anthers's review
3.0
Mad Skills by Walter Greatshell follows the story of Maddy Grant, a young woman who suffers a tragic injury that leaves her brain damaged and disabled. A miraculous medical intervention provided by a medical group called Braintree returns her to full health and more, but it comes with a price that causes Maddy's whole life to come undone at the seams.
This book was good in the way a bag of Doritos for a meal is good- tasty but not very substantial. The action scenes were thrilling but had little in the way of plot to thread them together. The nefarious conspiracy behind Maddy's brain implant was never fully explained or explored except for a last minute exposition dump, which felt like a waste. Besides this, the ending twist didn't feel very plausible or satisfying.
What I did enjoy was the way that the narrative treated Maddy's reaction to her brain implant, though. Instead of having her become all-knowing and thus all powerful, her reactions seem more plausible for a teenage girl. This makes it easier to sympathize with her as a scared child, and makes the contrast between her personality and abilities all the more distinct.
All in all, this was a solid three stars and a fun book despite its shortcomings. I'd recommend it for a beach read.
This book was good in the way a bag of Doritos for a meal is good- tasty but not very substantial. The action scenes were thrilling but had little in the way of plot to thread them together. The nefarious conspiracy behind Maddy's brain implant was never fully explained or explored except for a last minute exposition dump, which felt like a waste. Besides this, the ending twist didn't feel very plausible or satisfying.
What I did enjoy was the way that the narrative treated Maddy's reaction to her brain implant, though. Instead of having her become all-knowing and thus all powerful, her reactions seem more plausible for a teenage girl. This makes it easier to sympathize with her as a scared child, and makes the contrast between her personality and abilities all the more distinct.
All in all, this was a solid three stars and a fun book despite its shortcomings. I'd recommend it for a beach read.
shinyfox's review
3.0
I was disappointed with the way the book ended, both in how quickly it was brought to an end and the way the book ended. I believe the first chapter would have been better placed towards the end of the book, perhaps even being the last chapter. This would have made the book much more appealing.
The technology and science in this book was easy enough to understand. Some of the stunts that Maddy pulled were a little far fetched, but still fun to read about. Overall I did not hate the book, but I didn't love it.
The technology and science in this book was easy enough to understand. Some of the stunts that Maddy pulled were a little far fetched, but still fun to read about. Overall I did not hate the book, but I didn't love it.
hejlotte's review
2.0
i liked it but if was without much depth from the characters which i really missed :/
rayd's review
4.0
This would have been five stars had it not felt so rushed towards the middle and end.
carosbcher's review
3.0
Maddy Grant wakes up being a new person. The scientists from Braintree Institute made her into that. She had a terrbile accident that caused a serious brain damage but with most modern technology implanted to her head she can think and combine quicker and better than any machine now. So she's a danger to the world outside, at least the scientist think so, and that's why she has to be held under control: in Harmony, a fairy-tale town where so many other people live, most of them with Middle-East origins and also being transplants. Braintree manipulates their minds for creating good citizens and most of all good customers.
Greatshell is telling a creepy but very contemporary story behind this sci-fi facade. Is it really unbelievable to be manipulated? Aren't we manipulated all the time through society, religion, fashion, promises of politicians, ...? I really liked how the author questions all that through Maddy's views and dialogues with "old" friends. What I didn't like so much was how the story gets faster and faster until you have the feeling to go down a wet and steep street in dark and with no brakes ;) There I think less would have been more, less action, less speed, less blood-sucking creatures and most of all less double identities. [spoiler]I can't understand why he came back to Marina. In my opinion the original gas, brain injuries, postop life of Maddy totally would have been enough and much better.(/spoiler]
So, this was a thrilling and intelligently social critical book. It was a good read but for being more impressive and memorable, different elements should have been reduced in their intensity and number.
Greatshell is telling a creepy but very contemporary story behind this sci-fi facade. Is it really unbelievable to be manipulated? Aren't we manipulated all the time through society, religion, fashion, promises of politicians, ...? I really liked how the author questions all that through Maddy's views and dialogues with "old" friends. What I didn't like so much was how the story gets faster and faster until you have the feeling to go down a wet and steep street in dark and with no brakes ;) There I think less would have been more, less action, less speed, less blood-sucking creatures and most of all less double identities. [spoiler]I can't understand why he came back to Marina. In my opinion the original gas, brain injuries, postop life of Maddy totally would have been enough and much better.(/spoiler]
So, this was a thrilling and intelligently social critical book. It was a good read but for being more impressive and memorable, different elements should have been reduced in their intensity and number.
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