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quasi's review
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Gore
halcyon_nights's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked the beginning much, much more than the last third. I just finished the book so I'm still processing my thoughts. While this was an absolutely compulsive read and I finished it quickly, the world-building falls apart with the slight prod, the main character is inconsistent in thoughts and reactions he doesn't feel like a well-written character, and the plotting was awkward and accidental. I will elaborate on these points below.
Let's take a look at the world first: the book establishes the creation and spread of AIs that are able to scan and upload a copy of a person's personality and neuron connections, whichever unique combination that makes them who they are. These AIs were developed by three superpowers -China, US, and EU- and adopted by the rest of the world. Despite the story being set two centuries after our current time, the author simply assumes the same superpowers remain on top of the world when a lot of analysts predict different countries currently developing rising in the future.
(I'm marking this as a spoiler just in case but I only speak generally)Then there's the creation of a 'humanist' state on occupied land (Azerbaijan and parts of Russia around the Caspian Sea) , therefore colonizing it but it's not quite explained why. Why did these people so quickly decide to create their own republic when they can simply refuse to be uploaded? Were they forced to? It seems like they weren't. Why did they automatically take over this area so militaristically (and how) and why did they automatically form 'parties'? It's not subtle that the way this republic works is a throwback to communist states -and a little bit of North Korea- but why did they have to establish so much fear over their very willing citizens? The colonized people I can "understand" why they'd want to keep in check but so many pro-human people flocked to this new country so why the need to ban the slightest mention of AI or technology? I guess the people who came into power hated the AI world so much, but did they have to organize themselves this way? Why not establish a democratic country? Because then the whole world-building falls apart. In a democratic country, you have the freedom to upload yourself to the network and so there's no need for a separatist country. You can just exercise your rights not to be AI in your original country.
On Nikolai: I struggled to believe these were the thoughts and actions of a man in his fifties who was born and raised in the hellhole that was the Caspian Republic. I don't understand what Sharpson wanted to depict him as exactly. At times, he comes across as extremely clever when he connects things together, but he also makes ridiculous leaps in logic when he lists things out and rules out possibilities. Why did he choose to limit the 'correct' answer to such narrow options, as though he had author-given blinkers on? There are also the times when he makes foolish observations and the other person would basically give him a stare and be like, "Really? How are you so simple/innocent to think X, Y, or Z?" Nikolai would also swing in emotions, particularly once a specific figure appears, going from absolutely livid to compassionate and apologetic. I get that he would be suffering under warring emotions and thoughts, but the switch happens multiple times with no reflection beyond a line or two, which felt extremely jarring. I even wondered if he actually had a personality disorder. That's how weird the character felt to me in his reactions to things.
(Actual spoilers about Nikolai's backstory)There are 20 years between his wife's death and the time frame where the story starts, but it seems he never did anything in those 20 years. No friends, no promotion, nothing. His deputy-superintendant, Augusta, makes that observation and chooses him for that reason but I struggle to believe his life was on complete pause for two decades before the story starts. During that time, he also does not reflect back upon his actions and the timeline of things. It's only later that he does. Again, I wonder if it was necessary for him to be in his fifties when it would have served the story better had he been in his thirties. The character's voice would also match.
I don't have as much to say on the plot without spoiling things, just that I wasn't the biggest fan of the stumbling way it happened and the reveals that occurred in the last fifth of the book. There were one or two revelations which seemed obvious but Nikolai was completely taken aback by, which -again- doesn't work well with how clever he's meant to come across.
(Plot spoilers)What happened to Zahara(sp?) was beyond ridiculous. I still don't quite understand why the PCP was even executed (Over papers left in a hotel? Those same papers anyone can leave behind to get certain people in trouble?) but Zahara never seemed to care about her parents' social embarrassment over her behavior. She's clearly entangled with dangerous people who are in opposition to her father's party, so why is it now that she gets the prick of conscience and decides to give a false name so as to not embarrass her step-father any further? Why did it take her so long to realize they were about to be executed? Also, I wasn't a fan of the whole the-female-soldiers-carried-out-the-execution-to-prove-they-were-tough angle. Getting the job done is one thing but carrying it in such brutality after? They couldn't get more bullets? Then his wife discovers what happened in her father's letter, I guess, but she doesn't talk to her husband about it. Instead, she supposedly weaves a multi-step revenge plan? What was that about Lily looking like his wife, too? That part of the plot seems to have never gone anywhere.
Overall, a book that has some interesting ideas and tense pacing that makes it a quick read but is not as well-thought-out as I would have liked it to be.
P.S. The romance was random.
Let's take a look at the world first: the book establishes the creation and spread of AIs that are able to scan and upload a copy of a person's personality and neuron connections, whichever unique combination that makes them who they are. These AIs were developed by three superpowers -China, US, and EU- and adopted by the rest of the world. Despite the story being set two centuries after our current time, the author simply assumes the same superpowers remain on top of the world when a lot of analysts predict different countries currently developing rising in the future.
(I'm marking this as a spoiler just in case but I only speak generally)
On Nikolai: I struggled to believe these were the thoughts and actions of a man in his fifties who was born and raised in the hellhole that was the Caspian Republic. I don't understand what Sharpson wanted to depict him as exactly. At times, he comes across as extremely clever when he connects things together, but he also makes ridiculous leaps in logic when he lists things out and rules out possibilities. Why did he choose to limit the 'correct' answer to such narrow options, as though he had author-given blinkers on? There are also the times when he makes foolish observations and the other person would basically give him a stare and be like, "Really? How are you so simple/innocent to think X, Y, or Z?" Nikolai would also swing in emotions, particularly once a specific figure appears, going from absolutely livid to compassionate and apologetic. I get that he would be suffering under warring emotions and thoughts, but the switch happens multiple times with no reflection beyond a line or two, which felt extremely jarring. I even wondered if he actually had a personality disorder. That's how weird the character felt to me in his reactions to things.
(Actual spoilers about Nikolai's backstory)
I don't have as much to say on the plot without spoiling things, just that I wasn't the biggest fan of the stumbling way it happened and the reveals that occurred in the last fifth of the book. There were one or two revelations which seemed obvious but Nikolai was completely taken aback by, which -again- doesn't work well with how clever he's meant to come across.
(Plot spoilers)
Overall, a book that has some interesting ideas and tense pacing that makes it a quick read but is not as well-thought-out as I would have liked it to be.
P.S. The romance was random.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Gore, Misogyny, and Violence