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ellejaoy's review against another edition
5.0
When I went to the V&A exhibition of this I was fascinated but way too tired to really appreciate the words on the walls and the real meaning behind it, so I bought the book.
It's a quick read but I found it harrowing. This is my first time reading any Kunzru and his writing lifts off the page. The world he creates, in so few words, is memorising yet a little terrifying and for me, definitely confusing in a really great way. My sympathies changed several times throughout the book. I understand the main aim of 'the Thing' - getting back to nature- but at the same time understand the plight of people wanting to remember everything.
There is one particular scene near the end which is especially moving as throughout it (and it's quite short) my mind was jumping around like crazy, thinking of how we treat the world today and how we live our lives. The flower child in me found this book to be a truly amazing experience and really made an impression on me.
Aside from the writing, the illustrations are fantastic and give a good, but not perfect, view into what the exhibition was like. There is one particular real life model that is shown on page 18 & 19 that is quite possibly one of the most impressive wooden artworks I've ever seen. I could of spent hours staring at it.
If you get a chance to go to the V&A, I definitely recommend both seeing the exhibition, playing around with the memory posters & buying this book!
It's a quick read but I found it harrowing. This is my first time reading any Kunzru and his writing lifts off the page. The world he creates, in so few words, is memorising yet a little terrifying and for me, definitely confusing in a really great way. My sympathies changed several times throughout the book. I understand the main aim of 'the Thing' - getting back to nature- but at the same time understand the plight of people wanting to remember everything.
There is one particular scene near the end which is especially moving as throughout it (and it's quite short) my mind was jumping around like crazy, thinking of how we treat the world today and how we live our lives. The flower child in me found this book to be a truly amazing experience and really made an impression on me.
Aside from the writing, the illustrations are fantastic and give a good, but not perfect, view into what the exhibition was like. There is one particular real life model that is shown on page 18 & 19 that is quite possibly one of the most impressive wooden artworks I've ever seen. I could of spent hours staring at it.
If you get a chance to go to the V&A, I definitely recommend both seeing the exhibition, playing around with the memory posters & buying this book!
ellejayz's review against another edition
5.0
When I went to the V&A exhibition of this I was fascinated but way too tired to really appreciate the words on the walls and the real meaning behind it, so I bought the book.
It's a quick read but I found it harrowing. This is my first time reading any Kunzru and his writing lifts off the page. The world he creates, in so few words, is memorising yet a little terrifying and for me, definitely confusing in a really great way. My sympathies changed several times throughout the book. I understand the main aim of 'the Thing' - getting back to nature- but at the same time understand the plight of people wanting to remember everything.
There is one particular scene near the end which is especially moving as throughout it (and it's quite short) my mind was jumping around like crazy, thinking of how we treat the world today and how we live our lives. The flower child in me found this book to be a truly amazing experience and really made an impression on me.
Aside from the writing, the illustrations are fantastic and give a good, but not perfect, view into what the exhibition was like. There is one particular real life model that is shown on page 18 & 19 that is quite possibly one of the most impressive wooden artworks I've ever seen. I could of spent hours staring at it.
If you get a chance to go to the V&A, I definitely recommend both seeing the exhibition, playing around with the memory posters & buying this book!
It's a quick read but I found it harrowing. This is my first time reading any Kunzru and his writing lifts off the page. The world he creates, in so few words, is memorising yet a little terrifying and for me, definitely confusing in a really great way. My sympathies changed several times throughout the book. I understand the main aim of 'the Thing' - getting back to nature- but at the same time understand the plight of people wanting to remember everything.
There is one particular scene near the end which is especially moving as throughout it (and it's quite short) my mind was jumping around like crazy, thinking of how we treat the world today and how we live our lives. The flower child in me found this book to be a truly amazing experience and really made an impression on me.
Aside from the writing, the illustrations are fantastic and give a good, but not perfect, view into what the exhibition was like. There is one particular real life model that is shown on page 18 & 19 that is quite possibly one of the most impressive wooden artworks I've ever seen. I could of spent hours staring at it.
If you get a chance to go to the V&A, I definitely recommend both seeing the exhibition, playing around with the memory posters & buying this book!
lucylucy's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jemjane's review
5.0
a wonderful combination of art and literature that tells the story of a bleak future in which the world as we know it has fallen, and the act of remembering is illegal. i can only imagine what the exhibition at the v&a would have been like.
charlottejones952's review
3.0
I have been interested in this every since Jen Campbell mentioned it on her channel and I managed to get my hands on a copy to experience it for myself.
This is a strange book. It is essentially an exhibition that was commissioned by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and then 'translated' into book form. The story itself is essentially a dystopian set in London and then there are accompanying illustrations by about twenty illustrators and graphic designers that all took part in the project.
Overall, I loved the concept of this book. The story was a little confusing at first but I soon got into it. I think that it is a wonderful take on dystopian London and the loss of human knowledge; the author developed the world well considering how short this book is! The illustrations were extremely varied in style and though I preferred some to others, this is definitely a book that I would recommend reading. It is an experience not just a book and I think that it is successful what it sets out to do.
This is a strange book. It is essentially an exhibition that was commissioned by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and then 'translated' into book form. The story itself is essentially a dystopian set in London and then there are accompanying illustrations by about twenty illustrators and graphic designers that all took part in the project.
Overall, I loved the concept of this book. The story was a little confusing at first but I soon got into it. I think that it is a wonderful take on dystopian London and the loss of human knowledge; the author developed the world well considering how short this book is! The illustrations were extremely varied in style and though I preferred some to others, this is definitely a book that I would recommend reading. It is an experience not just a book and I think that it is successful what it sets out to do.
maeclegg's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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