Goose
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Symbiosis (Escaping Exodus Duology #2) – Nicky Drayden
(sci-fi, creative, LGBT)
3.5/5
This is the second book in the Escaping Exodus duology and starts a few years after the first book finishes. The narrative splits between Seske, a main character of the first book and Doka, who we meet in the first book. The storyline follows as both Seske and Doka try to re-build their world after convincing their people to live in harmony with the beast whose body they inhabit instead of taking everything from it until it eventually dies.
I found that I preferred Symbiosis to Escaping Exodus as I found I was able to keep track of what was going on better, perhaps because I was already familiar with the concepts within the story.
Over all I would recommend this duology as it has been one of the most creative and unique sci-fi concepts I have read so far.
Opening line: My hands throb, pricked with dozens of splinters of my own doing.
Format: ebook
336 pages
Published in 2021
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A Closed and Common Orbit (The Wayfarers Series #2) – Becky Chambers
(space-opera, sci-fi, found family)
4/5
Its very exciting for me to feel like I may have found a favourite author, this is only the second book of Chambers that I have read but I think there is a high possibility she is going to turn into an auto-buy author for me!
A Closed and Common Orbit (ACCO) is the second book in the Wayfarer series. Although this is a series the books don’t follow on from each other in the way a series typically would. This book is set directly after The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and although some of the characters feature in the first book, we are following a completely different story line. This story follows Sidra (formally Lovelace), a spacecraft AI who has recently been uploaded into an illegal body kit. We accompany Sidra as she tries to navigate the world and get used to the opportunities, as well as the limitations this new body gives her. We also get to learn about her companion Pepper and the difficult start she had in life.
As with the first book in the series, ACCO is not particularly plot driven however I feel that enough happens to keep it interesting. The character development is the main focus as well as discovering the alien world the story is set in. I really enjoyed further learning about the universe Chambers has created and getting to explore a new part of it with Sidra. A lot of the world building is done trough conversations between characters which I really liked.
If it wasn’t obvious, I would highly recommend this series, particularly if you are looking for a character driven space opera story. I can wait to read the next one!
Opening line: Lovelace had been in a body for twenty-eight minutes, and it still felt every bit as wrong as it had the second she woke up inside it.
Format: print
365 pages
Published in 2016
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Summer Frost (Forward Collection) – Blake Crouch
(futuristic, technology, human connection)
3.5/5
This book is about a video game developer Riley who discovers that Max, an NCP (non-playable character) in a video game has become intelligent and begins to veer off her coded path. They extract the character and begin running tests to examine and discover more about Max. The story follows Riley and Max as their relationship develops.
Summer Frost examines what it means to be a human being and how that distinction can easily become blurred when emotions and passion are involved. I really enjoyed the character development in this book, there are very few characters which allows for the few that are to be fuller and more vibrant. Even though this is a short story we still get a good sense of who Riley is and what is important to her.
This is the third book I have read from the forward collection and I would definitely say that it is my favourite so far. I thoroughly enjoy stories about futuristic times but that also have a meaningful message attached. I think it would make an excellent Black Mirror episode!
Opening line: I watched her steal the Maserati twenty minutes ago in broad daylight from the Fairmont Hotel.
Format: ebook
75 pages
Published in 2019
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Coraline – Neil Gaiman
(creepy, middle-grade, fantasy)
4.5/5
I really, really enjoyed this book. It is quick and straight to the point, and although I usually prefer books with lots of description, I think the action focussed style of the story really worked. Coraline is a story about a young girl who discovers a door in her families new flat, through the door is a replication of her home along with an ‘other mother’. There is something definitely off about this ‘other’ place and Coraline must stay brave and determined in order to escape from it.
Gaiman does a fantastic job a creating a disturbing and dark atmosphere without being too in your face horror. There are subtle elements and details to the story, like the descriptions of the other mothers’ hands, or the unnerving rats that are just so creepy and stick with you after you finish the book.
