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slowlibrarian's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
josettelaurel's review against another edition
5.0
Everything you could ever dream of in a book. Then you read it and you’re like, wait, am I dreaming? One of my all-time faves.
wordsfromvictoria's review against another edition
5.0
Reading this book gave me a feeling of nostalgia for my student days as the novel is set in Manchester, with a lot of the action set around Rusholme/Platt Fields Park. There is one particular scene that would be immediately familiar to anyone who has ventured down the Curry Mile during Eid.
The backdrop for Noon's novel is a gritty, urban dystopia influenced by the Manchester rave scene, populated by a weird mix of hybrids (dogmen, robo-goths, shadows) and "pures". Recreational drug-taking has reached a new level of sophistication with virtual reality scenarios that can be experienced by ticking your tonsils with colour-coded "Vurt" feathers and which are reviewed by the elusive "Game Cat".
The storyline focuses on a small group of friends, the Stashriders, searching for their next hit and a lost companion, whilst narrowly evading the law through a series of evocative locations such as Bottletown and Turdsville, not to mention some of their Vurt hallucinations.
This novel will be particularly appreciated by anyone who has lived in Manchester and it is one of the most original works of speculative fiction I have read in a while.
The backdrop for Noon's novel is a gritty, urban dystopia influenced by the Manchester rave scene, populated by a weird mix of hybrids (dogmen, robo-goths, shadows) and "pures". Recreational drug-taking has reached a new level of sophistication with virtual reality scenarios that can be experienced by ticking your tonsils with colour-coded "Vurt" feathers and which are reviewed by the elusive "Game Cat".
The storyline focuses on a small group of friends, the Stashriders, searching for their next hit and a lost companion, whilst narrowly evading the law through a series of evocative locations such as Bottletown and Turdsville, not to mention some of their Vurt hallucinations.
This novel will be particularly appreciated by anyone who has lived in Manchester and it is one of the most original works of speculative fiction I have read in a while.
ryank74's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
thehosk's review against another edition
4.0
wow, what a bonkers book, reading makes you feel you have chased a curious yellow feather.
a twisted world with a jumble of characters chasing a good time. it's a puzzling book and you have to work to keep up but it's worth the effort.
the vivid images and story stick in your mind long after you have finished reading. a great original piece of writing
a twisted world with a jumble of characters chasing a good time. it's a puzzling book and you have to work to keep up but it's worth the effort.
the vivid images and story stick in your mind long after you have finished reading. a great original piece of writing
laura_bower's review against another edition
4.0
This was really something. Seems to be in the tradition of weird sci-fi like Harlan Ellison but with a Northern England Mancunian vibe running through, seems like something that's rife for an edgy film adaptation and kind of weird that it's not had one (I'm imagining Human Traffic but directed by David Cronenberg). My only true issue with it is that it's a little long, which is true with a lot of brave experimental first novels (I'm guessing this is a first novel), but at the same time there's a joy in seeing a writer unload so many ideas all at once like it's their one and only chance.
bergsteiger's review against another edition
3.0
Murakami writing his latest novel on crack. Leopold Bloom taking LSD during his wanderings in Dublin. Alice in Wonderland translated into cyberpunk. You get the picture. Yet, when I finished, it didn't seem vibrant or cutting edge. It was simply a story of small time addicts who sought an escape from reality. A sad story that was hard to get excited about.
However, it was a fresh look at a possible future and I did appreciate some of the crafting of moods and innovative ideas (Beetle going fractal). The story also had a solid ending, which is rare these days. There were certainly redeeming qualities and if the plot line listed in its synopsis intrigues you then certainly pick it up off the shelf. For me though, it just barely eeked out 3 stars.
However, it was a fresh look at a possible future and I did appreciate some of the crafting of moods and innovative ideas (Beetle going fractal). The story also had a solid ending, which is rare these days. There were certainly redeeming qualities and if the plot line listed in its synopsis intrigues you then certainly pick it up off the shelf. For me though, it just barely eeked out 3 stars.