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The Electric State
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
A teen girl and her robot embark on a cross-country mission in this illustrated science fiction story, perfect for fans of Ready Player One and Black Mirror. In late 1997, a runaway teenager and her small yellow toy robot travel west through a strange American landscape where the ruins of gigantic battle drones litter the countryside, along with the discarded trash of a high-tech consumerist society addicted to a virtual-reality system. As they approach the edge of the continent, the world outside the car window seems to unravel at an ever faster pace, as if somewhere beyond the horizon, the hollow core of civilization has finally caved in.
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TieDyeDude
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Mehso-so

A pretty interesting story with gorgeous art. Drops you right in the middle of the tale. If you don't like ambiguity, you won't like this. A VR headset causes societal collapse, but some areas still function, but the machine may be evolving, but none of that matters to the protagonist, so you don't get the full story. Excellent art and world building, though.

Kenyazero I found this in a used book store a few years ago and almost bought it but it was pretty expensive... I didn't know anything about it, but it looked absolutely beautiful. 1y
32 likes1 comment
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RaeLovesToRead
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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#12booksof2022

My July pick goes to The Electric State, an understated, illustrated short story that I remember more for its beauty than its plot.

I've added the other books to my TBR but they are quite pricey and I'm supposed to be doing a #nobuy2023 (with exceptions 😇😉). The artwork is stunning. Check it out.

vivastory #nobuy2023 (I'm sorry, I don't understand these words 😅) 1y
43 likes1 comment
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RaeLovesToRead
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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These pictures don't do the artwork justice, but you can see the eerie, chilling beauty of the illustrations...

Stunning 💙

50 likes2 stack adds
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RaeLovesToRead
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

The Electric State is a short story told in illustrated form about a young woman's journey across the American landscape with her small yellow robot, Skip.

Most of the "plot" is implied or drip-fed to us as she makes her way through this dystopian alternative reality.

The story doesn't add up to much, but the illustrations are on a par with some of the most gorgeous concept art I've seen.

Breathtakingly stunning artwork makes it â­â­â­â­ 4 stars.

Branwen Ooooh this looks breathtaking! 2y
54 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ljmcm
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
Pickpick

A masterpiece. Reading Electric State was an experience unlike reading any other work of science fiction. Not because it‘s well written and immaculately illustrated. But because of the balance between these two elements. At times the narrative stops and absorbing Electric State is an aesthetic experience. Taking it in, with glass of wine in hand, was absolute pleasure. Any child of the 80s who enjoys dystopian science fiction must read this.

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thestarlesscasea
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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What I read in December 2020, closing out the year strong, especially on the graphic novel front. Least favorite was A Boy Called Christmas. Favorites were The Electric State; The Low, Low Woods; Heartstopper; Murder Mysteries; The Right Swipe; You Brought Me the Ocean; and This Winter. Bloom was a reread I may have loved even more the second time around. 💙

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thestarlesscasea
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

This book destroyed me. The artwork is haunting and gorgeous, and the story is unique and left just ambiguous enough without being totally incomprehensible. There's even a tragic queer story in here. I cried through the last twenty or so pages. I'm so glad I read this, and also damn you, Simon Stålenhag, you've wrecked me. If you're looking for stunning visuals and a devastating, character-driven dystopian sci-fi story, this is probably for you.

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thestarlesscasea
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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"You're having trouble reconciling...the fact that all that is you, all your thoughts and experiences and knowledge and taste and opinions,...exist inside your cranium. So you tend not to dwell on [it],...satisfied with a fuzzy image of a gaseous, transparent Something floating around in an undefined void. Maybe you don't even put it into words, but we both know that you're thinking about an archetypical soul. You believe in an invisible ghost."

Soubhiville I absolutely love his illustrations! 3y
Soubhiville I had to go to Lesley‘s yesterday so I gave her Flamer and Captain Ginger 2... she said she thought she‘d finish Flamer by this weekend to pass to you. 3y
7 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Lindy
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

An unsettling alternate history set in 1997, with America‘s citizens enthralled to virtual reality and suffering the aftermath of neurological warfare. 18-year-old Michelle is on a road trip mission with her sentient robot, surrounded by eerie additions to the Mojave dessert & mountain landscapes on their way to the Pacific. This oversized illustrated novel has amazing artwork across double pages. Surreal, creepy & beautiful. #graphicnovel

saresmoore This sounds incredible! How do you find these books, Lindy? 5y
Lindy @saresmoore 🤷â€â™€ï¸I can‘t remember where I heard of this. I think it was on a list of somebody‘s favourite graphica, but maybe it was here on Litsy. 5y
50 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Lindy
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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The illustrations in this science fiction novel are outstanding.

