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0l1v1a's review
3.0
Sideshow’s was an engaging enough story—it had to be, considering I kept reading despite pausing to roll my eyes every 10 to 15 pages. The writing was not up to the standard I’d expected. Every moment of exposition is miserably expositiony, far too “told,” if you will. The concepts with which Tepper engages are interesting, sure, but the way in which she goes about it feels heavy-handed at times.
The characters almost redeemed the book for me. They’re all interesting, all mostly round with a few flat spots. But the ways in which they think about gender—and they ALL think about gender—were either an undecipherable attempt at social commentary with no follow-through, or just weird.
This book came with a compelling recommendation from my brother, but I’m left with regret at having bumped other titles down on my list to accommodate this one. Would not recommend, unless you just really love sci-fi concepts and you don’t care if you’re occasionally jerked out of the narrative by an unwelcome awareness of the writing.
The characters almost redeemed the book for me. They’re all interesting, all mostly round with a few flat spots. But the ways in which they think about gender—and they ALL think about gender—were either an undecipherable attempt at social commentary with no follow-through, or just weird.
This book came with a compelling recommendation from my brother, but I’m left with regret at having bumped other titles down on my list to accommodate this one. Would not recommend, unless you just really love sci-fi concepts and you don’t care if you’re occasionally jerked out of the narrative by an unwelcome awareness of the writing.
hornyforbooks's review
5.0
I really loved this series. Enough that I bought it in hardback for myself and paperback copies to send to a friend.
Something about the struggle of intention vs action vs results seems particularly relevant now and the argument that being paralyzed by minute ethical concerns instead of acting to help people makes you somewhat responsible for horrors that you could have prevented or limited by trying to help. Also an overall good play on what is the definition and purpose of humanity.
Something about the struggle of intention vs action vs results seems particularly relevant now and the argument that being paralyzed by minute ethical concerns instead of acting to help people makes you somewhat responsible for horrors that you could have prevented or limited by trying to help. Also an overall good play on what is the definition and purpose of humanity.
besha's review
3.0
I like Tepper a lot; The Gate to Women’s Country and Gibbon’s Decline and Fall seared themselves into my adolescent brain and I think I’m better for it. I largely agree with the moral philosophy she espouses in her writing, and she tells a damn fine story. That said, one can only take so much preaching against worst-case-scenario political correctness and cultural relativism, so many straw-man bad guys who destroy the environment and perpetrate violence upon women, so much agenda, before one starts to think that maybe Ayn Rand would be a more subtle read.
Then again, I’m pretty sure I read this about fifteen years ago, so a sense of oversaturation isn’t surprising. I’m also tragically hung over.
Then again, I’m pretty sure I read this about fifteen years ago, so a sense of oversaturation isn’t surprising. I’m also tragically hung over.