Although it is written like a middle-grade, there are definitely themes that, as an adult you pick up on. Therefore I would encourage all ages to read it, however it is pretty dark and so may not be appropriate for young readers to read without an adult.
Opening line: Coraline discovered the door a little wile after they moved into the house.
Format: ebook
176 pages
Published in 2002
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The Wicker King – K. Ancrum
(YA, mental health, friendship)
2.75/5
I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I love that this book is about two young people who try their best to get through a difficult situation when they are let down by all the people in their lives who are supposed to care for them and guide them. However, on the other hand the undying devotion between the two main characters, August and Jack I just found too much and would even go so far as to say I found it cringy! I also found that the teenagers depicted in the book were a bit unrealistic, I didn’t really feel that they were accurate as the what real teenagers are like.
Jack begins to see vivid hallucinations of a magical world all around him and August decides to go along with these visions and to help Jack fulfil a quest to save this fantasy world. To be honest, not a lot really happens, I was a bit disappointed as I felt that that the book was presented as a fantasy however this is definitely not the case. Jack’s world is described occasionally however the story is from August’s point of view and therefore we don’t actually get to experience the fantasy world.
I was uneasy with the depictions of mental illness, how someone should support a loved one going through mental illness, the romanticisation of co-dependent relationships and psychiatric hospitals within the book, and although it may have been a reflection of how the characters were feeling, I think it can be harmful to refer to and depict these topics in some of the ways that they were in this book.
Having said all that, I would recommend this book as I feel that everyone will have a different take away from it. I think I had too high expectations and was therefore disappointed. One thing that was really nice was that the book contains documents, drawings and unusual pages and so I would recommend reading a hard copy rather than an e-book/audio book as you are unlikely to get the full effect of it in these formats.
Opening line: They were thirteen the first time they broke into the toy factory.
Format: print
305 pages
Published in 2017
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Rabbits – Terry Miles
(conspiracies, mystery, mind-bending)
3.75/5
Rabbits is the unofficial name of a potentially dangerous game where you find clues by following the connections. The connections can be seen in every day life but only those looking for them are likely to spot them. No one openly talks about the game and there is a lot of mystery surrounding who is controlling it. K and his friends are deeply involved in the game and the story follows them as they become more and more immersed into the world of Rabbits.
The book went in directions that I was not expecting which meant that I found myself not wanting to put it down, I couldn’t predict what was going to happen. There did at times seem to be events/discoveries in the story that I felt kind of lost relevance by the end of the book however I didn’t feel like this detracted from the story over all. There is a part of me that would have liked the story to have gone in a different direction, however the conclusion that we do get I still felt was a satisfying one.
I don’t want to say too much as I think the experience is better if you go into it with little knowledge, but I would liken it to Donnie Darko, so if you like that film then you will probably enjoy this book.
Opening line: “What do you know about the game?”
Format: ebook
432 pages
Published in 2021
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Roxy – Neal Shusterman
(creative, mental health, touching)
5/5
Roxy follows a brother and sister as they both struggle with addiction to prescription medications. The unusual element of the story is that all drugs are personified as ‘Gods’ and they each have the characteristics of the drug they represent. Only the people under the influence of the drug can see and interact with them and we observe how their influence leads our protagonists into dark and dangerous places. This aspect was cleverly done and it depicted well how when someone becomes addicted its almost as if the addiction speaks to them and pushes them to become dependent.
This book was under the sci-fi genre on good reads however it did not really feel like a sci-fi, it felt mostly contemporary with a mythological edge what with the drugs being God-like, presiding over humankind and inflicting their will upon them.
