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A review by rorikae
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
'The Intuitionist' by Colson Whitehead is a novel about an elevator inspector caught up in the scandal surrounding an elevator crash.
Lila Mae Watson is the first female Black elevator inspector. Watson is part of the Intuitionists, a group that uses their intuition to inspect and diagnose elevator problems. The Intuitionists are in direct competition with the Empiricists, who use traditional methods and tools to inspect elevators. When an elevator falls at a building that Watson has recently inspected, she is pulled into the fight between the two groups that encompasses the Elevator Guild elections and a mysterious speculative elevator supposedly developed by the creator of the Intuitionist movement.
'The Intuitionist' is a fascinating speculative work, even more so as Whitehead's first novel. Watson is a complex character surrounded by a flawed and fascinating supporting cast. Whitehead creates a fascinating world with elevators at its core where the characters regard the machines with a religious reverence. The conspiracy at the center of the story is interesting though it's resolution didn't have as much going on as I would have hoped. Whitehead does a great job of taking a speculative concept and making it feel lived in. If you are looking for some slightly weird fiction with good characters and an interesting plot, I would recommend The Intuitionist.
Lila Mae Watson is the first female Black elevator inspector. Watson is part of the Intuitionists, a group that uses their intuition to inspect and diagnose elevator problems. The Intuitionists are in direct competition with the Empiricists, who use traditional methods and tools to inspect elevators. When an elevator falls at a building that Watson has recently inspected, she is pulled into the fight between the two groups that encompasses the Elevator Guild elections and a mysterious speculative elevator supposedly developed by the creator of the Intuitionist movement.
'The Intuitionist' is a fascinating speculative work, even more so as Whitehead's first novel. Watson is a complex character surrounded by a flawed and fascinating supporting cast. Whitehead creates a fascinating world with elevators at its core where the characters regard the machines with a religious reverence. The conspiracy at the center of the story is interesting though it's resolution didn't have as much going on as I would have hoped. Whitehead does a great job of taking a speculative concept and making it feel lived in. If you are looking for some slightly weird fiction with good characters and an interesting plot, I would recommend The Intuitionist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Torture, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Violence, and Toxic friendship