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jenp619's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Torture
benzetsu's review against another edition
informative
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
happytreereads's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
def not the type of book i usually read...a bunch of grouchy, rich dudes and some lawyers arguing over patents and inventions and who gets to ruin who's life first.
the writing style is very succinct, very quick, not too big into descriptions, or immersive world-building. not how i usually enjoy my stories, and i wish this one would have spent more time building a visual home for the reader but it also kind of worked for this book? it's a fast-paced story, and the writing fits that pace, keeping the reader engaged and turning pages.
...or they just keep turning pages because they want the book to be over so they can move onto something else, which was kind of me half-way through the book.
i think a big part of my lack of investment was that i never really connected to any of the characters ?? they seemed more like funnels for the plot than anything else. paul lacked depth, imo, but he was likable. or he was for most of the book and i wanted him to win. he lost my attention towards the end but my attention is easily lost so no shade.
in conclusion: fast-paced, quick read, interesting premise, and lots of real historical people if that's your jam. it's usually not mine but i found tesla surprisingly endearing in this book. i just wish he would have eaten more than saltine's. like bro, you need your fruits and veggies. don't be doin' this to yourself. eat some butter with the saltines or something!
//
🚫the sus meter: low🚫
- three (somewhat) gruesome deaths by electrocution. the first one was an accident so, through the lens of my personal moral standards, it was less disturbing than the second. a man accused of murder is put to death by the first electric chair and...it's sickening. the third is a dog at the hands of a cruel human and it wasn’t as graphic but it was still awful.
- flippant reference to an adult man impregnating a fourteen year old girl and it was in passing like no big deal and it was disgusting. it's literally like two sentences but i have to mention it and be angry because nobody in the book was.
- a few curse words sprinkled throughout the book.
//
don't know if this is 3 stars but what even are stars?
tallyho!
the writing style is very succinct, very quick, not too big into descriptions, or immersive world-building. not how i usually enjoy my stories, and i wish this one would have spent more time building a visual home for the reader but it also kind of worked for this book? it's a fast-paced story, and the writing fits that pace, keeping the reader engaged and turning pages.
...or they just keep turning pages because they want the book to be over so they can move onto something else, which was kind of me half-way through the book.
i think a big part of my lack of investment was that i never really connected to any of the characters ?? they seemed more like funnels for the plot than anything else. paul lacked depth, imo, but he was likable. or he was for most of the book and i wanted him to win. he lost my attention towards the end but my attention is easily lost so no shade.
in conclusion: fast-paced, quick read, interesting premise, and lots of real historical people if that's your jam. it's usually not mine but i found tesla surprisingly endearing in this book. i just wish he would have eaten more than saltine's. like bro, you need your fruits and veggies. don't be doin' this to yourself. eat some butter with the saltines or something!
//
🚫the sus meter: low🚫
- three (somewhat) gruesome deaths by electrocution. the first one was an accident so, through the lens of my personal moral standards, it was less disturbing than the second. a man accused of murder is put to death by the first electric chair and...it's sickening. the third is a dog at the hands of a cruel human and it wasn’t as graphic but it was still awful.
- flippant reference to an adult man impregnating a fourteen year old girl and it was in passing like no big deal and it was disgusting. it's literally like two sentences but i have to mention it and be angry because nobody in the book was.
- a few curse words sprinkled throughout the book.
//
don't know if this is 3 stars but what even are stars?
tallyho!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Death, and Blood
nfletchwilliams's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Really fascinating. The story did an excellent job conveying the sense of scale of the legal battle and what it took too overcome Edison's lawsuit. It gave me an appreciation for the effort and struggle that occurred back then, and just how big of a titan Edison was in the world. You get this sense of dynamic that occurred in the past that you can't get from reading history/text books. For that, this book was fascinating.
The thing I don't like about this book is that it is very telling (i.e. not showing). It will give you brief descriptions and introspections and it's very quick to the point. The pacing is too fast for me. There isn't much of a voice either.
BUT, it's obvious the book *has* to be this way. There are so many events covered in this book that it can't be a slower pace, otherwise it'd be 1000 pages. So while I think the author made the right choice in how to tell the story, I have to be honest that it's not the way I prefer stories to be told.
The thing I don't like about this book is that it is very telling (i.e. not showing). It will give you brief descriptions and introspections and it's very quick to the point. The pacing is too fast for me. There isn't much of a voice either.
BUT, it's obvious the book *has* to be this way. There are so many events covered in this book that it can't be a slower pace, otherwise it'd be 1000 pages. So while I think the author made the right choice in how to tell the story, I have to be honest that it's not the way I prefer stories to be told.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
jessd07's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was fun and great as historical fiction. So much rooted in real events but made fast-paced and page-turning. I would never read a nonfiction, history book about the fight over lightbulb patents, but I’m glad I read this book and got to learn about it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Mental illness
rachelreadsrelentlessly's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Murder
patriciadm's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
rstegema's review against another edition
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Mental illness