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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
3.5 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews
Summary
Patricia and Laurence are childhood friends, fated to become a witch and an inventor respectively. They fall away from each other and live separate lives, but eventually fate and a fearsome conflict bring them together again.
Review
I'm not sure why, but this isn't what I expected from All the Birds in the Sky. For some reason, I anticipated a poetic, metaphysical, romantic, very adult literary story. I wasn't sure I'd want that, but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I don't mean to say that this book isn't any of those things. It is a bit of all of those, except that it's less adult and more romantic than I anticipated. I liked it more than I expected to.
While I liked the book, I did think it lacked direction. The characters start strong, but then meander around, almost entirely avoiding the book's initial framing, occasionally running into each other again. I felt that Anders had skipped some of the most interesting portions of their lives, and left us with the more humdrum element, though also the ones most immediately contributing to her plot. For example, Patricia, the witch in the story, follows the orders of a man named Kawashima, but we never learn why. Anders adds an author's note saying "if it seemed too random", and I'd have to say that captures some of my feeling. Things happen, and they're sometimes interesting things, but I didn't feel there was a strong organic drive to the plot.
There's also some inconsistency and a need for continuity edits. The moral and emotional elements are at times heavy handed, at times too flat and distant. The overall structure of the book is on the choppy side. The posited dilemma - the battle of science and magic - is a pretty familiar one.
At the same time, I liked the prose and the characters in the short run - moment by moment, even if I wasn't as interested in their long-term arcs. In short, the book is a mix of strengths and weaknesses. This book didn't sell me on Anders, and I don't think I could say I know what all the fuss was about, but I could see another, more polished work winning me over.
Summary
Patricia and Laurence are childhood friends, fated to become a witch and an inventor respectively. They fall away from each other and live separate lives, but eventually fate and a fearsome conflict bring them together again.
Review
I'm not sure why, but this isn't what I expected from All the Birds in the Sky. For some reason, I anticipated a poetic, metaphysical, romantic, very adult literary story. I wasn't sure I'd want that, but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I don't mean to say that this book isn't any of those things. It is a bit of all of those, except that it's less adult and more romantic than I anticipated. I liked it more than I expected to.
While I liked the book, I did think it lacked direction. The characters start strong, but then meander around, almost entirely avoiding the book's initial framing, occasionally running into each other again. I felt that Anders had skipped some of the most interesting portions of their lives, and left us with the more humdrum element, though also the ones most immediately contributing to her plot. For example, Patricia, the witch in the story, follows the orders of a man named Kawashima, but we never learn why. Anders adds an author's note saying "if it seemed too random", and I'd have to say that captures some of my feeling. Things happen, and they're sometimes interesting things, but I didn't feel there was a strong organic drive to the plot.
There's also some inconsistency and a need for continuity edits. The moral and emotional elements are at times heavy handed, at times too flat and distant. The overall structure of the book is on the choppy side. The posited dilemma - the battle of science and magic - is a pretty familiar one.
At the same time, I liked the prose and the characters in the short run - moment by moment, even if I wasn't as interested in their long-term arcs. In short, the book is a mix of strengths and weaknesses. This book didn't sell me on Anders, and I don't think I could say I know what all the fuss was about, but I could see another, more polished work winning me over.
What a mess. I had high hopes until about half way through. Then it all just fell apart. Was it just me or was it like the author just threw words into a blender and then threw them at a page? I feel horrible for writing a bad review but this was just not readable.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is messy. (Like nature itself, maybe?) Chaotic and here and there at the same time, with lots of loose ends and unanswered questions. Characters that are presumably important suddenly stop mattering, time jumps are made with little explanation (annoyingly, skipping scenes that I actually wanted to read, only to go to ones that I didn't really care for), the point of view hops around without a care. It's just messy, and I have plenty of gripes with it -- for 80% of the book I was faintly enjoying myself but also really missing something. But in the last fifty pages it managed to hook me emotionally, and I actually, genuinely cared about what happened to these people, and I suddenly started to appreciate that messiness.
Very close to 5 stars. A unique story, and engaging all the way through. Absolutely delightfully different and weird.
This was such a pleasure for me, and I honestly can't explain why. I picked this book up from my local library--not particularly moved by the cover or title, and having never heard of the author. But this story captured me from the first few pages, and held me all the way through.
Other reviewers have said that this book defies genre, and is "weird," and it definitely is. But if you're willing to take a chance on a novel that mashes together sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and some really clever prose, I'd give it a whirl. Also, you know how there are those books where people say that if you like through page X, you'll like the whole thing, or vice versa? I don't believe this is one of those books--I think you could love the beginning and not love the second half, or the reverse, but I loved both!
Kudos to Anders--she apparantly wrote a Lambda Award winner a while back, so looking forward to shelving that.
