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jordibal's review against another edition
4.0
«Las revoluciones son un noventa por ciento de diarrea social». Pues sí, pueden ser necesarias, pero bonitas no son.
mary_bear's review against another edition
4.0
À voter, au hasard (y'a tellement d'horreurs parmi les nominés), aux Goodreads Choice Awards de cette année, je suis tombée sur un excellent livre fantastique sur des sujets pas très communs comparé à ce qui se fait actuellement dans le genre, un livre caché entre les auteurs habituels et les romances enrobées de magie.
J'ai particulièrement aimé le choix de lieu et de culture (le Moyen-Orient), des thèmes (pirates de l'internet et censure gouvernementale) et surtout la notion de foi savamment tissée et proposée à travers les yeux de personnages aussi divers qu'un vieil Imam, un jeune pirate, un censeur mégalo et... un djinn!
Un conte vraiment sympa, qui laisse se poser un tas de bonnes questions au fil de l'aventure d'Alif et qui vous emporte vers une autre culture (je serais curieuse de connaître l'avis de lecteurs/lectrices connaissant vraiment la culture du Moyen-Orient) dont l'actualité ne nous montre que feu, sang et violence.
Une charge positive pendant ces fêtes de fin d'année que j'essaierai de partager autant que possible!
J'ai particulièrement aimé le choix de lieu et de culture (le Moyen-Orient), des thèmes (pirates de l'internet et censure gouvernementale) et surtout la notion de foi savamment tissée et proposée à travers les yeux de personnages aussi divers qu'un vieil Imam, un jeune pirate, un censeur mégalo et... un djinn!
Un conte vraiment sympa, qui laisse se poser un tas de bonnes questions au fil de l'aventure d'Alif et qui vous emporte vers une autre culture (je serais curieuse de connaître l'avis de lecteurs/lectrices connaissant vraiment la culture du Moyen-Orient) dont l'actualité ne nous montre que feu, sang et violence.
Une charge positive pendant ces fêtes de fin d'année que j'essaierai de partager autant que possible!
cblanken's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
dkgarrett's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
dr_e_lee's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
2.0
This book was not for me. The pacing was strange. At some points the action was so fast I didn’t even notice it was happening and then I was bogged down by paragraphs full of hacking. The book is also pitched as fantasy but I think sci-fi may be a better fit. The fantastical elements were there but barely. The prologue sets up an interesting tale but then the story takes a sharp left turn into something totally different. Overall, not for me and would not recommend
badlydoneemma's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Rape and Sexual harassment
debhall945's review against another edition
3.0
I confess to being a little disappointed with this book. I thought it would have more fantasy elements and at times the coding and metaphors lost me. The book did hold my interest but it was an odd combination: hacking, coding, Arabic folklore, and political instability. Ancient and present day converging... It was ultimately a look into a the current situation in the Arabic world told by a westerner who has converted to Islam. Made me want to read her memoir, A butterfly in the mosque, as well as the original tales of the Arabian Nights.
asimqureshi's review against another edition
3.0
It is a real shame I read this after Basma Abdel Aziz's 'The Queue', as they both deal with a dystopian world in the Middle East. Had I read this first, I might have thought it a little more clever, but once you read 'The Queue', your expectations are somewhat raised.
I like G Willow Wilson's comic work, its funny and entertaining. I just felt that this was trying a little too hard to be something it is not. My issue isnt even with the use or presentation of Islam, it is more about some of Wilson's politics that I think somewhat betray the canon of dystopian fiction.
I like G Willow Wilson's comic work, its funny and entertaining. I just felt that this was trying a little too hard to be something it is not. My issue isnt even with the use or presentation of Islam, it is more about some of Wilson's politics that I think somewhat betray the canon of dystopian fiction.
salgal017's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
4.0
cokimberly's review against another edition
4.0
Urban fantasy in the Middle East, with hackers, revolution, and jinn. Completely worth reading for the different worldview and feel, so different from anything I've read in ages. But the ending was a bit abrupt (not unsatisfying, just felt like there were a few chapters missing) and that came close to dropping the rating down to three stars. I gave it the benefit of the doubt, for how much I enjoyed the non-western viewpoint.