A review by jlnklb
Exhalation by Ted Chiang

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

as a lover of short stories and science fiction, this sounded like the perfect collection for me and, luckily, i was not disappointed. i was a little apprehensive when i first got into it about the somewhat instructional character that permeates (more or less) the whole book, as i normally don't enjoy being told the message of a story so directly. however, after the second story, i was completely immersed in the atmosphere all of these different narratives created together, and there is nothing i love more than a short story collection that is well put together. this is something i'd recommend to everyone, whether they are interested in science fiction or not, but if you're not convinced yet, i will try to give you a summary of each of the stories below.

  • the merchant and the alchemist’s gate: this is a unique take on time-traveling, set in Baghdad and Cairo during (i'm guessing) the islamic golden age. Chiang expertly conjures up an "Arabian Nights"-feeling, atmospheric and beautifully written. ★★★★☆
  • exhalation: we are in a world completely different from our own; the beings here seem to be mechanical rather than natural and they live under an almost infinitely large chromium dome. the story is written in the form of what i would call a very literary version of a scientific essay or article about this world and its civilization. it was a slow start for me, but then it captured me entirely. one of my favorites in this collection. the descriptions are enticing and the images he uses nothing if not beautiful.   ★★★★★ 
“The universe began as an enormous breath being held. Who knows why, but whatever the reason, I am glad that it did, because I owe my existence to that fact. All my desires and ruminations are no more and no less than eddy currents generated by the gradual exhalation of our universe. And until this great exhalation is finished, my thoughts live on.”
  • what’s expected of us: the shortest short story. it attempts to explore what happens when humanity accepts that free will is an illusion in just three pages, which is not enough time to build up an atmosphere for the reader to get lost in. therefore, some of the language ended up feeling overly dramatic.  ★★★☆☆  
  • the lifecycle of software objects: another one that i didn't like. the longest story in the collection and, from my point of view, way longer than necessary. it centers around two characters who work in a company that essentially sells virtual pets that are coded to have a consciousness of their own and to learn and improve through interaction with their owners. it explores the status of such a life form in society and the types of bonds they can create with humans. the premise of this is something i'd be interested to read normally, however, i disagree quite strongly with the point Chiang is trying to make here (no spoilers!), and in this kind of story, i find it difficult to separate the message from the literary merit of the work. that is not all, though; what really put me off was the comparison between people with disabilities and pet robots. i am not disabled myself, so i do not claim any authority on this topic, but personally, i found the way it was mentioned here quite distasteful. i am glad i read this one last because i would not have continued with the collection otherwise.  ★★☆☆☆ 
  • dacey’s patent automatic nanny: set in late 19th-/early 20th-century London, we follow a family of engineers on their quest to prove that mechanical nannies are better at raising children than human ones. this is full of ruminations on parenting and the interconnectedness of parenting styles over generations, and although this is not a topic i usually find very engaging, Chiang managed to infuse this piece of writing with a surprising touch of tenderness, which even succeeded in making me feel a little attached to the characters in only about ten pages.  ★★★★☆ 
  • the truth of fact, the truth of feeling: set in an alternate universe (or maybe our future?) in which humans have the ability to record every second of their lives, told through the eyes of a man who explores what complete access to the past means for humanity as he experiences the effects of this new technology on himself and his relationship with his daughter. one of my favorite concepts in writing - exploring a big idea in the realm of the small and the personal.  ★★★★☆ 
  • the great silence: i don't want to say anything about this one as it is incredibly short, except that it managed to touch me emotionally perhaps more than any other story in the collection, you can also read it online for free!  ★★★★★ 
  • omphalos: told through the fascinating perspective of an extremely religious scientist on an alternative earth where creationism (seems to be) true. it consists of letters/prayers and, once again, wonderfully atmospheric language.  ★★★★★ 
  • anxiety is the dizziness of freedom: our protagonist, Nat, lives in a world where any person can create two newly divergent timelines with the help of a so-called prism and, at least for a time, communicate with themselves in the other timeline. a captivating take on the multiverse theory and what it means for human identity, the concept of free will, and being a good person.  ★★★★☆ 

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