominously realistic.
One area that I would have liked to see more of was some context for what was going on in the outside world. The book is very insular, as Cloud is a very insular place, but I kept wondering how the rest of the world was faring outside the bubble. Was it a place we’d recognize? There are a few hints here and there, but it isn’t really explored.
Overall, the book is not as hard-hitting as I thought it was going to be, and I wished that it had gone a bit more political or even over-the-top satirical in its portrayal. But it is a very enjoyable read, and one that gave me a lot to think about. There are some great twists—one in particular that sums up the situation very succinctly.
My thanks to Random House for my copy of this one to read and review.
The Warehouse is a near-future dystopian novel that takes a look at an Amazon-type company called Cloud, and what happens when that company truly takes over.
There are three main perspectives: the owner of Cloud, who is looking back on his life and legacy; a man whose company was bought out by Cloud, so to make ends meet he ends up going to work for them; and a woman who has been paid to infiltrate Cloud for their dirty secrets.
You don’t just work for Cloud, you live at Cloud, with a bracelet that monitors your activity 24/7. You work more than you have free time, and you pay for Cloud products and Cloud food with Cloud money. They own you. You are just a number to them, a rating, and if you dip too low, there’s another person waiting to take your job because Cloud owns what’s left of the economy too.
This is a scary reality, and reading it felt ominously realistic.
One area that I would have liked to see more of was some context for what was going on in the outside world. The book is very insular, as Cloud is a very insular place, but I kept wondering how the rest of the world was faring outside the bubble. Was it a place we’d recognize? There are a few hints here and there, but it isn’t really explored.
Overall, the book is not as hard-hitting as I thought it was going to be, and I wished that it had gone a bit more political or even over-the-top satirical in its portrayal. But it is a very enjoyable read, and one that gave me a lot to think about. There are some great twists—one in particular that sums up the situation very succinctly.
My thanks to Random House for my copy of this one to read and review.
twocents's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was both a quick read and a really hard read because it hits so close to home.
In a dystopian near-future, a warehouse business called Cloud is America's largest employer. The company has demolished its competition, ruined small towns, and gobbled up the remains to replace with company towns. We follow two people as they apply for Cloud, and get assigned to be security and warehouse staff, grabbing the goods that people wait to obtain from drones as they order more, more, more with one-touch on their tablets.
Additionally, we get the third viewpoint of the company CEO, who is dying of cancer. We get his essays that he's writing to chronicle his rise to success, and his justifications of his business decisions, which include things like ranking warehouse staff on a star rating system so aggressive that employees have to injure themselves to keep up. At the end of the day, they are awarded with it taking more than 40 minutes (non-work time) leave the facility and make it back to their room; the next shift in just 11 hours.
I don't know that I have ever despised a villain so much. Sure, I've cheered on heroes before to see the villain's comeuppance, but here... the CEO's words are words I've heard before. His reach is so wide that he wins every play. When good people try to make things better, he crushes them like a bug.
Man, I hate Cloud.
In a dystopian near-future, a warehouse business called Cloud is America's largest employer. The company has demolished its competition, ruined small towns, and gobbled up the remains to replace with company towns. We follow two people as they apply for Cloud, and get assigned to be security and warehouse staff, grabbing the goods that people wait to obtain from drones as they order more, more, more with one-touch on their tablets.
Additionally, we get the third viewpoint of the company CEO, who is dying of cancer. We get his essays that he's writing to chronicle his rise to success, and his justifications of his business decisions, which include things like ranking warehouse staff on a star rating system so aggressive that employees have to injure themselves to keep up. At the end of the day, they are awarded with it taking more than 40 minutes (non-work time) leave the facility and make it back to their room; the next shift in just 11 hours.
I don't know that I have ever despised a villain so much. Sure, I've cheered on heroes before to see the villain's comeuppance, but here... the CEO's words are words I've heard before. His reach is so wide that he wins every play. When good people try to make things better, he crushes them like a bug.
Man, I hate Cloud.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence
Moderate: Drug abuse and Police brutality
hungeberg's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0