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sillyduckie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Sexual assault, Sexism, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Confinement, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Suicide, Stalking, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Toxic friendship, and Violence
mark0's review against another edition
3.0
A superb dystopian adventure with some intriguing twists.
The book is let down by its problematic treatment of women. I wonder if Levin ever offered a justification for this - something along the lines of true freedom necessarily risking violent excesses - but it's unnecessary and disappointing to be stumbling over this in a otherwise great story.
The book is let down by its problematic treatment of women. I wonder if Levin ever offered a justification for this - something along the lines of true freedom necessarily risking violent excesses - but it's unnecessary and disappointing to be stumbling over this in a otherwise great story.
loonyboi's review against another edition
4.0
A thoroughly enjoyable, if not terribly unique dystopia. It reminded me a lot (a LOT) of Silverberg's [b:The World Inside|261625|The World Inside|Robert Silverberg|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1387347151s/261625.jpg|253589], and the two books were published right around the same time.
In any event, this was fun. Having said that, there's a sexual assault that I could have done without. It felt utterly unnecessary, and is quickly forgotten about and never mentioned again. That was unfortunate.
But other than that, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Recommended.
In any event, this was fun. Having said that, there's a sexual assault that I could have done without. It felt utterly unnecessary, and is quickly forgotten about and never mentioned again. That was unfortunate.
But other than that, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Recommended.
miffyhelen's review against another edition
4.0
It raises a hundred questions but I've decided I'd prefer to be one of the Family. It's a 1984, Brave New World type novel which I enjoyed but I feel like it could have done with another chapter. I want to know the future of the people.
eisneun's review against another edition
4.0
Somehow, this book is overlooked -- I think it's his best work. Rather better than The Stepford Wives, and way better than Boys from Brazil. It's about a dystopian future where everyone is actually very happy and who all but a tiny few live very well -- they just aren't free, nor do they care. A more interesting read than either Brave New World (with which it has some vague similarities) and especially 1984, because....well, I won't spoil it for you.
libraryofcalliope's review against another edition
1.0
I got to 68% on This Perfect Day by Ira Levin before throwing it away in disgust. I’d been wanting to read this for a while as I love Ira Levin’s other work, namely The Stepford Wives and Rosemary’s Baby, but how the author that wrote those could write this is beyond me. The thing that stopped me from finishing this novel was the fact that the main character rapes his “love interest”. This isn’t me “interpreting” it that way, it literally says that is what happens. I hoped perhaps the docile behaviour of the woman afterwards was some sort of ploy as Chip, the main character, has kidnapped her and she did try to trick him before but I read on a little and checked out some reviews and no... when she tells him not to be sorry for raping her she means it when she says “I don’t blame you. It was perfectly natural” claiming that his actions “woke me up”. The story itself was interesting- set in a dystopian future wherein your life is planned out by a machine and all your needs are provided for provided you’re happy to be drugged into compliance. The story is going for a freedom vs equality message which could be interesting but then it pulled this. There were other scenes that were a little yikes before but mostly they were fairly typical of “Male writer writing women”. I’m really disappointed by this plot point, especially considering this is the author of The Stepford Wives.
19theodora06's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
phil629's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5