The two main drugs being discussed in this book are Adderall, used to treat and manage ADHD, and OxyContin, a pain relief drug. It is a difficult topic to tackle as these drugs can often be villainised in our society even though they can be life saving for sufferers, however I do think Shusterman presented the topic sensitively and respectfully, whilst highlighting the very real problem of people unfortunately becoming addicted to their medications. In no way are the two characters in the story made out to be delinquents who were looking to abuse drugs. My only issue with the inclusion of ADHD medication in this book is that, as there is already stigma against it and those who take it, I do think caution needs to be used when depicting these treatments. I take medication for ADHD myself and had real hesitations starting it as I had read/heard how it quickly it can make you feel 'wired'. This has not been my experience at all (not to say that this isn't the case for others) and has in fact been life changing, and so I worry that even sensitively done depictions of these drugs in this way could lead to people being hesitant in seeking the help they need. I appreciate the storyline required the characters to experience something from the medications they were taking however I just don't want this to be the only information and depictions out there.
Coincidently, I ended up watching a drama on Disney+ called ‘Dopesick’ which follows the release and marketing of OxyContin (which was controversial) and the following opioid epidemic in parts of America. It was really interesting to watch this alongside reading Roxy as it gave me some historical context of the issue (I am not American and therefore didn’t have much knowledge on the topic).
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it but with some warnings attached. The book openly talks about subjects including: addiction, drug use and mis-use, self-harm, overdose, mental illness, injury, and other related topics.
Opening line: I am no superhero.
Format: ebook
384 pages
Published in 2021
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Emergency Skin (Forward Collection) – N. K. Jemisin
(speculative, short-story, political)
3/5
This is the second short story I have read from this collection. Emergency Skin follows a soldier who returns to an abandoned Earth on a mission to recover something. The soldier is guided by an AI implanted in their mind. The perspective that the story is written from is interesting, the reader is positioned as the solider and therefore we are only communicated to by the AI, we are not given the response of the soldier.
The story touches on subjects surrounding greed and the desire for perfection. A government that only values people for what they can offer to society and rejects and disposes of those that take up resources.
Over all I enjoyed this short story, I would say equally as much as the first book I read from the collection (You Have Arrived at your Destination).
Opening line: You are our instrument.
Format: ebook
38 pages
Published in 2019
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On 30/11/2021 at 9:17 AM, Athena said:
I loved The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet too, I'm glad you adored it as well! Yes, it is more character driven, very different from most of the science-fiction I had read prior to reading this book. I have read the first 3 books in the series and so far enjoyed the first one the most. I'm waiting for a medium size paperback release of the 4th book, which I'm really looking forward to read once I can (pre)order the medium paperback with the same cover as to match my other 3 books.
So glad to hear somone shares in my appreciation for the book! I'm looking forward to reading the rest but am holding off purchasing any until after Christmas incase I receive any of them as a gift. If not then I know what I'll be spending my money on next year! I also have Chambers' other series, Monk & Robot on my TBR which sounds interesting.
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The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (The Wayfarers Series #1) – Becky Chambers
(Sci-fi, found family, space opera)
5/5
I adored this book; I would even be so bold as to say that I think it is a new favourite of mine!
The story follows a motley crew aboard a space ship called the Wayfarer as they travel through space to complete a job. The group is made up of multiple species from different planets all over the universe. My favourite aspect of the book was learning about all the different species and planets. Chambers has done a fantastic job at creating a detailed world, every species feels important and all their histories, politics and cultures are so well thought out. I really think that movies could be made based in this universe.
There is a plot running through the book however it is more of character driven as opposed to plot driven. Every character is important to the storyline and we really get to know and love each one. I have steered away from more character driven books in the past as I always thought I’d find them too slow paced, however I was so pleasantly surprised with this one. The space opera side of it blew me away and it has left me wanting to read more stories based in this universe. Luckily there are more books in the series, as far as I have gathered, they are all individual stories set in the same universe and I will definitely be reading more soon!
Opening line: As she woke up in the pod, she remembered three things.
Format: ebook
518 pages
Published in 2014
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On 21/11/2021 at 5:20 PM, lunababymoonchild said:
I took note of this ages ago and it's just occurred to me that it might be useful to you as suggestions.
https://www.bookscrolling.com/the-best-dystopian-books-of-all-time/
Thanks so much!! ☺☺
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2 hours ago, Athena said:
I just ordered this for myself on Sunday!
