Reviews

The City Where We Once Lived by Eric Barnes

veganheathen's review

4.0

This was a great dystopian tale full of despair and hope. I found the style interesting as it mirrored the main character’s depression and lack of engagement with his environment and life, even as he delved into the minor details of it.

myriadreads's review

4.0

I picked up The City Where We Once Lived because of a lovely blurb from Emily St. John Mandel, and similar appeal to Station Eleven. It's a very different book, though, only sharing the similarity of survivors moving through a vastly changed and lonely landscape. The book was a slow starter. Our narrator is living in an abandoned area of a large city, along with others who stayed. Days go by slowly as he focuses on survival, occasionally sets buildings on fire, and hides from his memories of the past. He is the sole writer for the area's newspaper, documenting daily events big and small. I almost put this one down because it seemed like nothing was happening. I could see that the pace reflected the content, but it just barely kept my interest. I'm glad I stuck with it, though. The second half was much faster paced, and the background and atmosphere established in the first half made for a very rich and layered story overall. Gradually we get a look beyond the North End of the city, as our narrator lifts his head to see what's happening in the South End, and beyond. Themes include urban sprawl, global warming, community, and class divide.

lacyk_reads's review against another edition

3.0

This book was slow. The chapters (and the book itself) were short, though, so that kept me engaged enough to keep reading. If I hadn’t been able to read this book in 3-4 sittings, I’m not convinced I would have kept picking it up.

I appreciate a book that builds up character development, and this one felt like it was building to something big. Some impressive reveal. While it didn’t really live up to that, I enjoyed the process for the supporting characters of the Gardener and the Minister. The main character, the Writer/POV, was just blah. I’m not sure why, but he never grew on me. I never felt as though I knew him.

This might sound weird, but I enjoy a book with a very bleak setting. This one was pretty darn hopeless. I wouldn’t call it dark, necessarily. But it was close, which suited my mood while I was reading it. I felt like I could look up from the book and be there in the North End.

bmg20's review

3.0

3.5 of 5 stars

Short Summary: After climate change has irrevocably changed the world we live in, a group of individuals continues to live their day to day lives in the ruins of a crumbling city while struggling under the weight of their memories.

Thoughts: A story that’s eerily reminiscent of the world we live in today, painting a terrifying scenario of not just how the world can easily transform into a nightmare but individuals as well.

Verdict: Many have said that the post-apocalyptic genre has been overdone, but The City Where We Once Lived felt refreshingly different with its in-depth focus on the decline of humanity which also mirrored the downfall of the surrounding world.

I received this book free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

apatofuture's review against another edition

5.0

Quiet but hopeful story about urban decay and depression/grief.

colorfulleo92's review

2.0

I've finished it sometime ago but I don't remember finishing it or much of what I actually read. it wasn't a story that stuck with me

growlcat's review

4.0

A very different sort of story about a future world affected by climate change and anarchy, but where hope grows. The style was unusual but it kept me interested until the end.

kkellymsu's review against another edition

3.0

This book sucked me in, and I honestly can’t say why. It’s a set of contradictions that intrigued me. On the one hand, it felt like there wasn’t much of an active plot, there was very little dialogue and only minimal character development. But on the other hand, I felt like I came to know and understand the characters and I could easily see this playing out as an action adventure video game in the vein of The Last of Us.

oliverlang's review

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

anomieus's review

4.0

There is a mysterious and tragic history for our unnamed narrator that slowly reveals itself over the course of this lyrical and melancholic story of a near abandoned city that has suffered environmental damage. The story and writing style put me in mind Atwood's 'MaddAddams' series (which I am very fond of).

I can understand some people's frustration over the speed of the plot, but really this is meant to be told in a languid and dreamy style, which evokes the the speed of the remaining city's inhabitants' lives - there is no hurry left in them anymore. There is no desire for the crazybusy lifestyles that we they lived. There is a gratifying loneliness on the part of most of the inhabitants of this derelict and abandoned city that is treasured and appreciated. Our nameless narrator moves through this landscape and writes his observations of the remnants of his city in stories for the very few that remain, but all of whom care about the place they live and want to make their lives here. And I find I want to read his newspaper stories. And I find I want to live in this city.

There is a loneliness and a isolation in this story that is almost appealing.

"The normalcy of interaction is almost unknown to me."

The story is there, but if you're looking for a "dystopian action" plot, this isn't for you. This is a much more languid, reflective and contemplative journey. One I found worth my time. On to the prequel, [b:Above the Ether|43252696|Above the Ether|Eric Barnes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547942571l/43252696._SX50_.jpg|64916381]!