pickI'll rate it a pick for the scare value (the consequences of trading privacy and freedom for convenience under surveillance capitalism) and for daring to have a not especially sympathetic MC. But, oh, did it drag... right up until it got wind of the finish line, towards which it fairly galloped!
Maybe I've got the peri-menopausal rage-tinted spectacles on again, but isn't it also about how this economic culture depends on unpaid female labour?
May reads: 7 tense reads this month. Usually this month is my highest of the year, but due to my focus on my physical and mental health and a very busy time at work, it‘s a little low. Don‘t think I will make my yearly reading goals.
My favorite read has to be The Dream Hotel.
pickGreat read about possible future technologies of the future!
pick4 Stars • Yes, I do read non-fiction. Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari dives into humanity‘s next chapter. With hunger, sickness, and war mostly under control, we‘re now chasing eternal life, constant joy, and superhuman powers through tech like AI and gene editing. ⬇️
pickLalami's writing is sometimes a little obvious in its intentions, but this one plays with nuance a little better than The Other Americans, which I appreciate. It's definitely paranoia-inducing, so if you're reading fiction to avoid doomscrolling or if you don't want to look at your smart devices with suspicion, this might not be your best option. But aside from those caveats, I quite enjoyed this one.
I had a lovely time at the orchid exhibition at the botanic garden yesterday. It was a nice break from national news, unlike the tagged, which I started on audio. It seems pretty good, but I don't know if I'm in the right headspace to cope with the paranoia. (I also played at a piano recital and was so nervous that I pretty much blacked out during my performance, so I might need something lighter to read to help me even out.)
pickThousands of years into our future, an AI bonds w/ a young boy who is only trying to survive in his small town w/ his brother. & then the local wizard tries to force a specific story into happening.
I LOVE stealthy retellings. Arthurian characters get thrown into a blender w/ post apocalyptic science fantasy elements + your basic quest storyline. The pacing got a little wonky in the middle, but I loved Ariel & all the side characters.🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
pickWould you get an implant that would help you sleep? What if it tracked your dreams and rated you on your actions? What if your rating landed you in jail?
so-soI loved Sloan's earlier books but there was too much going on here for my tastes. I enjoy books featuring space travel, magic, AI, Arthurian themes and dragons, but not all at once. There were lots of clever moments but I found the book too chaotic.
#52bookclub25 (direction in the title)
#gottacatchemall (Drampa: child character) @PuddleJumper
