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alongreader's review against another edition
4.0
Short, sharp novel with a new take on aliens arriving. Usually, aliens either want to kill us all or solve all or problems. The vuv do bring new technology and new medicine - but not for free. They charge for it all. New technology means less jobs, means less money, means no one can afford anything. It's a depressing, vicious cycle for our hero, Adam.
A quick, timely read I enjoyed a lot.
A quick, timely read I enjoyed a lot.
ellenmc07's review against another edition
3.0
To be honest, I chose this based on the cover. I thought it was intriguing and why not give it a shot? Thank goodness it wasn't very long as I don't think I would have finished it. Yes the satire and social commentary were the book's strong points but, the characters sucked. Like wildly sucked so bad, I almost stopped reading. I know they aren't the main point but, I felt disappointed in them. Maybe this could have faired better as a short story rather than a novel but, for me, it's about 100 pages too long. Again, if you like the biting, realistic view of what would happen should an alien species come to Earth, maybe give this go.
devonmariehursh's review against another edition
3.0
I saw the trailer for the film based on this book and decided to read it before watching. I’m unsure how to rate this one. I struggled to get into the story and kept thinking that this book just wasn’t for me. Once I made it to the middle, I started to enjoy it a bit more. And where the social and cultural commentary isn’t particularly groundbreaking it's still relevant and, especially at the end, resonates. The themes are very familiar, but, maybe, the whole point is that this is a story we already know. A story we think we already understand.
rigbylove's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting allegory for colonization; creative world building.
readwithpassion's review against another edition
5.0
• Futuristic, dark satire that is an unusual, intelligent social commentary
• Forces readers to think deeply about their personal, social, and political lives
• Somewhat non-linear story with an interesting layout: each chapter has a title that corresponds with the artwork created by the main character
• Stylistically, Anderson chooses every word with intention. The text is a 149-page novella that features chapters that can be taught instructionally as vignettes.
Full review with teacher tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=14505
• Forces readers to think deeply about their personal, social, and political lives
• Somewhat non-linear story with an interesting layout: each chapter has a title that corresponds with the artwork created by the main character
• Stylistically, Anderson chooses every word with intention. The text is a 149-page novella that features chapters that can be taught instructionally as vignettes.
Full review with teacher tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=14505
shinesalot's review against another edition
4.0
The future is bleak even though the peaceful and advanced alien race, the vuvv, give us their amazing tech. Within just a few years most jobs have become obsolete and the economy had crumbled, leaving millions of families in varying states of despair. Hunger, crime, and poverty prevail in America and are becoming the norm for high school senior Adam, who is capturing the changing landscape in his paintings. While the theme for this book is whole heartedly bleak, Adam's struggle to keep his family afloat as well as capture the truth of the Earth's changing landscape is a light of hope through it all. And I would say the book ends on an up rather than a down. It's only 15o pages and the protagonist is extremely engaging so pick it up!!
dbg108's review against another edition
5.0
Short, punchy narrative with some insightful reflections on imperialism masquerading as technological advancement and capitalism run wild (aka the current state of the world). Loved it.
lopster9's review against another edition
5.0
"We thought there was a great distance between the future and us, and now here we are, falling through it."
This book was was a unique comparison to Catcher!
This book was was a unique comparison to Catcher!
tasharobinson's review against another edition
3.0
This is a short one, not much more than a novella, which leaves the ending in particular pretty abrupt and not altogether satisfying. The whole thing is a very apt and certainly appropriately frustrating condemnation of late-stage capitalism, with the added element that in addition to billionaires controlling the economy and telling anyone shut out of it that they should just "get jobs," aliens have also shown up, giving Earth technologies that eliminate a billion jobs and just make the rich richer. It's satirical and angry at the same time (like so many satires), but the eventual message, more or less "If you don't like the system, just leave it," doesn't seem tremendously practical or possible. It's all well-observed, but it feels like the takeaway is "Welp, we're fucked," which doesn't leave readers with much.