P.S. Just read this author's statement on Goodreads (and I assume elsewhere), and UGH, not a fan of her autobiography. Fine, I get it, you're awesome, but please don't make me enjoy your theoretical persona less by telling me how much everyone in the literary world loves you. I'm going to force myself to think that has no impact on my ability to love her as an author, but I really want it to!
Other reviewers have said that this book defies genre, and is "weird," and it definitely is. But if you're willing to take a chance on a novel that mashes together sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and some really clever prose, I'd give it a whirl. Also, you know how there are those books where people say that if you like through page X, you'll like the whole thing, or vice versa? I don't believe this is one of those books--I think you could love the beginning and not love the second half, or the reverse, but I loved both!
Kudos to Anders--she apparantly wrote a Lambda Award winner a while back, so looking forward to shelving that.
P.S. Just read this author's statement on Goodreads (and I assume elsewhere), and UGH, not a fan of her autobiography. Fine, I get it, you're awesome, but please don't make me enjoy your theoretical persona less by telling me how much everyone in the literary world loves you. I'm going to force myself to think that has no impact on my ability to love her as an author, but I really want it to!
What a beautiful, wonderful book. Neither strictly fantasy nor purely science fiction, this book marries both genres and, in the end, transcends both worldviews. There characters were remarkable and enjoyable. This was a perfectly balanced, incredibly joyful, optimistic, lovely book. It was exactly what I needed right now.
This book is... weird. It doesn't seem to have a cohesive story until about halfway through, and the ending is just... too fast, more than anything. I felt like at times I was *close* to getting it, but I never quite got there, and I don't know if getting it would make the story any better
Freaking superb!! I loved every moment. I felt utterly compelled to finish this in one day. It's so addictive and mesmerising. Oh, I loved it so much!!!!
For some reason, I thought I would not like this book. To an extent, having low expectations just made the whole experience more enjoyable and thrilling.
The book opens on a fairly whimsical note. A young girl gets lost in the woods trying to save a bird she can talk to and ends up at the Parliament of Birds. A young boy uses a two-second time machine to try and avoid attacks from bullies.
The parallels between magic and science are in full force throughout the entire plot of the book. Are they so distinct from one another, or are they better when combined? Is prolonging a tired dichotomy the downfall of humanity?
I did not expect this book to be apocalyptic. To be totally honest, I have no desire to read apocalyptic fiction while the COVID-19 crisis continues. Oddly, the apocalyptic setting in the last third made the magic and futuristic science feel more realistic and possible.
Nature vs science or nature and science. Neither alone can one be the saviour for ourselves.
The philosophical themes entangled in this novel are truly thought-provoking. There is a musing on how self-actualisation cannot be achieved without someone other than ourselves. This idea is played out on a larger playing field in that the world cannot be saved by the actions of a like-minded group, whether they are witches or scientists. It is the combination and the mingling of different people and alternate actualisations that make the future possible. It is further carried out on a minute level with Patricia and Laurence; neither one can do what is necessary without the other. They are not truly themselves when separate.
I felt that this book was written for me. I love fantasy and science fiction that plays with our grasps on philosophy. The plot was a perfect vehicle to explore these themes and Anders did an amazing job playing this out and managing to make it whimsical and fun. Also, I'm a total sucker for sentient AIs.
I read this book in one day because I couldn't put it down. I needed all of it at once because it was just too good. Truly a fantastic novel and a wonderful thought piece on modern philosophy.
For some reason, I thought I would not like this book. To an extent, having low expectations just made the whole experience more enjoyable and thrilling.
The book opens on a fairly whimsical note. A young girl gets lost in the woods trying to save a bird she can talk to and ends up at the Parliament of Birds. A young boy uses a two-second time machine to try and avoid attacks from bullies.
The parallels between magic and science are in full force throughout the entire plot of the book. Are they so distinct from one another, or are they better when combined? Is prolonging a tired dichotomy the downfall of humanity?
I did not expect this book to be apocalyptic. To be totally honest, I have no desire to read apocalyptic fiction while the COVID-19 crisis continues. Oddly, the apocalyptic setting in the last third made the magic and futuristic science feel more realistic and possible.
Nature vs science or nature and science. Neither alone can one be the saviour for ourselves.
The philosophical themes entangled in this novel are truly thought-provoking. There is a musing on how self-actualisation cannot be achieved without someone other than ourselves. This idea is played out on a larger playing field in that the world cannot be saved by the actions of a like-minded group, whether they are witches or scientists. It is the combination and the mingling of different people and alternate actualisations that make the future possible. It is further carried out on a minute level with Patricia and Laurence; neither one can do what is necessary without the other. They are not truly themselves when separate.
I felt that this book was written for me. I love fantasy and science fiction that plays with our grasps on philosophy. The plot was a perfect vehicle to explore these themes and Anders did an amazing job playing this out and managing to make it whimsical and fun. Also, I'm a total sucker for sentient AIs.
I read this book in one day because I couldn't put it down. I needed all of it at once because it was just too good. Truly a fantastic novel and a wonderful thought piece on modern philosophy.