Ark by Veronica RothMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
The concept was really interesting. The content was heavy and definitely on the artsy morbid side of things. The character development was incredibly weak, overall, so I think this concept just didn’t fare well in a short story format. I was bored a lot, which probably isn’t good considering I listened on audio, on 3 speed, which means the whole story was only about 27 minutes long for me.
Basically, this story struggled to hold my attention for half an hour. I guess, all this results in that I don’t particularly like this story, and yet I also don’t hate it. I think the bones of something interesting were buried deep here, but not enough bone fragments rose to the surface to capture and hold my attention. It’s almost like it tried to hard to be insightful, and instead bordered on tedious and underdeveloped.
Pages: 39
Summer Frostby Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a fast-paced, suspenseful AI story with an unexpected twist. I enjoyed it.
Pages: 75
Randomize by Andy WeirMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a technology heist story. It's not bad. I wanted to be more into this than I was. The characters were vibrant, but I could have used a bit more, both from them and the plot. It almost feels like a story leading up to the catalyst. But then it ends at that point. Honestly, I wish it had started precisely where it ended.
Pages: 28
Emergency Skin by N.K. JemisinMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was fascinating and creative, though it took me almost the whole length of the story to really settle into the 2nd person perspective, especially with this approach, where it feels like someone is speaking to me, in response to things I’m supposedly saying (though obviously I’m not saying anything, as I’m not in the story).
I struggled with this on the one hand. It was actually harder for me to sink into the story with this particular perspective, because I couldn’t take myself out of it, with the constant barrage of the word you. However, I do see how this was quite inventive and clever and can appreciate that. It also has some good messages to consider.
It feels a bit gimmicky at times, which is off-putting for me, but in other moments, it’s also highly amusing. I could feel the desperation of the narrator as the story progressed, which brought a lot of emotion to the story. So it’s a trade off. I really like some aspects of it, while at the same time, I had difficulty fully sinking into the world and story. Instead, I felt like I was constantly analyzing and rethinking things, because of the approach.
Pages: 33
You Have Arrived at Your Destination by Amor TowlesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Brilliant and captivating. This is my favorite in the collection so far, and I've already read 5/6. It gives you a lot to think about, in terms of directions people take in life, while still having a solid sci-fi vibe about it. I thought the whole concept was quite clever and well-done.
Pages: 46
The Last Conversation by Paul TremblayMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
The ending was good. I found the rest tedious, but I will confess to my frequent difficulties with 2nd person POVs. It really takes me out of the story, rather than puts me in it. The last thing I want to think about while reading, an escape, is myself. So while I've read and liked one book in 2nd person, most of them are a struggle for me.
For this one, I kind of see why 2nd POV was selected, but not entirely. It was a gimmick that almost worked. The story would have been more readable if there had been an actual character to relate to, instead of the mythical "you" narrator.
Pages: 56
No comments:
Post a Comment