I'm glad you enjoyed this one! Muggle Not has been reading books in this series and he's been enjoying them too. I have them on my Kindle wishlist, I'll buy them at some point and read them, I think I will like them too
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So glad the hear you've order Sad Ghost Club, its such a sweet and simple story but manages to get it just right. The illustrations are lovely too 😊
I like that they are all individual stories that you can dip into whenever you feel like it
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On 03/11/2021 at 3:01 PM, muggle not said:
36. you Have Arrived at Your Destination - Amor Towles - 4/5
I've just read this one too! Really liked the concept and could of read a whole novel about it
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Tender is the Flesh – Agustina Bazterrica
(dystopian, disturbing, horror)
3.5/5
Tender is the Flesh is set in a time when a virus has eradicated all animals accept humans and therefore in order to satisfy peoples urge to eat meat they have began to farm and slaughter humans. The people that are eaten have been completely dehumanised to the point that they are no longer called humans, rather ‘heads’ in order to desensitise people from what they are actually eating.
We follow Marcos who works at a processing plant where the slaughtering takes place, he has recently lost his infant son and his wife has left because of this. I found Marcos a difficult character to work out however in my opinion the ending was very revealing as to his true character.
It was a very bleak and disturbing read with a lot of details of the farming and slaughtering process as well as how people have become animalistic in the way they view each other. I would recommend it if this sort of thing doesn’t bother you as it was definitely thought-provoking and I certainly haven’t come across any other books willing to lay a topic out like this so bluntly!
Opening line: Carcass.
Format: ebook
209 pages
Published in 2017
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You Have Arrived at Your Destination (Forward Collection) – Amor Towles
(dystopian, short story, thought-provoking)
3.5/5
This is a short story set in a time when people can essentially choose what their child will be like. A fertility lab allows you to select certain traits to be more pronounced and others to be less so in order to determine aspects of the child's personality, temperament and intelligence. Parents can even view simulations of what different variations of their child may be like depending on what profile they chose.
I really love the concept of this story and felt that it was explained really well. It also raises the concept of ‘playing god’, and if this is something that can really be beneficial or not.
I would have loved to have read a whole novel based on this concept, one where we actually get to see the choice the character makes and how this effects the child as it grows up. I did find the second half of the book a little less intriguing, it kind of felt a bit separate from the first half however overall, I enjoyed it. Id like to read some more books from this collection at some point.
Opening line: It had been years since Sam had been this far out on the express way.
Format: ebook
54 pages
Published in 2019
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Ecotopia – Ernest Callenbach
(speculative, environmental, political)
2.25/5
The book is based on a fictional place called Ecotopia which used to be an area in America but is now independent and separately governed. The main character William goes on a journalistic assignment to discover and report back all he can about this place that outsides know little about. Ecotopia has made drastic changes to their society and ways of life in order to live in a less environmentally damaging way.
The book is written part diary entries of William’s and part official columns. The columns are extremely informative and therefore we are given lots of insight into the country of Ecotopia and how they live. It did however make it feel a little like you were reading a report (which I guess it is really) rather than a fictional novel. These sections did become a bit of an information overload at times, particularly in areas that I have little knowledge and interest in, i.e., economics and therefore I did find these parts a bit of a drag. The diary entries were where the storyline was held and where we got to know the characters a bit more, these were the bits I enjoyed the most.
Overall, I did like this book although not as much as I first thought I would but this is mostly because I wasn’t aware of the style in which it was written and therefore, I wasn’t expecting there to be very little storyline. One thing that did frustrate me was that all the female characters where pretty sexualised, I don’t think there were any where comments about their attractiveness was not mentioned.
Opening line: The Times-Post is at last able to announce that William Weston, our top international affairs reporter, will spend six weeks in Ecotopia, beginning next week.
