Scan barcode
larahopereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
borteez's review against another edition
4.0
VanderMeer's first work is a really galling work in experimentation. It's *fascinating* to come to this book after reading a good deal of his other work because there are so many sensibilities here that are going to really cast a long and brilliantly deep shadow over his ouvre. In his take on a cyberpunk story that eventually does devolve into the trademark hellish biological science fiction we love in Jeff, VU is split into three parts, each with a different perspective character, a different writing pov, and a different framing device, one of which *actually* contextualizes itself in real time late in the story, which I found utterly brilliant. Excellent stuff. Some of the most beautiful strings of words I've ever read are in here, and the story is as dark and haunting as I've come to expect.
Sometimes physical descriptions of truly galling things are a little bit tough to get through, but I don't really know how I would do it better, insane as the things concerned are. Be wary of the utmost sense of body horror, even outside of Ambergris and the Southern Reach. This book contains one of the most enthralling, compelling, and deeply horrific sequences I've come across in my reading career. I will be thinking about this one for a while.
Sometimes physical descriptions of truly galling things are a little bit tough to get through, but I don't really know how I would do it better, insane as the things concerned are. Be wary of the utmost sense of body horror, even outside of Ambergris and the Southern Reach. This book contains one of the most enthralling, compelling, and deeply horrific sequences I've come across in my reading career. I will be thinking about this one for a while.
axellae's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.75
I'm a bit torn on where to put this. Overall I really enjoyed the book, the tone shifts between the characters and the hard push to the horrific and the surreal at the end. But it feels like there's something out of my reach thinking back on it. It's a little tough but I still enjoyed it.
falsemoon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
ghostbustersofficial's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i love how earnestly grossout the body horror is here, i think he really masters subtlety later but you have to respect someone jus throwing all their ideas out like this too
truly impressive how i can read a vandermeer from 20 years ago and he was still asking questions like “what if a tech city was bad” or “what if a whale was really big”
truly impressive how i can read a vandermeer from 20 years ago and he was still asking questions like “what if a tech city was bad” or “what if a whale was really big”
mfromm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
smarbles's review against another edition
Well written but a little too gruesome for me
steak_gyllenhaal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
bedtimesnack's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This might be the most coherent storytelling I've read by Jeff Vandermeer. It's also one of the most gruesome. Felt like a lot of gore, compared to his later work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Gore, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement and Gun violence
Minor: Drug use
miseraya's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25