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mrlinds's review against another edition
2.0
While very well written, I had a tough time getting into it and I didn't find that it really concluded in a way that I really want to continue but maybe I'm missing something.
dizzygate's review against another edition
1.0
Terrible. What was this even about? I read some pretty out there, difficult to digest books, and this was just...... Boring. Pointless? Dramatic with no drama? Flowery and shallow? I will not be reading the rest of this trilogy. Id rather..... Do nothing.
rskennedy1066's review against another edition
3.0
More like 3.5 stars.
So many questions: who are Ishmael's parents? Why was he raised by robots? Who are the owners of the house? Where did they get the robots and the Goedhart device and the camera obscura? And how does Muybridge fit in? And Rousell? Are Josephine and Este the same person? What was the goal of Williams' journey and why did the British colonials want to stop him? What is Sidrus and what's so strange about his face? I'm ok with ambiguity in a story, but leaving this many loose ends is ridiculous.
I'm glad this is the start of a trilogy, because otherwise I would be irrationally angry.
Despite these questions, I found the writing to be artful without heavy handedness, and the overall structure to be unexpected and engaging. I look forward to the next part of the trilogy.
So many questions: who are Ishmael's parents? Why was he raised by robots? Who are the owners of the house? Where did they get the robots and the Goedhart device and the camera obscura? And how does Muybridge fit in? And Rousell? Are Josephine and Este the same person? What was the goal of Williams' journey and why did the British colonials want to stop him? What is Sidrus and what's so strange about his face? I'm ok with ambiguity in a story, but leaving this many loose ends is ridiculous.
I'm glad this is the start of a trilogy, because otherwise I would be irrationally angry.
Despite these questions, I found the writing to be artful without heavy handedness, and the overall structure to be unexpected and engaging. I look forward to the next part of the trilogy.
brandoninvergo's review against another edition
5.0
This is a provisional 5. I was blown away by what I read but I'll admit up front that I don't fully understand it. This will require re-reading at least once as well as some deeper reflection on it. I find it hard to believe that this could be just a masturbatory exercise in creativity (being weird for weirdness's sake), yet if it's an allegory, I haven't figured out what the author wants to say.
For pure enjoyment of the page-to-page process of getting lost in the truly excellent prose, setting, and flow of events, this earns a 5 from me (unless it turns out to be a vacuous joke played on the reader).
For pure enjoyment of the page-to-page process of getting lost in the truly excellent prose, setting, and flow of events, this earns a 5 from me (unless it turns out to be a vacuous joke played on the reader).
adastramgram's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
breeperscreepers's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.25
"It was said that he was hunting stillness and that instead of picks or shovels, guns or maps, he carried an empty box on his back, a box with a single eye, which ate time. Some say he carried plates of glass to serve the stillness on. He would eat with a black cloth over his head, licking his plate clean in the dark."
These are the words used by baffled locals to describe an early photographer. Simply incredible.
It's as if life is in a transparent box, and we're all looking at it from one side while Catling gets to see things through an adjacent side, and in writing this book he shares entirely new perspectives with us. Fantastic but also a little tiring, you must chew on each sentence thoroughly before moving on lest you get lost and not know what the fuck is even going on.
If you like Mervyn Peake this might be something you'd enjoy.
These are the words used by baffled locals to describe an early photographer. Simply incredible.
It's as if life is in a transparent box, and we're all looking at it from one side while Catling gets to see things through an adjacent side, and in writing this book he shares entirely new perspectives with us. Fantastic but also a little tiring, you must chew on each sentence thoroughly before moving on lest you get lost and not know what the fuck is even going on.
If you like Mervyn Peake this might be something you'd enjoy.