Joel
This book is ... batshit crazy. Sure, she's a great writer but there was a little too much “out there” in this for me.
I agree with Amanda. Not as good as the first but way better than the second. I enjoyed it completely, regardless. If this series gets remade into some sort of tv or movie in the states I hope they do right by it!
This guy was a walking paradox. Brilliant yet stupid (all fruit, all carrot diets? Cmoooon). Completely void of empathy but put user experience above all. Sensitive and cries at the drop of a hat but cold and cruel. I could go on and on but the one thing remains - this guy was our generation's Einstein or Ford.
Following the Underground Railroad with a book like this is no small feat. That bar was set impossibly high and Whitehead cleared it without breaking a sweat. Good lord what a book.
Everyone that says this will leave you with a punch to the gut wasn't kidding.
Good? Yes. Completely gripping? Not entirely. I do wish more of it focused on Oscar instead of the rest of the family. The history of the rest of the “Wao” clan was interesting but at times I, personally, found it distracting. Good stuff, would recommend, but have enjoyed others.
Excellent read. As a member of the “tech community” I, we, would do well to get MORE of this sort of first-hand look at this industry. For a book that feels like you can't put it down, it paradoxically makes you stop and think about how what she's writing about is so common in the day to day. Tech culture is weird. It's flawed. It could use a big shake-up. I hope things evolve in the next 10+ years.
Clearly the reps TNC was getting on Black Panther have helped on the fictional side of things. Admire and adore his previous non-fiction but this as a debut novel is really quite something.
Tried ... tried for a while. Just could NOT get into it. When it feels like a chore and I have no idea what the hell is going on? Yeah, I don't know about this one chief.
I'm good with this probably being an objectively GREAT book but it's just not good for me.
Loved it
Definitely set up the world for the second and third books and a liiiittle unfortunate to leave it hanging the way it did but it free me in fast, and hard. It has a quick hook, which is rare.
Looking forward to reading the next book
Gorgeous and HEAVY. HEEEEAAAAVY
Fatherhood, family, work, passion, and mortality. That's quite a recipe for ... whew, some thought and introspection. Would absolutely recommend
Just finished this - the first programming book I've ever read from start to finish. Russ Olsen does an amazing job making the subject interesting and digestible. As I got through the Metaprogramming chapters I really started feeling like I was getting it ... like I was leveling up my skills.
Can't wait to put some of these new concepts and tricks into practice.
Good stuff, but what makes it so good also hurts it a little bit. The lack of tying in the narrative to core protagonists breaks it up a little too much. But still - great read, lots of fun.
As far as good summer reads go - this one hit the spot. Not the least bit challenging, but the character development was good (John is a compelling protagonist), and the main conceit was entertaining. As I was reading I got the feeling that this was “lite” space-opera, but that's fine. No need for pretense. This just wasn't as out there (for me, at least) as, for example, Iain Banks' work is.
I guess the measure of how much I liked this is to consider how likely I'll dip into books 2 and 3. The answer to which is “yes”.
The literary equivalent of a coca cola and bag of m&m's - enjoyable but not very nutritious.
Definitely the most fun novel I've read this year. Nothing profound, but a ton of fun if you're into the genre(s).
Decent book, entertaining, but felt it was a bit of a one trick pony. After the 10th sarcastic exploitation of a superhero cliche it gets old - how about some compelling story?
Beautiful, multi-layered and sad. Amazing piece of work. Glad to have finally taken the time to read it.
A word of advice - just read it. Don't watch the movie. Tried watching the movie after just finishing the book and it felt like ... pudding skin. Just a thin layer sitting on top of something much more satisfying underneath.
Ruth sucks.
If it's a Stephen King book, I'm going to find something to enjoy. Something about his writing style is magnetic. Conversational, but not dumbed down. Down to earth, but out of this world. Frankly, I consider him a national treasure.
Fairy Tale, however, is not among my favorites. The first half, was outstanding. Really drew me in, and I couldn't put it down. About half-way when things ... changed? ... I started to lose interest. There were parts that felt extremely drawn out. Maybe some aggressive editing could have helped? I wonder if there was an opportunity to split this into two books and stretch out each half to its own book? We'll never know.
All in all - I enjoyed it, but this took me a while to finish as some parts felt like a slog. Not his best, but still Stephen King.
Fun book, definitely a page turner, but nothing mind-blowing. Had a little too much Harry Potter & “Hogwarts” notes to it but, meh ... that's ok.
