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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
I just finished Blind Spots by Thomas Mullen and this is my review!
It’s been seven years since everyone in the world suddenly went blind after contracting a virus. It’s taken a long time for humanity to get some semblance of normalcy back after everything they all went through. Technology being the largest contributor to giving them back their lives. A device so far advanced it allows the wearer to “see” by downloading visual data right into people's brains. Problem is like all technology, it isn’t hack proof and when someone finds a way to change what people are or aren’t seeing…. Dire consequences.
Detective Mark Owens has been on the force since before everyone became blind and when he is the lead detective on the murder of a scientist and the only witness says she didn’t see anything, no one believes her until the same thing happens right in front of Owens. How can you trust what you are seeing when you need to solve this crime knowing that the tech you wear can be tampered with?
I wasn’t sold on this book when I read the synopsis purely because I am not much for books with tech in them but I was intrigued to be sure. The notion that a virus causes blindness and tech is the only way to see, was such a clever and original concept that was elevated by some very artistic writing. The plot was very entertaining and well thought out. The dystopian feel to the book didn’t over shadow the tone of the book either.
What didn’t I like about it? The character development was sorely lacking and I felt the characters were a little unrelatable and one dimensional. I know a lot of authors tend to sway heavier on either story building or character development but I think that had the characters felt more real, this book would have knocked it out of the park.
Definitely a page turner so if you are into crime fiction with dystopian vibes then this has to be your next read.
4 stars!!
Thank you @stmartinspress and @mullenwrites for my review copy!!!
#thomasmullen #blindspots #smpinfluencer
It’s been seven years since everyone in the world suddenly went blind after contracting a virus. It’s taken a long time for humanity to get some semblance of normalcy back after everything they all went through. Technology being the largest contributor to giving them back their lives. A device so far advanced it allows the wearer to “see” by downloading visual data right into people's brains. Problem is like all technology, it isn’t hack proof and when someone finds a way to change what people are or aren’t seeing…. Dire consequences.
Detective Mark Owens has been on the force since before everyone became blind and when he is the lead detective on the murder of a scientist and the only witness says she didn’t see anything, no one believes her until the same thing happens right in front of Owens. How can you trust what you are seeing when you need to solve this crime knowing that the tech you wear can be tampered with?
I wasn’t sold on this book when I read the synopsis purely because I am not much for books with tech in them but I was intrigued to be sure. The notion that a virus causes blindness and tech is the only way to see, was such a clever and original concept that was elevated by some very artistic writing. The plot was very entertaining and well thought out. The dystopian feel to the book didn’t over shadow the tone of the book either.
What didn’t I like about it? The character development was sorely lacking and I felt the characters were a little unrelatable and one dimensional. I know a lot of authors tend to sway heavier on either story building or character development but I think that had the characters felt more real, this book would have knocked it out of the park.
Definitely a page turner so if you are into crime fiction with dystopian vibes then this has to be your next read.
4 stars!!
Thank you @stmartinspress and @mullenwrites for my review copy!!!
#thomasmullen #blindspots #smpinfluencer
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
Imagine a world where everyone has gone blind and can only "see" using technology that downloads images to your brain. Combine this with a murderer who is bypassing the technology to avoid being identified and you have a very original kind of thriller.
An incredibly exciting and gripping story.
There is something completely terrifying about how real this concept is. The idea is so unique yet I could really imagine what it would be like if this happened in today's world. I found myself invested in the characters and addicted to the twisty plot. I think that dystopian ideas can be tricky to introduce to readers because you need a lot of information to understand how the world has changed, but I found that Thomas Mullen has done a great job at explaining the situation gradually.
If enjoy a thriller with a twist then this is a definite must-read.
Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The concept of Thomas Mullen's speculative thriller immediately put me in mind of Blake Crouch's works, but this one leans a little heavier into the mystery/thriller aspect than the science fiction genre. Seven years ago, something mysteriously caused almost all of humanity to gradually go blind, which resulted in a lot of chaos and corruption. Fortunately a tech company was on the verge of creating vidders, a technology used to transmit visual imagery to the brain. Both the period of the blinding, and the technology used to restore it, were both ripe for corruption. For example, rape is more prevalent now that a perpretator only has to disable a vidder from behind to eliminate the possiblities of eyewitnesses.
Mark Owens is a detective, recovering both from the chaos and corruption he experienced as a policeman during the blinding and his wife's suicide. While investigating the deaths of two research scientists, Owens is able to glimpse the suspect. Or rather, a black blur in place of one. It appears that someone has been able to hack into the vidder technology in order to disguise their presence. The implications are scary and leave Owens to wonder whether he can trust what he sees.
The concept and dystopian world were more fascinating to me than the mystery/thriller element, and I wanted the balance to shift more in favor of exploring the implications of this new world. Suspenseful and thought-provoking!
Mark Owens is a detective, recovering both from the chaos and corruption he experienced as a policeman during the blinding and his wife's suicide. While investigating the deaths of two research scientists, Owens is able to glimpse the suspect. Or rather, a black blur in place of one. It appears that someone has been able to hack into the vidder technology in order to disguise their presence. The implications are scary and leave Owens to wonder whether he can trust what he sees.
The concept and dystopian world were more fascinating to me than the mystery/thriller element, and I wanted the balance to shift more in favor of exploring the implications of this new world. Suspenseful and thought-provoking!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.75 stars -
The plot for this was very unique, but it actually was not what kept me reading - it was the world-building! Not only did the author create a realistic view of how society may cope with something as traumatic as the loss of the sight, but he thought of every single aspect or question you would have about it. The drugs people may take to cope, the way that it would divide people, the defined line between the people who can afford the solution and the people can't - and so much more! He honestly should have just written about that. The thriller aspect really felt like it took a backseat in a lot of ways.
The plot for this was very unique, but it actually was not what kept me reading - it was the world-building! Not only did the author create a realistic view of how society may cope with something as traumatic as the loss of the sight, but he thought of every single aspect or question you would have about it. The drugs people may take to cope, the way that it would divide people, the defined line between the people who can afford the solution and the people can't - and so much more! He honestly should have just written about that. The thriller aspect really felt like it took a backseat in a lot of ways.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
No