emily_koopmann's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying and Violence
Minor: Trafficking and Pedophilia
mlewis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Animal cruelty, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Eating disorder and Infidelity
bailey_the_bookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Death, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, and Toxic friendship
elledanie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, and Sexual content
Minor: Bullying, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Cursing, and Toxic relationship
jhbandcats's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Kentukis are cute little animals on wheels. People elsewhere in the world control them, seeing through the camera in the eyes. You can be either a keeper, who owns the little animal, or a dweller, who controls it with a tablet, moving around and interacting with the keeper.
The thing is, dwellers can't communicate with the keeper. There's translation software so the dweller can understand the keeper speaking - but the keeper only, not anyone else in the room - but no official way for the dweller to communicate. Some keepers use Ouija boards or Yes / No / Don't Know / Ask Another Question plots on the floor, and some keepers hold up signs with phone numbers and email addresses in hopes the dweller will get in touch.
These things are all over the world. In upscale areas, 25% of households have at least one kentuki, and the numbers are growing. Now imagine the worst possible types of dwellers - who are these unknown people hiding inside the kentukis, watching you in the bedroom and bathroom, seeing your important papers in your office? Are they sweet little old ladies or are they pedophiles? And what about the keepers? Who would want a technological spy in their home, even if it's benign?
Very, very thought provoking and, to be honest, terrifying. An excellent book.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Bullying, Confinement, and Kidnapping
literarylion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
- A really unique and compelling premise fleshed out perfectly
- Structurally interesting -- vignettes that build off of one another but aren't interconnected
- The amount of consideration Schweblin put into the concept of kentuckis is evident and relevant -- a minor and relatively simple piece of tech with the capacity to change the world in vital ways given enough popularity
- It felt slow at times
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Kidnapping