Reviews

The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag

marange's review

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

skootyboi's review against another edition

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5.0

I don't remember this happening but good for America ig

francwoods's review

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adventurous challenging dark reflective medium-paced

4.5

samurai_chris's review

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4.0

Haunting art with a slow burning, cyberpunk, dystopian narrative.

yacoob's review against another edition

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5.0

This book was Douglas-Coupland-grade depressing. Slow slide down the mood level, into a heap of sobering helplessness. I kind of enjoyed this subversion of typical zombie apocalypse heroine. She's presenting as determined and driven, except in the end, we can see that her effort was driven mostly by her psychosis.

The art and text go well together, and it's important to take in both at the same time. I was impressed by author's ability to so perfectly create two complementary vehicles for the story.

neriumblack's review against another edition

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4.0

Liittymiä tuo mieleen enemmän Black Mirrorin kuin Stranger Thingsin höystettynä Junji Itomaisella kauhulla. Tapahtumat sijoittuvat vuoteen 1997, mutta vaihtoehtoiseen maailmaan, jossa robotiikka otti vuosikymmeniä aikaisemmin askeleita, joita ei meidän todellisuudessamme ole vieläkään saavutettu.

Päähenkilö on teini-ikäinen Michelle, joka ajaa Yhdysvaltojen halki pienen Skip-robotin kanssa päämääränään löytää pikkuveljensä sekä eräs talo merenrannalla. En yhtään osannut arvata millainen huima tarina kansien väliin mahtuikaan. Siksi onkin todella outoa, että kirjastossa tämä oli luokiteltu 84.2 (kustantajan suositus) sijaan osastolle 74.93 Piirustus- ja maalaustaiteen historia, Pohjoismaat!

Kuvitus tukee tarinaa ja on hyvin synkkää niin teemoiltaan kuin värimaailmaltaankin. Välillä tosin oli vaikeaa saada selvää joistakin sivuista. Osa kuvista oli myös hieman turhan oloisia, tasaisen hyvin tehtyjä, mutta eivät kertoneet mitään. Lisäksi painomusteen haju otti vähän nenään.

selaslavo's review against another edition

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4.0

I'd only known Stålenhag from seeing his art pop up here and there while getting sucked into the digital pull of online forums. His art evoked feelings of nostalgia while inserting elements that were completely foreign. I enjoyed imagining the greater alternate past he was creating beyond what was contained in his paintings. I wholly expected his writing to fall short of the benchmark he had set visually, but of course, I wound up being wrong. The story was just as satisfyingly bleak and full of wonder as those pictures I saw on the internet without context.
4.5/5

casualblindness's review against another edition

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5.0

honestly the best art book i own. super super good

eopziegler's review

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A

itsjuliannarose's review

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dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5