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kmowery's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Self harm, Murder, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment
siebensommer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Dom is wearing a blue jumpsuit and puffy Day-Glo sneakers- "Manual labor, but make it fashion” […].
By contrast, Bridge is wearing leggings and a black T-shirt. Grief, but make it entropy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: War
Minor: Suicide
lizcallahan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
UPDATED REVIEW FROM 3 TO 4 STARS BELOW:
INITIAL: I've been sitting on this review for a few days, attempting to decipher my feelings on the book, so I'll give my unfiltered thoughts here, maybe I'll come back and edit this as I sit longer with the finished story:
1) It was hard for me to start this book. I think the pacing in the beginning does not build up nicely to the rollercoaster that I was gripping onto for dear life as I got to the halfway point. But once I was strapped in, boy oh boy I was LOCKED in. The thrill had gotten to me.
2) what was the point of Aiden's character? He had crucial information that he never revealed to Bridge, and Dom figured out most of the information through Jo's diaries. It felt like he was there just because someone had to die.
3) I feel like we got a lot of partial information about characters because every narrator was unreliable in some manner. We barely understand Amber's backstory before Chris, how Dom and Bridge became connected, etc. Even Jo's relationship to Bridge feels so stilted, most of the memories we receive about their relationship come from the perspective of Jo's diary, not Bridge's perspective.
4) I literally love Dom, will protect them with my life. Bridge was fucking lucky she had a slightly stable person in her life.
Overall a fun read, but I wanted more conflict and development from these characters.
UPDATE: Had a discussion with my book club about this last night! I can see I was definitely reading this as a sci Fi novel, but in reality it's more like a coming of age novel with sci Fi elements. I was looking for extensive plot and backstory about these characters, when in reality they are serving a purpose in relation to Bridge. They showcase that their lives are crazy and wild and fun and full of possibility with the dreamworm, but they are so isolated they have no community to fall back on.
Bridge explores her identity through the lens of her grief, and how she truly doesn't know who she is without her mom, even though their relationship was fraught in so many ways and lack basic communication. She finally realizes that her mother's desire to see her again were selfish at heart, and she cannot play along with it.
Recontextualizing as a coming of age novel, characterization and plot make so much more sense, I like it a lot more!
INITIAL: I've been sitting on this review for a few days, attempting to decipher my feelings on the book, so I'll give my unfiltered thoughts here, maybe I'll come back and edit this as I sit longer with the finished story:
1) It was hard for me to start this book. I think the pacing in the beginning does not build up nicely to the rollercoaster that I was gripping onto for dear life as I got to the halfway point. But once I was strapped in, boy oh boy I was LOCKED in. The thrill had gotten to me.
2) what was the point of Aiden's character? He had crucial information that he never revealed to Bridge, and Dom figured out most of the information through Jo's diaries. It felt like he was there just because someone had to die.
3) I feel like we got a lot of partial information about characters because every narrator was unreliable in some manner. We barely understand Amber's backstory before Chris, how Dom and Bridge became connected, etc. Even Jo's relationship to Bridge feels so stilted, most of the memories we receive about their relationship come from the perspective of Jo's diary, not Bridge's perspective.
4) I literally love Dom, will protect them with my life. Bridge was fucking lucky she had a slightly stable person in her life.
Overall a fun read, but I wanted more conflict and development from these characters.
UPDATE: Had a discussion with my book club about this last night! I can see I was definitely reading this as a sci Fi novel, but in reality it's more like a coming of age novel with sci Fi elements. I was looking for extensive plot and backstory about these characters, when in reality they are serving a purpose in relation to Bridge. They showcase that their lives are crazy and wild and fun and full of possibility with the dreamworm, but they are so isolated they have no community to fall back on.
Bridge explores her identity through the lens of her grief, and how she truly doesn't know who she is without her mom, even though their relationship was fraught in so many ways and lack basic communication. She finally realizes that her mother's desire to see her again were selfish at heart, and she cannot play along with it.
Recontextualizing as a coming of age novel, characterization and plot make so much more sense, I like it a lot more!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Drug use
chelford's review against another edition
5.0
I have to laugh at myself for writing that People Collide was the most interesting take on Freaky Friday I'd ever read, only to have it de-throned by this less than a week later. I absolutely love Lauren Beukes' interdimensional fuckery. I've never been able to decide which of her books I love the most. I'd probably have to re-read to say for sure, but this might be my new favorite. Really hit those horror notes just right by playing on my phobia of parasitic worms. Literally my only criticism is that I disagree with the vegan neuroscientist's views on vivisection, but I'm still giving this book the five stars it deserves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Violence
Minor: Self harm
fandomsandfiction's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Bridge” is a highly atmospheric, emotionally resonating, edge-of-your-seat adventure! Lauren Beukes poses some powerful and complicated questions about science, morality, trauma, and motherhood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Self harm, Grief, Cancer, and Death of parent
Minor: War and Sexual violence
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