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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
I picked up this book because I was intrigued that it won a science fiction book of the year award and because I liked another book by the author.
2312 is an odd book. It's unlike other science fiction I've read: it's not a thriller, it doesn't really do much world-building, it doesn't get lost in technical, (exo)biological, or medical details. It's not a page-turner, but I found it odd and engaging enough to keep going.
If I had to label 2312, it's more like a character study than anything else. The novel follows a rather un-relatable heroine, Swan, as she follows a loved one's last message that turns into a mild mystery - I say mild because she doesn't pursue answers with any particular intensity. In fact, she doesn't pursue anything with much intensity. Swan is a creature of impulse and little introspection who seems to lurch from one situation or whim to the next.
Swan does develop somewhat over the course of the novel, and some unusual chapters (unexplained lists, excerpts of what I think is supposed to be understood as reference material, etc) are, I suspect, intended to convey some broader message about what it means to be human. Unfortunately, this message was too obtuse for me to grasp.
I finished this book for three reasons. The first is that I enjoyed the descriptions of planets, moons, and asteroids that set the scene for different events. They struck me as realistic and well researched, and I've always enjoyed planetary astronomy. Next, Robinson has a poetic writing style that I like to read even when I don't quite understand what he's doing. Third, since I didn't hate the book as some other reviewers have - I merely found it it odd - I kept reading out of pure curiosity to see what would happen next. (If the characters or plot line has become truly disagreeable, I would have put 2312 down.)
2312 is an unusual book with some interesting devices and ideas. It won't make my top 100, but it might inaugurate some trends in the world of scifi. It certainly was original.
2312 is an odd book. It's unlike other science fiction I've read: it's not a thriller, it doesn't really do much world-building, it doesn't get lost in technical, (exo)biological, or medical details. It's not a page-turner, but I found it odd and engaging enough to keep going.
If I had to label 2312, it's more like a character study than anything else. The novel follows a rather un-relatable heroine, Swan, as she follows a loved one's last message that turns into a mild mystery - I say mild because she doesn't pursue answers with any particular intensity. In fact, she doesn't pursue anything with much intensity. Swan is a creature of impulse and little introspection who seems to lurch from one situation or whim to the next.
Swan does develop somewhat over the course of the novel, and some unusual chapters (unexplained lists, excerpts of what I think is supposed to be understood as reference material, etc) are, I suspect, intended to convey some broader message about what it means to be human. Unfortunately, this message was too obtuse for me to grasp.
I finished this book for three reasons. The first is that I enjoyed the descriptions of planets, moons, and asteroids that set the scene for different events. They struck me as realistic and well researched, and I've always enjoyed planetary astronomy. Next, Robinson has a poetic writing style that I like to read even when I don't quite understand what he's doing. Third, since I didn't hate the book as some other reviewers have - I merely found it it odd - I kept reading out of pure curiosity to see what would happen next. (If the characters or plot line has become truly disagreeable, I would have put 2312 down.)
2312 is an unusual book with some interesting devices and ideas. It won't make my top 100, but it might inaugurate some trends in the world of scifi. It certainly was original.
Gave up on this 50% through.
I hated all of the characters, and I didn't care for the plot. ALSO, jesus, what was with the random encyclopedia entries between every scene. Like, we get it, the future is awesome. But none of it is anything groundbreaking... it's all stuff we've seen before. Show me some interesting characters doing interesting things in this world of yours, and maybe I'll care.
Anyway. Too many hippies, I couldn't keep reading.
I hated all of the characters, and I didn't care for the plot. ALSO, jesus, what was with the random encyclopedia entries between every scene. Like, we get it, the future is awesome. But none of it is anything groundbreaking... it's all stuff we've seen before. Show me some interesting characters doing interesting things in this world of yours, and maybe I'll care.
Anyway. Too many hippies, I couldn't keep reading.
There's so much info dumping. Other reviews say that this does not get better. Also at 15% I should be seeing some plot. I couldn't tell you anything about the main character or the world yet that isn't covered in the summary. Just not what I'm looking to read right now! Maybe if I didn't have such a long TBR I'd be more generous.
