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A review by katieinca
Reamde by Neal Stephenson
5.0
The action movie comparisons are a little off. It's more like if HBO was looking for a new book-inspired TV series, and they wanted to do something with the energy and pacing of a 24 or an Alias.
(Please, HBO, do this. I see three seasons here. That's a good run.)
It's probably not Stephenson's finest contribution to Literature with a capital L, but it will always have a special place in my heart for two reasons:
1) Yuxia and Zula. Zula, Zula, Zula. I'm still irritated with the way [b:Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore|13538873|Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore|Robin Sloan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1345089845s/13538873.jpg|6736543] was another example of a woman who's an object of pursuit rather than someone who actually acts upon the world. Stephenson, in contrast, puts me in mind of that recent Neil Gaiman interview where someone asked him about writing such great complex female characters and his tolerant, bemused reply was that of course they were complex, they were PEOPLE.
2) So many Iowans! Realistic imperfect nuanced straightforward Iowans. There's a scene in Hy-Vee! Hy-Vee is underrepresented in fiction, and I thank Mr. Stephenson for doing his part to remedy this.
This may be gateway Stephenson for people who are afraid of sci fi, and I intend to recommend it to people specifically because of that.
(Please, HBO, do this. I see three seasons here. That's a good run.)
It's probably not Stephenson's finest contribution to Literature with a capital L, but it will always have a special place in my heart for two reasons:
1) Yuxia and Zula. Zula, Zula, Zula. I'm still irritated with the way [b:Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore|13538873|Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore|Robin Sloan|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1345089845s/13538873.jpg|6736543] was another example of a woman who's an object of pursuit rather than someone who actually acts upon the world. Stephenson, in contrast, puts me in mind of that recent Neil Gaiman interview where someone asked him about writing such great complex female characters and his tolerant, bemused reply was that of course they were complex, they were PEOPLE.
2) So many Iowans! Realistic imperfect nuanced straightforward Iowans. There's a scene in Hy-Vee! Hy-Vee is underrepresented in fiction, and I thank Mr. Stephenson for doing his part to remedy this.
This may be gateway Stephenson for people who are afraid of sci fi, and I intend to recommend it to people specifically because of that.