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tbcloud's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
pshah5473's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
elizanderson1066's review against another edition
1.0
"Nothing had really happened".
The above quote, appearing on the penultimate page of this book, is pretty much a perfect description.
Man, I think that was the worst book I've read in quite a while. Made even more frustrating by the fact that the premise is actually really interesting - an unknown middle eastern country which has fallen under strict dictatorial rule imposes a regime whereby everyday administrative tasks have to be approved by an unseen organisation known only as "the Gate". Citizens must join 'the queue' in order to do pretty much anything, including getting life-saving surgery. However the Gate never opens and the queue never moves.
This concept, and the "Disgraceful Events" that apparently cause it to happen, present an intriguing setting, which is never taken advantage of in the book's 200 pages, at any point.
The plot is barely existent - merely a rambling collection of character interactions with no discernible narrative theme or connection. The characters themselves are all incredibly bland and indistinguishable from one another. The story, if it can even be called that, just meanders on without direction or offer of engagement.
I literally got nothing from this book. Most of the time I felt I was just staring at the words, comprehending them linguistically but not being given any deeper context for them whatsoever.
Terrible. Avoid.
The above quote, appearing on the penultimate page of this book, is pretty much a perfect description.
Man, I think that was the worst book I've read in quite a while. Made even more frustrating by the fact that the premise is actually really interesting - an unknown middle eastern country which has fallen under strict dictatorial rule imposes a regime whereby everyday administrative tasks have to be approved by an unseen organisation known only as "the Gate". Citizens must join 'the queue' in order to do pretty much anything, including getting life-saving surgery. However the Gate never opens and the queue never moves.
This concept, and the "Disgraceful Events" that apparently cause it to happen, present an intriguing setting, which is never taken advantage of in the book's 200 pages, at any point.
The plot is barely existent - merely a rambling collection of character interactions with no discernible narrative theme or connection. The characters themselves are all incredibly bland and indistinguishable from one another. The story, if it can even be called that, just meanders on without direction or offer of engagement.
I literally got nothing from this book. Most of the time I felt I was just staring at the words, comprehending them linguistically but not being given any deeper context for them whatsoever.
Terrible. Avoid.
dibiz116's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I don't know how I feel about this. Set in a dystopian Egypt where an authoritarian government has taken power after a failed/violently suppressed uprising of "Disgraceful Events", the central authority known as "The Gate" controls the masses through bureaucracy and (correctly) assumed complacency. In order to do nearly anything in this regime, one must wait in line to get formal approval by the government. The only problem is The Gate never opens - anyone who wants to do anything outside of the Gates direct benefit ends up waiting in line ("The Queue") which continuously grows as no one is ever seen. The complacency of the people abiding by the nonsense bureaucracy - ie refusing life saving surgeries, denying historical events, rejecting obviously valid identification etc - is a huge tenant of the narrative. People in the queue even get mad at protestors because it is disrupting their new norm of waiting in the line every day. Characters become so bogged down by the new societal norms they eventually succumb themselves to agreeing that things are good the way the Gate runs them.
This feels very timely, as I'm sure it did when it was written in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Central to the story is the message that if we become complacent, they've already won.
Some moments were very obviously very inspired by 1984, which I enjoyed, and the political discourse and setting was brilliant. Unfortunately, the plot felt formulaic and a little dry. I could probably chalk some of that up to it being a translation so some nuance and prose may be lost but even so - overall the actual plot wasn't very engaging.
This feels very timely, as I'm sure it did when it was written in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Central to the story is the message that if we become complacent, they've already won.
Some moments were very obviously very inspired by 1984, which I enjoyed, and the political discourse and setting was brilliant. Unfortunately, the plot felt formulaic and a little dry. I could probably chalk some of that up to it being a translation so some nuance and prose may be lost but even so - overall the actual plot wasn't very engaging.
petalsonpluto's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
shanice22's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
joseph_lemon's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
alwaysanna13's review against another edition
2.0
I recognize that the writing in this book is very well done. But to me, a book needs to have either a great plot or well-developed characters in order to care about it, and this has neither.
The reviews that characterize this as a Kafka-esque look at a totalitarian regime are correct, so if you like that concept, this might be for you. I just expected more closure.
The reviews that characterize this as a Kafka-esque look at a totalitarian regime are correct, so if you like that concept, this might be for you. I just expected more closure.
narcolepticbadger's review against another edition
4.0
Three hours later he arrived at the back of the queue and took up a new place at the very end. Once there, he cast a long look at the Gate. From afar, it looked like a solid wall, and he wondered in despair whether it would ever open.
Perhaps even more so than its spiritual predecessors / companions in the genre, I was struck by how strongly the absurdity of The Queue's authoritarian regime is matched by its disturbing sense of realism and the feeling that this could happen all too easily in our own world.
Perhaps even more so than its spiritual predecessors / companions in the genre, I was struck by how strongly the absurdity of The Queue's authoritarian regime is matched by its disturbing sense of realism and the feeling that this could happen all too easily in our own world.
dlberglund's review against another edition
I can't decide how to give this book stars, so I won't. Did it resonate, make me think, make me fear my government? Yes. Do I think this book is important? Yes. Did I LIKE it? Not really. Do I want you to read it so you can talk abut it with me before I forget it? Yes.
How is this book categorized? Frightening autocratic nightmare? Thriller? Existential musing? Satire? I am likely missing something in the translation.
75% of the story takes place in The Queue that has formed outside of The Gate, which has replaced all other government offices. People essentially move to The Queue, living there for days, weeks, months...waiting to get their document stamped, their permit issued, their permission granted, their form signed. Very little happens besides the tightening of security, issuing of decrees, and restriction of freedoms. It is terrifying.
There's a lot to discuss about people's ability to adapt to totalitarianism, about questioning assertions that aren't backed up with facts, about state control and domination of the media conversation. People who Disappear. Denial of events that were witnessed. Reduction of women's rights. Religious takeover of the State. (Again, I say, it was all terrifying.) However, I never really understood it all or where it was going, and I definitely was left confused by the ending.
How is this book categorized? Frightening autocratic nightmare? Thriller? Existential musing? Satire? I am likely missing something in the translation.
75% of the story takes place in The Queue that has formed outside of The Gate, which has replaced all other government offices. People essentially move to The Queue, living there for days, weeks, months...waiting to get their document stamped, their permit issued, their permission granted, their form signed. Very little happens besides the tightening of security, issuing of decrees, and restriction of freedoms. It is terrifying.
There's a lot to discuss about people's ability to adapt to totalitarianism, about questioning assertions that aren't backed up with facts, about state control and domination of the media conversation. People who Disappear. Denial of events that were witnessed. Reduction of women's rights. Religious takeover of the State. (Again, I say, it was all terrifying.) However, I never really understood it all or where it was going, and I definitely was left confused by the ending.