I wanted to love this book, as Robinson is a genius, and at times I found it brilliant. The characters are interesting and unfold in a truly intriguing manner. The historical sweep of the universe is really shown off in this book too and a love the bits of future science explaining terraforming and the like. I could have done without the lists personally although I see their poetic function. They just weren't my thing personally. But overall the story just never grabbed me. I wanted it to and I want to say it did because intellectually I admire this story greatly. But for some unfathomably reason likely due to a defect in my own situation or makeup I never found myself wanting to keep reading. I didn't dread it, mind you, I just didn't get that pull of excitement I get from other books. That said if you want good scifi with compelling characters this is an excellent place to find them.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
In "2312" humanity has mostly moved off-world due to extreme climate change. The solar system is being terra-formed, or "Geo-Formed". Plants and animals are living in hollowed out asteroids --space terrariums and zoos. Robinson's vision and the science behind his writing is solid. Gender and sexuality is fluid. "2312" is essentially a love story filled with both catastrophe and hope. Author of the "Mars Trilogy", Robinson has kept his long gaze toward humanity's future intact.
En 2312, l’humanité n’est plus confinée qu’à la planète Terre, et de nombreuses diasporas sont établies sur Mercure, Mars, Vénus, et les Lunes de Saturne et Jupiter. Les progrès en termes de médecine, ingénierie et informatique ont permis des avancées telles que des vaisseaux de transport, les traitements de longévité, la terraformation, ou les ordinateurs quantiques. Et en cette année 2312, une série d’évènements va possiblement changer, une nouvelle fois, la face du monde des Hommes.
Ah, Kim. Tu m’as tant faite souffrir avec ta trilogie de Mars, et rêver avec Aurora. Avec 2312, tu me fais un mélange des deux sommes toutes agréable sur le moment, mais à la réflexion, qui me donne matière à penser. 2312 ne se lie pas tant comme un roman (à la Aurora) que comme une histoire future alternative (à la Red Mars). Nous avons certes un personnage principal, Swan (qui est franchement énervante, donnez un prozac à cette femme), et une trame de roman (sa grand-mère vient de mourir, et sa bouscule beaucoup d’évènements), mais le livre se lit tout autant comme un pamphlet sur les travers de l’homme et ses succès (la Terre polluée et abandonnée par le reste, Mars renfermée et utopiste, la Lune sous le joug de la Terre, mais aussi, les terraria qui sauvent la biodiversité, les terraformations grandioses, etc). C’est une lecture intéressante – si on met de côté les extraits et les listes, qui font tâche dans la narration, bien que certains extraits, plus dans la hard sf, soient sympathiques, et expliquent les challenges de la colonisation spatiale.
En définitive, un livre intéressant, même si, comme souvent j’ai l’impression en SF moderne, le style est sacrifié au profit du world building, où on veut clairement mettre toutes les informations possibles pour montrer à quel point on est créatif, mettant de côté la narration …
Ah, Kim. Tu m’as tant faite souffrir avec ta trilogie de Mars, et rêver avec Aurora. Avec 2312, tu me fais un mélange des deux sommes toutes agréable sur le moment, mais à la réflexion, qui me donne matière à penser. 2312 ne se lie pas tant comme un roman (à la Aurora) que comme une histoire future alternative (à la Red Mars). Nous avons certes un personnage principal, Swan (qui est franchement énervante, donnez un prozac à cette femme), et une trame de roman (sa grand-mère vient de mourir, et sa bouscule beaucoup d’évènements), mais le livre se lit tout autant comme un pamphlet sur les travers de l’homme et ses succès (la Terre polluée et abandonnée par le reste, Mars renfermée et utopiste, la Lune sous le joug de la Terre, mais aussi, les terraria qui sauvent la biodiversité, les terraformations grandioses, etc). C’est une lecture intéressante – si on met de côté les extraits et les listes, qui font tâche dans la narration, bien que certains extraits, plus dans la hard sf, soient sympathiques, et expliquent les challenges de la colonisation spatiale.
En définitive, un livre intéressant, même si, comme souvent j’ai l’impression en SF moderne, le style est sacrifié au profit du world building, où on veut clairement mettre toutes les informations possibles pour montrer à quel point on est créatif, mettant de côté la narration …
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I can't add much to the great reviews. I'll just say you have to be in the right mood for a (somewhat) slow-moving epic about a future earth with solar system-wide living and travel. The details are wonderful.