A review by grumpypants
The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu
4.0
This is a hard one. I agree with some of the reviewers in here that the sexism is egregious, throughout. Even in the later parts, when the plot picks up much more. Later generations are called "children" by earlier ones and it somehow always seems to be the very few women who get hit with the most child-like comparisons and situations. Not to say the "main woman" who we know so little of, though she might be an absolutely fascinating character (how does she fall in love with main guy, why does she make her decisions?). Ugh.
Even without the sexism, the first 200 pages or so are a very slow read which could have been shortened, though some of the images introduced here do come up again and again, sometimes beautifully.
BUT. The philosophical, ethical and moral questions brought up by this book, the different strategies undertaken by humans, their different positions are gripping. The sci-fi elements are fascinating. Hope and dispair go side by side or follow each other, there are twists and turns and then some more, with a very, very tender ending. I read the French translation so I can't say much of the language, but the images woven throughout are beautiful. Different positions taken by characters are (sometimes painfully) understandable, I even started to feel for main guy even though he's complicated to say the least.
It's a very human book, maybe? With the author showing his humanity as well.
Even without the sexism, the first 200 pages or so are a very slow read which could have been shortened, though some of the images introduced here do come up again and again, sometimes beautifully.
BUT. The philosophical, ethical and moral questions brought up by this book, the different strategies undertaken by humans, their different positions are gripping. The sci-fi elements are fascinating. Hope and dispair go side by side or follow each other, there are twists and turns and then some more, with a very, very tender ending. I read the French translation so I can't say much of the language, but the images woven throughout are beautiful. Different positions taken by characters are (sometimes painfully) understandable, I even started to feel for main guy even though he's complicated to say the least.
It's a very human book, maybe? With the author showing his humanity as well.