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A review by annalise_0729
Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
This is one of my new favorites. My timing was perfect for this one, as I’m surrounded by scientists in a very similar environment, debating the direction I want to go in my life, wondering what relationships will shape my experience on this earth. This is my ideal balance of narrative, epistemology, and reflection.
My thoughts surrounding the narrator’s relationship with A. are complex. While I resonate with the sentiment of a lost opportunity for a fulfilling relationship, the obsessiveness is less than convincing. I thought it was poorly developed, and I was not invested in their relationship.
The same goes for the final section of Helen’s consciousness: while the last 20 pages or so were well written, it felt rushed in the end (though I am able to consider it to be purposeful). It seems as though the readers missed a pivotal moment in Helen’s development, and her final moment only provides a backward look at her clarity. I certainly hung onto every word in the end, afraid to let any part of the story slip through unexamined. This all to say, I do think the ending was well done.
As with The Overstory, his writing can border long-windedness in moments. Still, I have been continually impressed by Richard Powers, and this novel is no exception.
My thoughts surrounding the narrator’s relationship with A. are complex. While I resonate with the sentiment of a lost opportunity for a fulfilling relationship, the obsessiveness is less than convincing. I thought it was poorly developed, and I was not invested in their relationship.
The same goes for the final section of Helen’s consciousness: while the last 20 pages or so were well written, it felt rushed in the end (though I am able to consider it to be purposeful). It seems as though the readers missed a pivotal moment in Helen’s development, and her final moment only provides a backward look at her clarity. I certainly hung onto every word in the end, afraid to let any part of the story slip through unexamined. This all to say, I do think the ending was well done.
As with The Overstory, his writing can border long-windedness in moments. Still, I have been continually impressed by Richard Powers, and this novel is no exception.