A review by brycestevenwilley
Anathem by Neal Stephenson
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Close to academic writing, but IMO very interesting nonetheless. The world and the language take a while to get used to (use the glossary!), but once you do it absolutely draws you in. Interesting ideas all around. The pace is slow at the beginning, but picks up a lot after , so stick with for a bit if you think it's too slow paced. I enjoyed it much more than Snowcrash, which tried to be a little too "cool".
Spoiler
about page 300, with the mass vocoSpoiler
The ending seems abrupt, but the world building hints towards it all in a satisfying way I think.Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Infertility