Flawed but fascinating and full of good ideas. I appreciate the way Gailey creates a generally unlikable, unpleasant protagonist, shows you exactly whFlawed but fascinating and full of good ideas. I appreciate the way Gailey creates a generally unlikable, unpleasant protagonist, shows you exactly what made her that way, but doesn't shame you for finding her off-putting. Some of the plot mechanics don't make a ton of sense, but as the afterword makes clear this is more metaphor than traditional thriller....more
Enjoyed reading it, appreciated its optimistic view of humanity, but couldn't help feeling it was a little too placid for its own good. The one bit ofEnjoyed reading it, appreciated its optimistic view of humanity, but couldn't help feeling it was a little too placid for its own good. The one bit of tragedy felt too obviously placed, like a box checked for box-checking's sake....more
Big misses and a few quasi-hits. The only standouts to me were the autobiographical Yakult Swallows Poetry Collection and the uncomfortable but fascinBig misses and a few quasi-hits. The only standouts to me were the autobiographical Yakult Swallows Poetry Collection and the uncomfortable but fascinating Carnaval. The title story was also a clever little vignette, but I wish it had a little more meat on its bones. Otherwise pleasant but largely forgettable....more
Mostly enjoyed this, but it somehow didn't really grab me, despite the fact that I'm precisely the target market for a book like this (I bake sourdougMostly enjoyed this, but it somehow didn't really grab me, despite the fact that I'm precisely the target market for a book like this (I bake sourdough all the time, work in the tech industry, enjoy weird metaphysical fiction). I dunno, it was fine. Just slightly lifeless....more
I wasn't bothered by the disturbing story elements, but the overly simplistic writing style and worldview that was charming in Convenience Store WomanI wasn't bothered by the disturbing story elements, but the overly simplistic writing style and worldview that was charming in Convenience Store Woman wore out its welcome here....more
Not quite as disquietingly brilliant and mysterious as the first half made me hope, but still more satisfying than anything I've read in a long time. Not quite as disquietingly brilliant and mysterious as the first half made me hope, but still more satisfying than anything I've read in a long time. Echoes of The Magus, numerous Gene Wolfe stories, and of course Clarke's own previous work....more
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