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spersephone's review against another edition
3.0
Depressing. Firstly, because the characters are all just 'existing', which is a big part of the premise, they're not trying to become better citizens, or give back, apart from perhaps Wendy.
Secondly, because everything that happens, happens for... what? So they're going to end up the wailing nut jobs we see on the street warning us of the end? Is that what will happen? How really does that help civilisation? Why is Jared such a pivotal part? Why are they chosen? Why does it all unfold this way?
The only plausible moment is the mention that Karen saw something she shouldn't have. There is too much ridiculous stuff (your random miracle or two here and there) in this otherwise very bleak outlook. But it really leads nowhere in my opinion. There are children on whom the future hinges, but we don't really know how or why.
Richard was left to just get through each day, never feeling whole again, and for all that, he will return to that state again. There seems to be the suggestion of something better to come, but I'd love a glimpse at whether that eventuated.
Secondly, because everything that happens, happens for... what? So they're going to end up the wailing nut jobs we see on the street warning us of the end? Is that what will happen? How really does that help civilisation? Why is Jared such a pivotal part? Why are they chosen? Why does it all unfold this way?
The only plausible moment is the mention that Karen saw something she shouldn't have. There is too much ridiculous stuff (your random miracle or two here and there) in this otherwise very bleak outlook. But it really leads nowhere in my opinion. There are children on whom the future hinges, but we don't really know how or why.
Richard was left to just get through each day, never feeling whole again, and for all that, he will return to that state again. There seems to be the suggestion of something better to come, but I'd love a glimpse at whether that eventuated.
lauragessert's review against another edition
4.0
Sadly I think the reviews of this book miss the point of this writing . The events of the characters lives is not the main focus but their search for meaningful existence . So much of the text reminded me of the start of a new religion almost one of human internal evolution .
Some of the spots when Jared came back to talk to them dragged a bit but I thought if it as a structure of a song the way the book was written . The drawn out parts remind me of the chorus almost . I really like Coupland’s stories as they seem
to be a vehicle for his own thoughts on existence .
Some of the spots when Jared came back to talk to them dragged a bit but I thought if it as a structure of a song the way the book was written . The drawn out parts remind me of the chorus almost . I really like Coupland’s stories as they seem
to be a vehicle for his own thoughts on existence .
daphnesayshi's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book of Heavy Thoughts, some of these Heavy Thoughts include:
1. The relativity of time, the importance of other human beings around, as a way to keep sane for us social beings or at the very least as a referential frame – the latter without which relative time ceases to exist.
2. The modern day plight, of how ironically as we become more efficient, "better" at living faster, healthier, we live less.
3. People who are little more than hollowed out empty shells chasing after the next high, the next achievement, the next milestone in life, all without believing in very much at all
What is the value of such a life? Not very much at all, as the characters in this book show. The difference between living and existing is in the meaning and value we attach to it, it seems, not with all the gew gaws and distractions we surround ourselves with.
I'm surprised that the first few reviews on Goodreads are so negative. Yes the book is a little heavy handed on the moralising, but it's a pretty good read as it successfully merges some heavy thoughts with a pretty compelling narrative. Even if the narrative requires a massive amount of suspension of disbelief, and the philosophising is pretty heavy handed at times. It's also pretty prescient - considering this is a book published in 1998, it feels very relevant today.
1. The relativity of time, the importance of other human beings around, as a way to keep sane for us social beings or at the very least as a referential frame – the latter without which relative time ceases to exist.
2. The modern day plight, of how ironically as we become more efficient, "better" at living faster, healthier, we live less.
3. People who are little more than hollowed out empty shells chasing after the next high, the next achievement, the next milestone in life, all without believing in very much at all
What is the value of such a life? Not very much at all, as the characters in this book show. The difference between living and existing is in the meaning and value we attach to it, it seems, not with all the gew gaws and distractions we surround ourselves with.
