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A review by bookishevy
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Two years ago, I blindly downloaded Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang and forgot about it. I finally listened to it and struggled to pick my favorites. It came down to which ones I couldn't stop thinking about.
Seventy-two Letters - science vs religion, race and class vs politics in Victorian England when scientist Robert Stratton builds an automaton with hopes of helping poor laborers, but Lord Fieldhurst wants to use the creation to control the lower classes.
Hell Is the Absence of God - terrifying. Imagine a world in which the existence of God, souls, and the after life cannot be disputed, visitations by angels are a common occurrence, and loved ones ascend to heaven and descend to hell before your eyes.
Liking What You See: A Documentary - this story is told in a series of interviews. People discuss the implications of a reversible procedure called calliagnosia, which eliminates the ability to tell if a person is attractive or not. I was riled up.
Story of Your Life - A few minutes into this story, I started. How did I not know that one of my favorite sci-fi films, Arrival, was based on this novella? The story is so much more than humans trying to communicate with aliens and figure out what they want. It examines free will. Since the heptapods experience time simultaneously, they already know their future, so they can't make choices. I also liked that it's narrated by linguist Dr. Louise Banks and is more straightforward so that we know from the start when she first meets the heptapods. The reader understands that engaging with the heptapods changes how Banks experiences time. In the film, how she experiences time doesn't snap into place until later, and then the viewer is like Oooooohhhhhh.
I feel smarter after finishing this read. My thoughts were definitely provoked. LOL! I dont regret downloading this audiobook. Abby Craden and Todd McLaren did the stories justice and brought the characters to life. There were some suspenseful scenes that I got completely lost in.
Seventy-two Letters - science vs religion, race and class vs politics in Victorian England when scientist Robert Stratton builds an automaton with hopes of helping poor laborers, but Lord Fieldhurst wants to use the creation to control the lower classes.
Hell Is the Absence of God - terrifying. Imagine a world in which the existence of God, souls, and the after life cannot be disputed, visitations by angels are a common occurrence, and loved ones ascend to heaven and descend to hell before your eyes.
Liking What You See: A Documentary - this story is told in a series of interviews. People discuss the implications of a reversible procedure called calliagnosia, which eliminates the ability to tell if a person is attractive or not. I was riled up.
Story of Your Life - A few minutes into this story, I started. How did I not know that one of my favorite sci-fi films, Arrival, was based on this novella? The story is so much more than humans trying to communicate with aliens and figure out what they want. It examines free will. Since the heptapods experience time simultaneously, they already know their future, so they can't make choices. I also liked that it's narrated by linguist Dr. Louise Banks and is more straightforward so that we know from the start when she first meets the heptapods. The reader understands that engaging with the heptapods changes how Banks experiences time. In the film, how she experiences time doesn't snap into place until later, and then the viewer is like Oooooohhhhhh.
I feel smarter after finishing this read. My thoughts were definitely provoked. LOL! I dont regret downloading this audiobook. Abby Craden and Todd McLaren did the stories justice and brought the characters to life. There were some suspenseful scenes that I got completely lost in.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Child death