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travisclau's review against another edition
4.0
"Nature, like time, is a constant. Which is to say that, at every (x=0) coordinate on the grid–in the geographical region defined on many pathways (though by no means a majority) as the Northeastern United States–the Great Eastern Brood of 2038, also known as Brood X, also known as magicicada septendecim, is nearing the end of its lifecycle. The females, with knife-like ovipositors, have scored the bark of thick branches and laid their eggs in the slits, from which will come, two weeks hence, the nymphs. Born into a world without adults, without mothers or fathers (who by then will be dead), and perhaps this is why the children fall from the trees by the millions and burrow underground and don’t emerge for seventeen years: What they’re doing down there is mourning. As millions of people across the infinitude of the grid shall always be mourning, coping with every imaginable variation of loss. Every loss deserves a telling. What we have presented here is a fraction of a whole, no more representative of the total narrative than a single cell is representative of the living body of a person, just as every person described herein is, in like manner, a fraction of a greater whole of selves. And yet, even this limited picture provides us with a working equation describing the relationship between widely separated coordinates and their interconnectivity, including possible trans-path casualties. It has been posited that, in the near future (c. x=500), an algorithm will be devised, complex enough to generate a full report of all diversifications: in other words, that infinity itself will be captured in its entirety. For the time being, this imperfect story of one family’s experience will have to suffice."
A breathless novel that does exactly what speculative fiction should do: refrain from any clear answers. It doesn't rely on the usual tricks of the apocalyptic genre but instead grapples with the idea of loss in a formally fascinating way -- shifting from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person and integrating a kind of metalanguage about the contingent nature of reality. Hrbek's command of his prose makes this novel at once a rush to read but also something that rewards one for careful attention. There will be threads left loose and there will be moments you will question, but that is what gives this novel its power alongside its representation of an America that is both frighteningly familiar and unfamiliar, as many other critics have already noted. In the era of Trump, islamophobia, terrorism, climate change, and global disaster, this is a timely work that will leave you reeling.
A breathless novel that does exactly what speculative fiction should do: refrain from any clear answers. It doesn't rely on the usual tricks of the apocalyptic genre but instead grapples with the idea of loss in a formally fascinating way -- shifting from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person and integrating a kind of metalanguage about the contingent nature of reality. Hrbek's command of his prose makes this novel at once a rush to read but also something that rewards one for careful attention. There will be threads left loose and there will be moments you will question, but that is what gives this novel its power alongside its representation of an America that is both frighteningly familiar and unfamiliar, as many other critics have already noted. In the era of Trump, islamophobia, terrorism, climate change, and global disaster, this is a timely work that will leave you reeling.
lacyk_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Not on Fire, but Burning was probably not the best book to read during a pandemic. It is a book that looks at best-case-scenarios and worse-case-scenarios in a muted dystopian world. I enjoyed that aspect of the book, but I probably would have enjoyed it more had it not hit so close to home, especially there at the end!
What kept me reading was also this underlying hint of malice. I could never quite put my finger on it - was it Karim? Dorian? The mother? The community? It made me dread what came next but unable to put it down. That aspect of plot was very well developed.
The writing largely became a stream of consciousness that jumped parallels. It wasn’t always clear whose stream of consciousness we were following. All of the major themes in this book were big themes - racism, terrorism, intolerance, coming of age, mental health - that felt like they were competing against each other in this relatively short story. It was overwhelming. And depressing. Maybe the dark reality and mindset contributed to this book being a bit of a dark hole for me.
What kept me reading was also this underlying hint of malice. I could never quite put my finger on it - was it Karim? Dorian? The mother? The community? It made me dread what came next but unable to put it down. That aspect of plot was very well developed.
