vanmoorsela's review
1.0
I hard a really hard time getting into this one and at the end it just wasn't the book for me. Loved the premise but as Sarat got older and deeper into the political upheaval my interest waned. The book was also a wee bit too descriptive for my faint heart.
dlberglund's review
4.0
This was a really great book-- gripping, disturbing, thought-provoking. It follows a speculative line down a really painful, divisive path of the second American Civil War, fought over oil.
sara_grace's review
5.0
This book does a very clever thing. It paints Southern, poor, conservatives a picture of how oppressed people become terrorist in a language that is familiar and in a way that at least borders on plausible -- all wrapped up in an engaging dystopian story. We have drone strikes killing families, refugee camps, retaliation murders of a lot of innocent people (disproportionate responses), extremist recruiters (a guys who is one of the most likable characters in the book for awhile. He's seriously charming.) a barely veiled Guantanamo prison...
When you are zoomed in to the human level view of war it isn't hard to see why the main character Sarat is making the choices she makes. This book has you empathizing deeply with a terrorist. It also never really lets Sarat off the hook for her actions either. She doesn't get a free "get out of jail pass" for what she does by any stretch. But her story is human, painful, and disturbing. I thought it was immersive and smart. It does a fantastic job of smashing against the barriers we work so hard to erect between "us" & "them."
To quote the author, " No. I don't think you're supposed to have sympathy for her [Sarat]. My only hope is that you understand why she did it. I think one of the things that's been lost in this incredibly polarized world we live in is the idea that it's possible to understand without taking somebody's side."
When you are zoomed in to the human level view of war it isn't hard to see why the main character Sarat is making the choices she makes. This book has you empathizing deeply with a terrorist. It also never really lets Sarat off the hook for her actions either. She doesn't get a free "get out of jail pass" for what she does by any stretch. But her story is human, painful, and disturbing. I thought it was immersive and smart. It does a fantastic job of smashing against the barriers we work so hard to erect between "us" & "them."
To quote the author, " No. I don't think you're supposed to have sympathy for her [Sarat]. My only hope is that you understand why she did it. I think one of the things that's been lost in this incredibly polarized world we live in is the idea that it's possible to understand without taking somebody's side."
kaycee117's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
madskerr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
freddy_confetti's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
fclancy93's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.75
queenofmylife_14's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- 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? Yes
4.25
thesarahstory's review against another edition
3.0
Wo ich es zu Anfang noch mitreißend und genial fand, flaute es in der Hälfte für mich regelrecht ab. Die Handlung zog sich teilweise und ich verlor den Draht zu den Personen - bzw. kam es mir so vor, als hatte ich ihn nie gehabt. Alles blieb ziemlich distanziert, aus der Entfernung, aber die Atmosphäre blieb immer weiter bedrückend, das hat der Autor toll gemacht.
Diese Dinge, die im späteren Verlauf geschahen, berührten und ergriffen mich nicht, was das Buch letztlich für mich nicht mehr als mittelmäßig gemacht hat. Wenn mich schlimme Dinge nicht emotional berühren, habe ich keinen Bezug dazu. Und Bezug ist aber etwas, was ein Buch auf mich nehmen sollte, wenn ich es lese, vor allem, wenn es fast 500 Seiten hat und ich mit den Menschen dort viel Zeit verbringe.
Man kann es durchaus lesen und wenn man den Schreibstil mag, wird man an dem Buch sicher gefallen finden. Vielleicht kann es andere tiefer ergreifen, als mich. Das wünschte ich mir.
Diese Dinge, die im späteren Verlauf geschahen, berührten und ergriffen mich nicht, was das Buch letztlich für mich nicht mehr als mittelmäßig gemacht hat. Wenn mich schlimme Dinge nicht emotional berühren, habe ich keinen Bezug dazu. Und Bezug ist aber etwas, was ein Buch auf mich nehmen sollte, wenn ich es lese, vor allem, wenn es fast 500 Seiten hat und ich mit den Menschen dort viel Zeit verbringe.
Man kann es durchaus lesen und wenn man den Schreibstil mag, wird man an dem Buch sicher gefallen finden. Vielleicht kann es andere tiefer ergreifen, als mich. Das wünschte ich mir.
brigitte's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Conflict, migration, pandemic, social cohesion, terrorism.