Format: ebook
181 pages
Published in 1975
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The Sad Ghost Club – Lize Meddings
(graphic novel, mental health, touching)
5/5
All I will say about this book is that if you have ever suffered from anxiety and/or depression, read it. It touched on such specific aspects of the disorders that it is probably one of the most authentic representations I think I have ever read.
Everyone’s experience is different, but for me this certainly hit home.
Opening line: For anyone who's ever felt like a sad ghost.
Format: print
208 pages
Published in 2021
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Divided Kingdom – Rupert Thomson
(dystopian, political, speculative)
1.75/5
Divided Kingdom is set in the UK but it is very different to the one we know. In an effort to manage the countries racism and violence the government has split the population into four independent regions based on their personality types. The groups are defined by the ancient medical concept of humourism, people are split into four temperaments, sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic. The book follows Thomas through his life as he navigates this world.
This was an annoyingly frustrating book. I was drawn to it as the concept really intrigued me and I liked the idea of people being categorised based on psychological factors. For a majority of the book however there was little direction and eventually it just kind of ends. I found it hard to understand the decisions Thomas was making and they seemed a bit random. There are secondary characters that are relevant for a period of time and then just disappear making it feel like there are lots of loose ends left hanging. There is also an element towards the end of the story that just does not make sense and feels like it is just added in in order the create a ‘resolution’.
Overall, I was very disappointed with this book, especially as I found the idea so interesting, so much more could have been done with it.
Opening line: There were men in my room, and it was bright, too bright, and I was being lifted out of bed.
Format: ebook
352 pages
Published in 2005
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7 hours ago, Athena said:
The Choice and The Unit both sound like interesting concepts! Nice reviews
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Both good reads, The Unit was particularly interesting and different to other novels I have read in the same genre.
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The Unit – Ninni Holmqvist
(dystopian, speculative, human connection)
3.5/5
The story is set in a time where people are split into two groups, ‘needed’ and ‘dispensable’. Once a person reaches a certain age and has no children or is not in an occupation that is considered important then they are sent to a ‘Unit’. The Unit, also called a Reserve Bank Unit for Biological Material is where dispensable people go in order for their organs to be harvested. The story follows Dorrit who moves into the unit when she reaches her 50th birthday.
Something that really intrigued me about this story was that the idea of these people donating their bodies was a lot more intricate than I had first realised. Although ultimately the they are there to donate their organs, in the mean time until they make their ‘final donation’ they partake in various studies that range from testing medications to the impacts of certain factors on the body. The studies can have serious health implications on them however this is deemed okay as they are dispensable people.
It’s not a particularly uplifting story for obvious reasons and overall not much actually happens but I really enjoyed it as it explored the concept of people being ‘profitable’ to society and how those that aren’t are treated.
Opening line: It was more comfortable than I could have imagined.
Format: ebook
268 pages
Published in 2006
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The Choice – Claire Wade
(dystopian, political, rebellion)
3.5/5
The Choice follows the main character Olivia who lives in a time when the government heavily controls aspects of people’s lives, in particular diet and exercise, in an effort to maintain health and eradicate illnesses. You can’t trust anyone as you never know who might report you to the authorities for suspicion of illegal activity, such as baking a cake and as a result you could be forced to spend a day in a ‘shame box’ or worse.
There is a lot of detail within the story about what measures the government have in place to control people, things such as regulation size glasses and plates to ensure people are not consuming more than instructed, their bins being able to track everything that they dispose of and your meal choices at a restaurant being recorded. Wade has done a good job of creating the atmosphere of the story, you really get the sense of the hopelessness and fear that they live.
This book was an interesting take on the over-bearing government trope and overall, I think it worked and I enjoyed the book.
Opening line: It was impossible to ignore the Shame Box.
Format: ebook
368 pages
Published in 2019
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On 10/18/2021 at 8:23 AM, tracy18 said:
I truly enjoyed this review of The Giver!! I just re read it couple of weeks ago with my younger child. Your description especially reminded me of this particular reading of the theme of memories in the book. I also loved your honesty about not feeling like finishing the series!