The writing largely became a stream of consciousness that jumped parallels. It wasn’t always clear whose stream of consciousness we were following. All of the major themes in this book were big themes - racism, terrorism, intolerance, coming of age, mental health - that felt like they were competing against each other in this relatively short story. It was overwhelming. And depressing. Maybe the dark reality and mindset contributed to this book being a bit of a dark hole for me.
gimpyknee's review against another edition
2.0
NPR said this book was poignant and perplexing. They got that half right. Poignant its not.
scheu's review against another edition
4.0
Completely relevant to the world as it stands now. For some reason I felt that the very beginning needed some editing but once Hrbek moved on to the main story I forgot all about it.
boltonmi's review against another edition
5.0
I read this in just two sittings. It is incredible. Challenging, tragic, and beautiful. It illuminates the best and worst in humanity. Honestly, amazing.
runeclausen's review against another edition
4.0
Commentary on religious/racial tensions in todays american society mixed in with some parallel-realities and butterfly effect sci-fi stuff, that somehow all comes together quite nicely.
katdid's review against another edition
3.0
This is a really interesting premise but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been explored differently; if the pseudo memories of Skyler from the other timelines had actually had some kind of impact on events in the main timeline. Because I found it kinda exciting at the start, and not what I was expecting, but I felt like it just did not stick the landing. It was depressing too, to consider how hate just seems to beget hate and what chance do we have against that?
mzdeb's review against another edition
3.0
Hmmm...how to feel about this.
A lot of the passages and phrases are so well crafted--the writer in me goes “DAMN, wish I could write like that”--but, when it comes to barely-12-year olds? No one’s that eloquent in thought. (And I know the difference between eloquent observations of a character’s thoughts, and a character sounding wise beyond their years. A fair amount of passages fell into the latter category.) And I guess the age drops lower and lower for kids swearing like sailors and thinking about girls as sexual beings.
And while it’s intriguing that we discover the universe containing Skylar who’s 18 years old and alive in San Francisco is one of several parallel universes--including one where she was aborted by her mother Kathryn after all, that universe which is the main one in the book-- little by little, the omniscience gets exhausting, as not only do we go in and out of characters’ viewpoints, but also in and out of the “Skylar/No Skylar” realms, as well as in and out of first and third points of view. What is an intriguing study on fear and xenophobia and how it shapes our character and relationships, becomes even more erratic as we’re finally given more of the “With Skylar” universe, as if to mitigate the tragedy of the “No Skylar” universe . It’s an interesting read that nevertheless trips over itself.
A lot of the passages and phrases are so well crafted--the writer in me goes “DAMN, wish I could write like that”--but, when it comes to barely-12-year olds? No one’s that eloquent in thought. (And I know the difference between eloquent observations of a character’s thoughts, and a character sounding wise beyond their years. A fair amount of passages fell into the latter category.) And I guess the age drops lower and lower for kids swearing like sailors and thinking about girls as sexual beings.
And while it’s intriguing that we discover the universe containing Skylar who’s 18 years old and alive in San Francisco is one of several parallel universes--including one where she was aborted by her mother Kathryn after all, that universe which is the main one in the book-- little by little, the omniscience gets exhausting, as not only do we go in and out of characters’ viewpoints, but also in and out of the “Skylar/No Skylar” realms, as well as in and out of first and third points of view. What is an intriguing study on fear and xenophobia and how it shapes our character and relationships, becomes even more erratic
Spoiler
Skylar’s parents follow Dorian in finally having intrusive thoughts of a universe with her aliveSpoiler
Kathryn and Dorian die from exposure to a biological weapon; Karim finally blows himself upchelseawhite's review against another edition
3.0
** I received this book free through a goodreads giveaway **
This book is a hard one to rate. Its so complex in so many ways. It's set 30 or so years in the future, in a world where 9/11 didn't happen, but a similar event did. The underlying theme of the book is the idea of living in constant fear of a group of people or events that may happen. The writing of the book was fantastic, and definitely makes you think. I felt like the story line was pretty jumpy though, and left a lot unsaid. Although it really works in the context of this book and with this writing, it just wasn't something that worked for me personally, as I like having lots of background info and context. However, that being said, I think the Greg Hrbek had a fantastic concept with this book, and I am definitely going to continue reading his books.
This book is a hard one to rate. Its so complex in so many ways. It's set 30 or so years in the future, in a world where 9/11 didn't happen, but a similar event did. The underlying theme of the book is the idea of living in constant fear of a group of people or events that may happen. The writing of the book was fantastic, and definitely makes you think. I felt like the story line was pretty jumpy though, and left a lot unsaid. Although it really works in the context of this book and with this writing, it just wasn't something that worked for me personally, as I like having lots of background info and context. However, that being said, I think the Greg Hrbek had a fantastic concept with this book, and I am definitely going to continue reading his books.
jeffspurlock's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. Makes you think a lot. It was little unfocused, but tied up nicely at the end. Great perspective on our collective xenophobia