A character driven masterpiece of alternative reality, what could be if, dimension jumping, what is the sense of my existence, etc. Philosophy includeA character driven masterpiece of alternative reality, what could be if, dimension jumping, what is the sense of my existence, etc. Philosophy included.
Many tropes, often well known, but boy, in what a splendid constellation Crouch was able to put them to be interesting for both groups of readers interested in plot and action and those wanting to have a character to identify with. Close to impossible to talk about the book without spoilering something, so I will instead try to remember if I have seen a similarly intelligent and well written alternative reality plot with such a finetuned protagonist that leaves the reader with thoughts about the purpose of their own existence and must say no.
Other works might be more suspenseful, have many settings, epic worldbuilding, thrill, horror, but this is something closer to a finding yourself trip, using the character to permanently project deep thoughts in the readers` mind.
But be careful, a bit of mindfu** would be an understatement, it´s close to impossible to not project elements of the questions and situations (ok, not that much) the hero is dealing with back to one's own life and reading it might not make one a better person (it´s too late for me), but at least someone questioning the priorities.
An often not mentioned, suppressed and unsolvable problem is thematized in an amazing way: Family or career? Something especially women have to deal with, but more and more a male problem too, as society moves on and emancipation is accelerating and it´s impossible to find a solution in our current economic and social system. One has to sacrifice the one or the other and as the old saying (not sure if it really exists or if I am just making this up) goes: „Marry or don´t marry, have kids or have no kids, focus on career or family, you´ll regret everything reminiscing at one point of your life.“ Somewhere in the middle, there might be a moderate solution.
I am not sure if I should read the Wayward Pines series too, but I am eagerly looking towards reading Blakes´ novel recursion.
We might be just watching the birth of a new mixed social Sci-Fi subgenre, something not focusing on the meta area of societal and gender norms, relationships, sexuality, and stuff, but on how many worlds, parallel universes, more than three dimensions with different variations of a character, might react if they get in contact with each other, how many constellations for psychological horror, humor, and suspense could be generated that way. With some grains of technobabble about quantum physics and many alternative technological and historical timelines, entering the bonus level of uchronias, dystopias, and utopias by the way. Imagine there would be aliens too, omg!
Mario the lone bookwolf
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Books:
crouch-blake
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