Scan barcode
emolasses's review against another edition
5.0
Its rather late but i fear ill forget everything i just read and all my thoughts about it, so ill write this now.
I said that Dreadful would be my #1 book for 2024…i lied. Its this one.
Ive never read such a page turner, had this good of a message, was easy to understand but still felt complex, and just had me addicted on some hardcore morphine. I think my copy was dusted with the stuff. I think i was breathing it in every second i spent on a page. I think i want more. I think it got me feeling some stuff man. I think it got me seeing stars.
Before we get into the meat of this book, i just want to give a mention to the writing?!?!! It reads like a poem! Its so fast and flows so well that i couldn’t bear to put it down. I loved the use of “we” and “i” in the writing. At first i thought it was just a quirk of the writer’s style, but no, it was intentional to the meaning and significance in itself as well.
1. My interpretation and applications to the real world:
This book is sadly a very likely outcome for humanity. With more and more stupid and unskilled thinking, we fall closer and closer to this book. This book is basically the reality for Afghanistan currently, North Korea, and in the near future: Russia. In the book, there are laws put in place where you can not interact at the opposite gender, the amount of information you know is heavily controlled, you can not disobey in any form, you are limited in your education, and many more laws, some stated in the book and others left unknown. Sound familiar?
2. So many students I’ve met, have the mentality that all the upper government people seem to have in the book. They believe that we should only be taught what is necessary for us to know, and to go along with what everyone else is doing. I cant tell you how many times I’ve heard: “i don’t need to know math! I just want to work as a ___” . STUPID DUMBASS. YOU DONT SEE ANY USE IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE WORLD??? I wish this book was taught in EVERY middle-high school. EVERY SINGLE ONE. I WANT ESSAYS UPON ESSAYS WRITTEN. Lets normalize nerds and having a passion for learning. NOT being a good for nothing masterbating r*****ed bafoon.
Ahem. Anyways.
My point is, this is a book about learning and how important it is. Sure, studying isnt fun. Yea, some subjects can be difficult AF but in the end, think about this book. You dont want to end up like one of the many civilians in this story, do you? Think back to this book before you make fun of someone whos passionate about something. Whos a “nerd”. Whos gonna get farther in life than you ever will.
Most sci fi stories focus on the amount of technological advances. This book, focuses on the subtractions of it, which was really fun to read.
I love the main character. He is so me. He was such a fun narrator and i loved his development. Hes just a punk guy defying social/government norms for the greater good. Don’t even get me started on how he talked about the Golden One.
I will be rereading this, and getting a copy of my own to annotate. I will update this review if i ponder up anything else.
Shoutout to popsicle for recommending me this, my brother.
I said that Dreadful would be my #1 book for 2024…i lied. Its this one.
Ive never read such a page turner, had this good of a message, was easy to understand but still felt complex, and just had me addicted on some hardcore morphine. I think my copy was dusted with the stuff. I think i was breathing it in every second i spent on a page. I think i want more. I think it got me feeling some stuff man. I think it got me seeing stars.
Before we get into the meat of this book, i just want to give a mention to the writing?!?!! It reads like a poem! Its so fast and flows so well that i couldn’t bear to put it down. I loved the use of “we” and “i” in the writing. At first i thought it was just a quirk of the writer’s style, but no, it was intentional to the meaning and significance in itself as well.
1. My interpretation and applications to the real world:
This book is sadly a very likely outcome for humanity. With more and more stupid and unskilled thinking, we fall closer and closer to this book. This book is basically the reality for Afghanistan currently, North Korea, and in the near future: Russia. In the book, there are laws put in place where you can not interact at the opposite gender, the amount of information you know is heavily controlled, you can not disobey in any form, you are limited in your education, and many more laws, some stated in the book and others left unknown. Sound familiar?
2. So many students I’ve met, have the mentality that all the upper government people seem to have in the book. They believe that we should only be taught what is necessary for us to know, and to go along with what everyone else is doing. I cant tell you how many times I’ve heard: “i don’t need to know math! I just want to work as a ___” . STUPID DUMBASS. YOU DONT SEE ANY USE IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE WORLD??? I wish this book was taught in EVERY middle-high school. EVERY SINGLE ONE. I WANT ESSAYS UPON ESSAYS WRITTEN. Lets normalize nerds and having a passion for learning. NOT being a good for nothing masterbating r*****ed bafoon.
