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timinbc's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as "Act of Will," but it also tries a little harder plot-wise, creating more author challenges.
I've never much cared for the plot device that the ambassador represents, and after reading this I like it even less, but since it more or less brackets the plot I'll let it go.
I thought it was a tad unsubtle, almost offensively so, that [major spoiler, you have been warned] but I am older than most readers and maybe don't need to be reminded that such things happened.
Will matures nicely in this. At first I grew tired of his blunders and wimpiness, and with the slow pace I was about to pack it in when things picked up and the plot started to twist a bit.
I didn't care for the development of Renthrette, but I'll write that off as a matter of taste and accept that she isn't a [bad word] but just has a very narrow view of life (as do her colleagues).
Better ending than most complex plots. The scene at the castle wrapped up well, and the overall framing scene was, well, OK I guess.
I'm not sure I'll go for #3 if there is one.
I've never much cared for the plot device that the ambassador represents, and after reading this I like it even less, but since it more or less brackets the plot I'll let it go.
I thought it was a tad unsubtle, almost offensively so, that [major spoiler, you have been warned]
Spoiler
the blond, blue-eyed folks were exterminating the darker folks and convincing themselves that the others were sub-"human" to the point of making soap from them,Will matures nicely in this. At first I grew tired of his blunders and wimpiness, and with the slow pace I was about to pack it in when things picked up and the plot started to twist a bit.
I didn't care for the development of Renthrette, but I'll write that off as a matter of taste and accept that she isn't a [bad word] but just has a very narrow view of life (as do her colleagues).
Better ending than most complex plots. The scene at the castle wrapped up well, and the overall framing scene was, well, OK I guess.
I'm not sure I'll go for #3 if there is one.
jmeston's review against another edition
3.0
3 and a half. I never knew where this book was headed. It was good to be kept guessing. The last few chapters kept piling on the revelations. I'll look for something else by Hartley.
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