When you're reading Just City it is impossible not to admire the scale of its contrivance - it's like a room sized house of cards or domino-fall .

That out-sized ambition coupled with an intricate but repetitive structure is perhaps also its biggest flaw.

the scale of the story's contrivance eclipses its characters and the author's hand never disappears from the page. The reader can see the puppet strings too clearly for my taste . Maybe that is what dampens the opportunities for genuine wonder, emotion, and humor ?

But what a contrivance it is! I love the premise and admire the effort it must have taken to pull it off !