Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Annihilation

Loved this for the rancid, wretched vibes and group of horrible women tearing each other apart. Gotta love a book that makes you root for the bad guy, and in this book the "bad guy" is a symbiotic unharnessable wilderness and abandoning all sense of individuality. It's hard to root for humanity here.

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themis_biblos's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

There is a limit to thinking about even a small piece of something monumental. You still see the shadow of the whole rearing up behind you, and you become lost in your thoughts in part from the panic of realizing the size of that imagined leviathan.

I ordered the beautiful edition with the boar on the cover and was delivered this neon pink abomination. That should be a crime.

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mikathereviewer's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Summary of my review: Book and film aren't alike AT ALL, fascinating and shocking discoveries, character depth (protagonist only), special nickname, first person POV prevented us readers to get to know more and feel more indulged while reading the story, too little happened for a stand-alone story

Where lies the strangling fruit that came from the hand of the sinner I shall bring forth the seeds of the dead to share with the worms … to share with the worms that gather in the darkness and surround the world with the power of their lives.

I watched the film when it came out and I did know there was a book, but didn't read it till now. But here we are!
(And before you ask: The film is VERY different from the book. Some ideas were implanted into the film, but most didn't even exist in the book)

As said near the beginning of the book all characters were trained to leave personal stuff behind; Meaning that one is only there for the task to discover Area X and should only focus on that. So we of course don't get any friendship or the sort there. But we get the backstory of our main character which at least makes us connect a bit with her.

There were so many crazy things happening, but can't mention them as that would spoiler the fun. But they were so cool and interesting to read about!

The backstory we got of the main character was so detailed. We get every now and then a bit new information or just general memories of her. It made me feel more connected to the character, especially with relatable scenes like this:
"I didn’t care about politics except in how politics impinged upon the environment. I wasn’t religious. All of my hobbies were bound up in my work. I lived for the work, and I thrilled with the power of that focus but it was also deeply personal."

Some might disagree now but the nickname the husband gave the protagonist sounds so special and original. Like I never got called like that and the best thing is; It doesn't sound cringe (since there is a meaning behind it).

I like third and first person, but for this story I would say the third person would have been better (bonus points for different POV's as that would make the story more exciting).
We are reading this story to DISCOVER. How do you discover a story the best? By having a narrator that knows everything and isn't RESTRICTED.

We had only 4 characters and it felt too little, honestly. Originally it was 5, but 1 left us already before they even got introduced to us readers. Or maybe character depth was the thing I missed, as the protagonist was the only one we really got to know. But there is a reason behind why we don't get to know the others so can't quite argue with that. I don't know it felt like something was missing, especially in the plot. It felt slow-paced sometimes, but in the end we didn't get as much information or intense scenes as I initially thought before reading this book. Feel disappointed.

03. August 2024

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cruspp_29's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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theirgracegrace's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Annihilation starts off with a series of questions, but its ending does not answer them to incredible effect. The plot centres around an expedition of four scientists who are the twelfth expedition to a place called Area X, where a strange historical event has led to the complete removal of human civilization. What this "human civilization" is replaced with, and what the four uncover about each other, tells a harrowing tale about what it means to be human.

I was recommended this by a friend who was into biology, and I can definitely say it was a worthy recommendation! I read it all in a handful of sittings over the course of twenty-four hours and this was because I could not put it down. Each revelation is followed by something even more tense and terrifying, and the ending leaves so much unanswered...leading nicely into a second and third book. An amazing read, all in all!

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michaelion's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Take a shot every time you see "Not really." So, about 5 shots.

Very good. Read it in two sittings, same day. Wasn't too creepy or scary, I was just as curious as the mc. Maybe men CAN be good writers... we shall see with the sequels!

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gotnoculture's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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