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A review by geve_
The Seep by Chana Porter
2.0
I read this book on a single, 3.5 mile walk. That's how long it is. Took me just over an hour, WHILE WALKING and holding a book. I'll come back to this point at the end.
So, this book was likened to annihilation, and I have to disagree. Not completely, there are some hints, but that's it. Oh, and mention of a wife so I guess an homage.
This just doesn't hit the same weirdness that annihilation does, in fact, it feels like very superficial weirdness. not that it wasn't authentic to the author, I think it was, and I can get that level of realness, but it's not unknowable, cosmic horror kind of shit, in fact, it's very understandable shit. I guess that's one of the ways this falls flat for me. The aliens were just trying to meet all the humans needs. It takes away all the alienness of the aliens. Even when they can't understand why people want to retain their scars to maintain their identity, that's a very human trait as well, just look at how many people get plastic surgery and fight to stay young.
The story itself felt very superficial to me. It jumped between scenes easily, and I didn't mind the lack of depth in most of it, I knew what was happening and didn't have to dwell on every detail. The themes, though, also felt fairly superficial. Identity, purpose, happiness/sadness, healing and grief were all just there. Everything that happened in the world basically happened off camera. We were told about it in dialogue, sometimes directly, sometimes in hints, and that's in part fine, because i didn't need it all explained, but also felt a little lazy at times. Like if you wanted to tell me about growing apart from your partner, having different goals, then being lost in grief after they choose to leave, fine, but it didn't need to be in this place.
Also, really didn't understand why the aliens thought Trina was so alone, most of the book was her going from place to place, getting help from her various friends.
Then there's the ending. The climax was a big let down. Felt very much like the author had something they wanted to say, but didn't have the format to say it in so it became of hallucinatory scene that didn't mesh with any of the rest of the story. Didn't love it.
Overall I didn't love the book, but didn't really hate it either. Felt a bit basic, trying to deal with fairly complex issues in a simple way.
Ok so, the length. This book was 200 paper pages, but with LONG gaps between cuts, and whole blank pages, sometimes two between chapter breaks, and LARGE font. I am not complaining that this was a novella, I think the length was actually perfect for the story itself. I am, however, complaining that it cost $25. I borrowed it from the library, ofc, but holy shit I would have been pissed if I had spent $25 on a book that took less than two hours to read.
So, this book was likened to annihilation, and I have to disagree. Not completely, there are some hints, but that's it. Oh, and mention of a wife
Spoiler
turning into a hawk and no longer being a wifeThis just doesn't hit the same weirdness that annihilation does, in fact, it feels like very superficial weirdness. not that it wasn't authentic to the author, I think it was, and I can get that level of realness, but it's not unknowable, cosmic horror kind of shit, in fact, it's very understandable shit. I guess that's one of the ways this falls flat for me. The aliens were just trying to meet all the humans needs. It takes away all the alienness of the aliens. Even when they can't understand why people want to retain their scars to maintain their identity, that's a very human trait as well, just look at how many people get plastic surgery and fight to stay young.
The story itself felt very superficial to me. It jumped between scenes easily, and I didn't mind the lack of depth in most of it, I knew what was happening and didn't have to dwell on every detail. The themes, though, also felt fairly superficial. Identity, purpose, happiness/sadness, healing and grief were all just there. Everything that happened in the world basically happened off camera. We were told about it in dialogue, sometimes directly, sometimes in hints, and that's in part fine, because i didn't need it all explained, but also felt a little lazy at times. Like if you wanted to tell me about growing apart from your partner, having different goals, then being lost in grief after they choose to leave, fine, but it didn't need to be in this place.
Also, really didn't understand why the aliens thought Trina was so alone, most of the book was her going from place to place, getting help from her various friends.
Then there's the ending. The climax was a big let down. Felt very much like the author had something they wanted to say, but didn't have the format to say it in so it became of hallucinatory scene that didn't mesh with any of the rest of the story. Didn't love it.
Overall I didn't love the book, but didn't really hate it either. Felt a bit basic, trying to deal with fairly complex issues in a simple way.
Ok so, the length. This book was 200 paper pages, but with LONG gaps between cuts, and whole blank pages, sometimes two between chapter breaks, and LARGE font. I am not complaining that this was a novella, I think the length was actually perfect for the story itself. I am, however, complaining that it cost $25. I borrowed it from the library, ofc, but holy shit I would have been pissed if I had spent $25 on a book that took less than two hours to read.