Helpful Score: 2
This near-future dystopian novel tells of a teenager named Lauren living in one of the few walled-in, middle class neighborhoods left as American descends further and further into chaos with an ever-increasing gap between the wealthy and the poor. Lauren is an empath. She feels the pain others feel, often incapacitating her, and her experiences lead her to develop a new religion she calls Earthseed. When her neighborhood is destroyed, she and other survivors head north, and she begins teaching them about Earthseed.
This dystopian novel suffers from a lack of a well drawn-out dystopia in which the characters are living. Although it is only 30 years after the early 1990s, no one seems to know why or when things started to fall apart so drastically in the community. The characterizations are strong, but they are unfortunately in a setting that makes these totally believable characters a bit unbelievable. Additionally, the Earthseed religion is basically The Secret with a touch of Buddhism and some heavy God belief tossed in. The passages about the religion aren't painful to read, but they aren't thought-provoking either.
While I didn't find this unpleasant to read, it also wasn't particularly memorable or enjoyable. If you really enjoy character studies and don't mind a dystopian setting, you'll probably enjoy this book. All others should steer clear.
Check out my full review.
This dystopian novel suffers from a lack of a well drawn-out dystopia in which the characters are living. Although it is only 30 years after the early 1990s, no one seems to know why or when things started to fall apart so drastically in the community. The characterizations are strong, but they are unfortunately in a setting that makes these totally believable characters a bit unbelievable. Additionally, the Earthseed religion is basically The Secret with a touch of Buddhism and some heavy God belief tossed in. The passages about the religion aren't painful to read, but they aren't thought-provoking either.
While I didn't find this unpleasant to read, it also wasn't particularly memorable or enjoyable. If you really enjoy character studies and don't mind a dystopian setting, you'll probably enjoy this book. All others should steer clear.
Check out my full review.
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
