I genuinely don‘t know what will surpass Nutshell as the most trash book this year. It‘s set the bar pretty damn low 💩
#ReadingBracket2024 ➡️ @CSeydel
I genuinely don‘t know what will surpass Nutshell as the most trash book this year. It‘s set the bar pretty damn low 💩
#ReadingBracket2024 ➡️ @CSeydel
She loves boxes
First book of 2024! A sci-fi Hamlet retelling set in a locked down tech / pharmaceutical company as Hayden tries to get revenge after his father is found murdered. I really loved Horatio being an AI system in love with Hayden. I do wish Hayden had put on a show of madness a bit more because I love the question of what's real and what's not in the original play, but nonetheless a very fun and effective reimagining.
Hard for me to assess this book fairly because I loved certain elements, and that made me want more of them then might serve the chosen narrative. The thrust of the book feels like the Olivia character's coming to terms with her 'madness' and the Hamlet character coming to terms with his dissociative, self-destructive self-hatred:depression and suicidal ideation. Mental health is a major feature! 1/?
Em X. Liu‘s SF novel is a tech take on HAMLET that explores themes of mortality, fear, intimacy and revenge. Although I enjoyed how Liu updates Felicia (the Ophelia character), I wasn‘t gripped by the story and the fragmented style, while true to the underlying themes of the play, further distanced me from the story. Ultimately, this is a clever and thoughtful book but not one that vibes with me, although I‘d still check out Liu‘s other work.
Read this on my travels via train from Dearborn to Chicago. Clearly not an exhensive tome, but it was a good read to pass the trip. #43-2023