Thank you very much
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22 hours ago, Athena said:
I have the Arc of a Scythe trilogy on my TBR, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Escaping Exodus sounds good and sounds like a book I might enjoy, so I'm putting it on my wishlist.
They are both definitely worth a read 🙂
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Escaping Exodus (Escaping Exodus Duology #1) – Nicky Drayden
(sci-fi, space opera, LGBT)
3.5/5
Escaping Exodus is one of the most unique sci-fi books I have read so far. The story is set in a time when humans have fled earth and now live within giant space beasts. They capture a beast, make its body there home for a few decades until the beast eventually dies and they are forced to find a new beast to live in. The tale alternates between two main characters, Seske who is the daughter of the current ruling Matris and Adalla, a beast worker. These two characters have a strong connection but their different statuses in life mean they cannot be together. The story follows them as they change and develop as individuals and how this effects their relationship.
The world that Drayden has created is so interesting and creative, with lots of details and world building. I particularly like the scenes with the heart workers who have the important task of ensuring the heart is running at optimum level and acting quickly to fix any problems. Although it seems far-fetched to have civilisations living within another living beast, Drayden has managed to make it feel realistic and believable.
An aspect of the story that I really liked and one that drew me to the book in the first place is that it pushes against many racial and gender norms as well as featuring LGBT relationships. Seske and Adalla’s civilisation are all people of colour and women are in command. There are parts that directly challenge aspect of our society, for example ’being the only male in the accountancy guard was taking its toll. The stories he’s told us haven’t been pretty. A lot of harassment and crude jokes’ and ‘I can’t imagine how their people could find the trust to allow a male to lead an entire civilisation’. I think these topics were really nicely presented, it didn’t feel over emphasised, rather just accept factors of the story, particularly the LGBT element, it was just the norm of their society.
There were some points of the story that I felt jumped forward in time which made me feel a bit like I had missed things. Sometimes major plot points that had had a fair amount of build-up were skipped over when the event finally came around. Seske and Adalla change quite a bit and there were times that I felt I missed out on their character development and progression.
Over all however I really enjoyed this book. There is a second one which I have bought and look forward to reading at some point.
Opening line: Our family's stasis pod seems impenetrable as I rub my hand over the inner surface, looking for the exit seam.
Format: ebook
300 pages
Published in 2019
A Dystopian World - Ongoing Blog
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Posted · Edited by Goose
The Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon
(fantasy, epic, religious)
3.5/5
The Priory of the Orange Tree is a fantasy story featuring queendoms, magic, pirates and dragons. The book follows four characters, Loth the close friend of a queen sent on a perilous journey, Ead a mage tasked with protecting the queen, Niclays a bitter alchemist who can’t seem to avoid trouble and Tane a young girl who dreams of becoming a dragon rider. We follow their separate storylines and see how their fates eventually entangle.
There were some narratives that I preferred more than others but overall, I really enjoyed the book, it felt very epic and reminded me of The Lord of the Rings. There are a lot of political and in particular religious focusses within the book and we learn how this has divided the world. I enjoyed learning about the different cultures and their relationships and conflicts with each other.
Sometimes I can find high fantasy books daunting and worry that I am not going to understand them but, although very detailed and intricate I found that I was able to easily grasp the storyline. There is a map at the front of the book which was useful for referencing and there is also a glossary and information about the different characters at the back of the book, which I didn’t find out till after I had finished!
I did find that personally this book was slightly too long, I have realised that anything over about 500-600 pages is just a bit much for me. I enjoy the excitement of starting a new book and the satisfaction of finishing one too much that I find myself just itching to finish towards the end when it comes to longer books. Overall though I would highly recommend this book if you like epic fantasies with lots of adventure.
Opening line: The stranger came out of the sea like a water ghost, barefoot and wearing the scars of his journey.
Format: print
848 pages
Published in 2019