42 likes1 stack add
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Lindy
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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…it turned out to be some kind of shooting range, and all the ducks were riddled with impacts from various kinds of large-caliber rounds.

valeriegeary This is a cool picture 5y
Lindy @valeriegeary Agreed! There‘s something startling every time you turn the page. (edited) 5y
twohectobooks This reminds me of the giant duck that was floating around Toronto a few years ago. 5y
Lindy @twohectobooks Oh yeah! I had forgotten about that. 5y
36 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Lindy
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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A dog stood between two tree trunks, a lonely little white chihuahua. It was wearing a tiny coat and was trembling and looking at us with its ears pointing straight up.

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Soubhiville
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

This is a really cool illustrated novella or maybe short story about a girl traveling cross country with her droid sidekick, Skip.

Virtual reality has bypassed TV as Americans‘ favorite pastime. And it turns out to be heavily addictive.

These illustrations are incredibly realistic, and this is a dark tale of a strange land that‘s actually pretty easy to see current technology creeping towards.

Eyelit Yes!!!! 5y
70 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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mreads
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

Pretty good story but some amazing artwork in this illustrated sci fi story of a teenage girl and a robot on a cross country trip through a desolate post apocalyptic northwest America.

BooknerdsLife Wow! Those artworks illustrations look Amazing! 😱😠5y
41 likes1 stack add1 comment
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EliNeedsMoreShelves
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

Part graphic novel, part dystopian coming-of-age, with a sprinkle of "The Road" thrown in for good measure....this was unlike anything I'd ever read before, and I really enjoyed it.

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glitterkitty459
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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A #blameitonlitsy pick!! Saw this one at the library and remembered seeing it on here.
This book is huge! Can't really tell from the picture but it's like coffee table book sized

I wouldn't say I actually understood the story all that much, but I adored the pictures and the setting- alternate 1990s with ominous technology.
And I see the author has other books I need to check out!!

Gina I loved this. I took it to show what happens to societies who live completely by their obsessions. They stop eating, and caring about the real world to the detriment of all. 5y
readordierachel This looks interesting! 5y
71 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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Eyelit
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

I was not expecting this book to be half as haunting (or eerily beautiful) as it turned out. Recommended by a slight acquaintance ages ago, I finally picked it up from the library this week. It bowled me over with its simple yet spare story. The art is amazing. I highly recommend this one.
(Side note, the timing of this read could not be better as it‘s very reminiscent of Black Mirror, and I just finished binging that series this week)

JazzFeathers Is this that Swedish artist who paint retrofuturistic SF images inspired by the 1980s? 5y
Eyelit @JazzFeathers I believe so, yes! 5y
JazzFeathers @Eyelit l stumbled upon his work a few years ago. Amazing stuff. 5y
DivineDiana Dreamlike image! 5y
66 likes6 stack adds4 comments
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Eyelit
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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I had a serious case of magpie grabby hands while volunteering at the library today... I ended bringing home quite the assortment of books! 💚📚😂 #libraryhaul #canthelpmyselfsometimes

readordierachel ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ 5y
72 likes1 comment
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SkeletonKey
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Currently reading before work.

The art in this book is amazing. Atmospheric, dystopian, quiet and haunting.

#illustratednovel #scifi

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NotCool
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

Beautiful and strange

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Gina
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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The creepy factor is high in this book.

#1984 #BRAVENEWWORLD

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Gina
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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This book is so bizzare and I am loving it!

#1984 #BRAVENEWWORLD

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Gina
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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So this startled me when I turned the page...

#1984 #BRAVENEWWORLD

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Gina
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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♡♡♡

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Gina
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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When art and books collide...♡♡♡

#1984 #BRAVENEWWORLD

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BruceWalken
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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BruceWalken
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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This book is incredible. So beautifully illustrated but such a great story to. 100 percent worth a read 🙂

TobeyTheScavengerMonk I‘ve been intrigued by this but I wasn‘t sure if the story would be as high quality as the art. 5y
BruceWalken I thought the story was great. It‘s like a novella I guess and you can probably guess the end but I found combined with the art it was really touching 5y
7 likes2 comments
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Godseybam
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pickpick

Omg that ending! Those illustrations!!! Stalenhag‘s imagination is wonderful, terrifying, and meaningful.

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The.Intentional.Reader
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Pretty cool book and idea. Can definitely see the future this is talking about

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AMVP
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Getting my holiday shopping done. This one goes to a good friend who I'm fairly sure doesn't follow me on here.

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Liberty
The Electric State | Simon Stålenhag
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Morning reading. 🤖â¤ï¸ðŸ“š

85 likes1 stack add