sunnybopeep's review
4.0
Beautiful writing, interesting themes, was able to have a complex convo about different interpretations of the symbolism!!! COOL!
cythera15's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.75
Surprisingly fascinated by this rumination on the relationship between nature and technology, and how human's capacities - our senses and our memories - are easily swayed. Very surprising and quite provocative.
julie_s's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
annabella82's review
4.0
This was an interesting book. Though it was a short novel, it wasn’t an easy read. The plot, which looks at a man trying to find a job, was thought-provoking. I loved how Junger looked at the ideas of power, technology and nature.
georgw's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Surprisingly relevant to the world of today, with great prose and an interesting, if small, story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Suicide
zoelatham's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kingkong's review
2.0
This is one of those old timey science fiction books where it just describes some futuristic crap instead of featuring a cool handsome wizard and his adventures
mobilisinmobili's review
4.0
An excellent short novel, as well wrought as the glass bees in the title.
taitmckenzie's review
4.0
This short strange tale follows an ex-cavalry officer trying to get a job at an automaton factory. While other reviews suggest this novel is science fiction (though closer in fact to the fantastic of Hoffman or Felisberto) marred by seemingly pointless autobiographical-style and often Proustian digressions from the narrator, I actually found this conflict of genres to be integral to the tale. Given that its main theme is the conflict between a classical humanistic worldview and an alienated technological futurity (questioning not only the technological methods of war but also of popular entertainment), the interruption of literary modernist type memories into the fantastic events of the novel is the most effective way for the writing style to tie together and perform the theme and content. Though written in the 1960s, this book feels like it was written 50-100 years earlier, like listening to an old man rant about the kids these days and how good it was back then, at least until he finds some missing ears in a truly Lynchian moment.
gdeprad's review
5.0
Todo lo que escribe este hombre es una obra de arte, y esto no es una excepción.