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ewanl's review
5.0
I supported this book at Unbound. It arrived in September last year. I read it straight away. Distortion is a fantastic write, Gautam Malkami’s narrator Dillon/Dhilan/Dylan has a compelling and convincing voice, easily as good as that of the protagonist of the writer’s previous novel Londonstani. Gautam’s latest book may have been a hard read – at least for me – but it is indeed a great write.
There are big themes in this book; the effects of the digital world on all of us, the plight of young, full-time carers in “Benefits Britain” and biggest of all, how we cope with cancer in a loved one. I coped as well as anyone does, September was the month a cancer was diagnosed. Hard read though it was, it helped. Almost a year later, things are looking good, but as we all know there are no guarantees. I did tell my own loved one not to read Gautam’s book.
You should, though, read this book. It’s good and it’s important, I can’t think of two better reasons for reading any book.
There are big themes in this book; the effects of the digital world on all of us, the plight of young, full-time carers in “Benefits Britain” and biggest of all, how we cope with cancer in a loved one. I coped as well as anyone does, September was the month a cancer was diagnosed. Hard read though it was, it helped. Almost a year later, things are looking good, but as we all know there are no guarantees. I did tell my own loved one not to read Gautam’s book.
You should, though, read this book. It’s good and it’s important, I can’t think of two better reasons for reading any book.
someonetookit's review against another edition
2.0
So this one was a strange one. It follows Dylan/Dillon/Dhilan as he dissociates further and further as the story goes on. Each personality has its own phone, search history and opinions, each wanting to take the forefront of the book.
I found myself a little confused throughout but especially the closer to his mothers demise he came.
I didn't not like it but i also didn't find it amazing, probably because I spent the majority of it confused.
I have however seen rave reviews for this novel so I think maybe either I wasn't in the correct headspace for this novel, or maybe it just wasnt for me.
Thanks to Unbound for providing me with an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review
I found myself a little confused throughout but especially the closer to his mothers demise he came.
I didn't not like it but i also didn't find it amazing, probably because I spent the majority of it confused.
I have however seen rave reviews for this novel so I think maybe either I wasn't in the correct headspace for this novel, or maybe it just wasnt for me.
Thanks to Unbound for providing me with an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review
stranger_sights's review
2.0
I didn’t dig on this book, like, at all. It took me a long time to read, and at no point did I find myself really getting into it. To me, it just felt like reading a super-British-dialected (forgive my ignorance of which dialect, specifically, but I am just not cultured enough to be able to place it other than to say generally British, but not, like, posh old school Bond-type British) version of a Chuck Palahniuk novel – but not like Choke, Invisible Monsters, or Fight Club – maybe Pygmy or one of the other newer ones that I read but couldn’t find myself getting into.
However, lest it sound like I completely hated this book, since that is far too dramatic, I will say this for it: it played to it’s name. Dillon’s fracturing of identity/reality is a constant theme in the story. There was definitely some clever storytelling techniques, and the plot was definitely original, if not particularly engrossing or followable.
The thing that I really struggled with, I think, is the whole digital intrusion bit. It felt like a side story rather than an important aspect of the overall story. Plus, the intrusion seemed to be embraced by Dillon/Dylan/Dilhan, so I’m not sure where the story is there.
However, lest it sound like I completely hated this book, since that is far too dramatic, I will say this for it: it played to it’s name. Dillon’s fracturing of identity/reality is a constant theme in the story. There was definitely some clever storytelling techniques, and the plot was definitely original, if not particularly engrossing or followable.
The thing that I really struggled with, I think, is the whole digital intrusion bit. It felt like a side story rather than an important aspect of the overall story. Plus, the intrusion seemed to be embraced by Dillon/Dylan/Dilhan, so I’m not sure where the story is there.
sarah_faichney's review
1.0
I had high hopes for this book given that the central theme is the plight of young carers but I just couldn't get on with it at all and gave up at 30%. I have since read rave reviews so perhaps it's an acquired taste but this one wasn't for me.
nollreads's review
4.0
I'm not sure I fully understood the point of this novel but it was beautifully written with some fantastic insight into the social media age, so I very much enjoyed the journey even if I'm not quite sure where I ended up.
ewanlawrie's review
5.0
I supported this book at Unbound. It arrived in September last year. I read it straight away. Distortion is a fantastic write, Gautam Malkami’s narrator Dillon/Dhilan/Dylan has a compelling and convincing voice, easily as good as that of the protagonist of the writer’s previous novel Londonstani. Gautam’s latest book may have been a hard read – at least for me – but it is indeed a great write.
There are big themes in this book; the effects of the digital world on all of us, the plight of young, full-time carers in “Benefits Britain” and biggest of all, how we cope with cancer in a loved one. I coped as well as anyone does, September was the month a cancer was diagnosed. Hard read though it was, it helped. Almost a year later, things are looking good, but as we all know there are no guarantees. I did tell my own loved one not to read Gautam’s book.
You should, though, read this book. It’s good and it’s important, I can’t think of two better reasons for reading any book.
There are big themes in this book; the effects of the digital world on all of us, the plight of young, full-time carers in “Benefits Britain” and biggest of all, how we cope with cancer in a loved one. I coped as well as anyone does, September was the month a cancer was diagnosed. Hard read though it was, it helped. Almost a year later, things are looking good, but as we all know there are no guarantees. I did tell my own loved one not to read Gautam’s book.
You should, though, read this book. It’s good and it’s important, I can’t think of two better reasons for reading any book.
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