Ahem. Anyways.
My point is, this is a book about learning and how important it is. Sure, studying isnt fun. Yea, some subjects can be difficult AF but in the end, think about this book. You dont want to end up like one of the many civilians in this story, do you? Think back to this book before you make fun of someone whos passionate about something. Whos a “nerd”. Whos gonna get farther in life than you ever will.
Most sci fi stories focus on the amount of technological advances. This book, focuses on the subtractions of it, which was really fun to read.
I love the main character. He is so me. He was such a fun narrator and i loved his development. Hes just a punk guy defying social/government norms for the greater good. Don’t even get me started on how he talked about the Golden One.
I will be rereading this, and getting a copy of my own to annotate. I will update this review if i ponder up anything else.
Shoutout to popsicle for recommending me this, my brother.
waynediane's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
A wantabe 1984
boyonfire24's review against another edition
2.0
If you want to learn what the heck the Conservatives go ape-shit about without reading one of her mammoth tomes, you'd do worse than be underwhelmed by this one.
ginalee52's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
iamother's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book may be short in length, but it has plenty to say. While the writing itself is beautiful, the ideals of its main character are what I find problematic. I don’t know if it is the intention of the author to make the main character an unreliable narrator but it certainly feels as though the reader is not getting the full picture. This post apocalyptic world is one in which individuality is taken in favor of the collective but no context is given as to why this happened. No reasoning behind why the government is so committed to maintaining the status quo. The ideals that the main character espouses are very surface level and most people would agree with them in theory. For example, the idea that people should not trust a government not working in their interest or being against trusting people to lead who lack the requisite knowledge to do so. But none of these things exist in a vacuum. When the main character presents a chance to push the society forward and they rebuff him, he automatically attributes that to incompetence or fear. But couldn’t it also be an understanding of history and being unwilling to repeat it? The author is getting at this idea that government should be willing to trust its constituents with power and responsibility. To not think the worst of them. To not hoard that knowledge for themselves because there is value in group discussion. But society also has a tendency to voluntarily cede control to those in authority because they don’t want the responsibility. The main character’s disillusionment with society is what bothered me the most. To grow up in a society as devoid of purpose as this that they would allow people with so much potential (i.e. the main character) to serve in positions where that same potential is wasted. To then turn around and abandon people in similar circumstances because he views them as a hindrance to human evolution. He didn’t even consider the possibility that they could be convinced. That their initial reaction is all they will ever be when his whole story up to that point runs contrary to that idea. That somehow they aren’t capable of the same growth that he experienced if given the same opportunity. It’s this type of exceptionalism, pridefulness, and isolationism that probably led to the downfall of the society he so desperately wants to return to. His inability to see it leaves me wondering if this oversight is intentional to get the reader asking these questions of society themselves or if the author truly agrees with this sentiment. It is wrong to attribute the words and actions of a character to the author themselves but it at least begs the question if nothing else. I agree with the themes of having autonomy over our own lives but I also see value in government and a society that works in concert towards a common good.
bethlauren22's review against another edition
4.0
Her point is pretentious AF but well-written and thought-provoking (if you let it). There is an allegorical thread I can’t quite hold on to about Eden and knowledge...
But honestly... what must growing up in Soviet Russia have been like for her to write this dramatically?
But honestly... what must growing up in Soviet Russia have been like for her to write this dramatically?
ace_queen's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book for school in tenth grade. Usually I don't enjoy the books we have to read for school but this was an exception. I will admit that thee beginning was slow and boring however I did enjoy the end. I felt the end was amazing because it gives you this feeling that you can do anything you set your heart and mind to, and you shouldn't let anyone else stop you.
gbrockell's review against another edition
2.0
Don't get me wrong, this book is good. As far as the classic "dystopic future" genre goes, it's right up there with "1984" and "Brave New World". But for me, personally, the last thing I need is a book telling me that my ego is the most precious gift of all.