I'm surprised that the first few reviews on Goodreads are so negative. Yes the book is a little heavy handed on the moralising, but it's a pretty good read as it successfully merges some heavy thoughts with a pretty compelling narrative. Even if the narrative requires a massive amount of suspension of disbelief, and the philosophising is pretty heavy handed at times. It's also pretty prescient - considering this is a book published in 1998, it feels very relevant today.
davechua's review against another edition
3.0
A rather disappointing work from Coupland. The novel starts off promisingly but diverges into an unexpected route for the last third, and turns into an almost Anthony Robbins like diatribe on what the characters can do to change the world. Reading this bought out another giant flaw in Coupland's books; the sheer emotional lack of the characters. There is no great display of emotion, even at the loss of close ones. It all seems to be boiled down to anecdote, and beautifully placed imagery.
sourbutchkid's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
3.75
This was very weird and I did not expect it to go in the direction it did at all…. I think I liked it though. Very unique and introspective
tor's review against another edition
3.0
This book had some strong, pretty, and thought-provoking writing. I felt it also had a strong sense of time and place (1970s-1990s Vancouver), which was a setting I enjoyed exploring. It was a different spin on an end-of-the-world book than what I've read before. I enjoyed the approach. The book felt very genuine.
The downsides of the book to me were that the pacing was slow for my taste, and that the ending was disappointing. Thoughout the whole book, there are mysterious things happening, and hints about a special meaning or truth. I kept waiting for a payoff from that foundation and it never really comes - the reason for what's happened and the special meaning are both (sort of?) vaguely revealed at the end, but not clearly enough to explain what has happened. To me it wasn't enough to satisfy my anticipation from the slow build up to that point!
The downsides of the book to me were that the pacing was slow for my taste, and that the ending was disappointing. Thoughout the whole book, there are mysterious things happening, and hints about a special meaning or truth. I kept waiting for a payoff from that foundation and it never really comes - the reason for what's happened and the special meaning are both (sort of?) vaguely revealed at the end, but not clearly enough to explain what has happened. To me it wasn't enough to satisfy my anticipation from the slow build up to that point!
thatguyscout's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
An intriguing and thoughtful book that chooses to take a nose dive halfway through. Up until the ultimate twist of the novel, I had been enjoying this book quite a bit. The existential meandering nature of these deeply complex characters was a treat. These young people with such dreams that ultimately they don’t have the courage to pursue, a trap many of us fall into as we approach our mid-30s. When the girlfriend awakens during her coma, everybody wants to ask what it’s like to wake up in the future and how much things have changed. But for her it’s the people that have changed. “A lack of convictions—of beliefs, of wisdom, or even of good old badness. No sorrow; no nothing. People—the people I knew—when I came back they only, well, existed. It was so sad. I couldn’t allow myself to tell them”. Karen has this remarkable insight that starts to evolve after she comes out of her coma and the book really starts to pick up steam. Until the author absolutely fumbles the ball, introducing a completely unnecessary and confounding supernatural/apocalyptic element. I love a good plot twist as much as anybody, but this did not feel as though it was particularly thought out. The apocalypse chapters are mainly narrated by a friend that had died in high school whom we briefly hear about at the start of the novel. In Vonnegut’s “Galapagos”, a ghost narrates throughout the duration of the novel so when things become much more surreal it feels earned. Perhaps Coupland should've done the same here. An incredibly strong first half followed by an especially frustrating second half.
clone's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
kentons's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
4.5
trin's review against another edition
2.0
From what I've read, this seems to be the least popular of Coupland's novels. (Although Coupland fans are weird: among his devotees, there's the least amount of agreement about what constitutes a good Coupland book that I've ever seen.) I can definitely see why, although there were things I enjoyed about it. The problem, I think, is that it feels like several books mushed together: there's the Jared-the-ghost plot (similar but less effective than dead!Cheryl's narration in [b: Hey Nostradamus!|3381|Hey Nostradamus!|Douglas Coupland|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436978883s/3381.jpg|919466]), the late '70s vs. '90s plot, the actual girlfriend-in-a-coma plot...and just when you're adjusting to all of that, there's the post-apocalyptic plot. It's too much, and it really fails to come together, not just logically (not something I'm looking for in a Coupland novel) but emotionally—and that is something at which he normally excels. So, yeah: it's a mess. Not a "I regret reading this" mess, but as all of the really good bits are pretty much replicated in his other works, it does feel kind of extraneous. I mean, Coupland's written something like ten novels and a bunch of non-fiction, so unless you're a completist (which I am) there's really no reason to read this particular book.