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A review by v171
Infinite Ground by Martin MacInnes
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Often, readers will describe their preference in books as being interested in plot-driven vs. character-driven narratives. But what really drew me to the New Weird genre is the introduction of the atmosphere-driven stylistic choice.
Infinite Ground is a fever dream of a story, loosely focusing on an inspector's investigation into the disappearance of a 29 year old man named Carlos. The beginning of the book did well in keeping up the narrative of the investigation while peppering in hazy, dreamlike (and often horrific) encounters and experiences of the unnamed protagonist. The surreal aspects get dialed up as you progress further into the book, making you feel like you're lost in a dense forest of prose, hunting for the plot. This complemented the actual story perfectly, and really enhanced my reading experience.
This (just barely) revitalized my faith in the New Weird genre. After a string of misses from VanderMeer, I'd started to question if I actually enjoyed New Weird, or if I just enjoyed science fiction that had a New Weird edge to it. Infinite Ground was a breath of fresh air, and a reminder that this can be done very well. A typical review of mine might focus on character development, structure, and dialogue, but this kind of book can't really be analyzed in that way. I hate to say it's only vibes, but I really do have to holistically focus on how this book made me feel. And I just liked it.
Infinite Ground is a fever dream of a story, loosely focusing on an inspector's investigation into the disappearance of a 29 year old man named Carlos. The beginning of the book did well in keeping up the narrative of the investigation while peppering in hazy, dreamlike (and often horrific) encounters and experiences of the unnamed protagonist. The surreal aspects get dialed up as you progress further into the book, making you feel like you're lost in a dense forest of prose, hunting for the plot. This complemented the actual story perfectly, and really enhanced my reading experience.
This (just barely) revitalized my faith in the New Weird genre. After a string of misses from VanderMeer, I'd started to question if I actually enjoyed New Weird, or if I just enjoyed science fiction that had a New Weird edge to it. Infinite Ground was a breath of fresh air, and a reminder that this can be done very well. A typical review of mine might focus on character development, structure, and dialogue, but this kind of book can't really be analyzed in that way. I hate to say it's only vibes, but I really do have to holistically focus on how this book made me feel. And I just liked it.