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A review by sr_marshrat
The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
My favorite parts of Bacigalupi's works are his vividly believable dystopian landscapes, harsh predictions about the trajectory of our world if climate change is not addressed. But Water Knife's cautionary drought tale is overshadowed (and accordingly underdeveloped) by a James-Bond-style race-for-highly-valuable-object, rife with violence for shock value and improbable coicindences. What could have been a heart wrenching mystery centering on a tough-skinned orphan is instead a shallow action movie centered around two washed-up, and frankly less engaging, adults.
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Death of parent