Honestly, this book was a flop. But, it’s okay for me to say that bc Anthony didn’t write it — his assistant did. For what was meant to be a list of some of his fav places, somehow it seemed like every city he ever visited made the cut, which is frankly, suspicious. Also, sometimes the blurbs were like 30 sec long. What’s the point. I wanted more essays, more reflections on the food, and less damn repetition of websites and airport info. 

This book is a masterpiece. Docked it 0.25 ONLY for some over-reliance on certain phrases and tropes that got annoying

(eg. “like some foreign war;” ending each big paragraph break with some waxing poetic reflection that doesn’t match the tone of what just happened)

. Otherwise I was perfectly compelled. Such a smart blend of the mundane and the existential that keeps you reading and reflecting on the state of the world while also keeping on living. An essential book for Westerners of what war and despotism could look like should it arrive at our doorsteps as it has all over the world. 

This is super sad for me to write because her first novel resonated with me SO much. I fear this one just seemed too millennial cheesy. Like too many of the quips and modern references were too on the nose even if I agreed with what she was saying and even found it funny. But like, show don’t tell, yanno? Definitely a genre turn for her, and I don’t think it worked. I DID appreciate the Oxford references, and I DID fly through this and was entertained, but not in a meaningful way 

One of the first modern working class novels I’ve resonated with. Somehow this book manages to be a compulsively easy read and a deep study of what it is to be young and working class in Belfast. I learned a lot and felt SO much for these characters. Heartbreaking (and somehow still hopeful??) meditation on the impossibility of escaping where we come from 

To say I finished this book is an overexaggeration, BUT I did read everything in it that was assigned to me, so I will log it nonetheless.  

I think the only reason I’m daring to give this 4 instead of 5 stars is because Mr Pierce Brown can write SUCH bangers. Do not be mistaken, this was a banger. But was it his best? I’m sad to report that no, it was not. I needed… more? Idk if I’m just tiring of these books spent on one campaign (Dark Age on Mercury, Lightbringer out in the Rim) but they end up feeling one dimensional in a way. But idk if I would have said that about any other book bc it’s completely natural to focus on one story; it’s just that these books often are EPICS, and this wasn’t. So maybe I’m biased. Either way, thorough enjoyed and RIPPED through this book. So scared for how Mr Brown is gonna get this thing done

My Libby loan ended and also my yearly hyperfixation fizzled 

I don’t think I liked this book… I was disturbed and upset and I didn’t know for what reason all the horror was taking place. Intro said allegory for Franco, but even that was hard to grasp other than things being horrible. I don’t object to graphic or shocking content in and of itself, but it has to DO something, and for me, this didn’t. I will say that the writing style was super unique, incising, moving between documenting the present and reflecting seamlessly, so you weren’t even aware how you were moving through time. 

Hm. Maybe I would’ve liked this better in short story form bc there was simply no reason for this to be a full length book. Robot learns to love, okay, I get it. Was not compelled

Wow wow wow. Now THIS is how you fictionalize history. First of all, love how these were real people with a real project in real time. But important second: I love how much Crewe departs from the events in order to tell the story he wants to tell. Masterful. I was sucked in from the first page. The writing is compelling and flowery when it suits and direct and clear to cut quicker. The characters are so deep and real, and I felt for them and rooted for them and understood them in a way that I’m always looking for in a book. A perfect story of ALL of the different ways queerness and its illegality affects and harms EVERYONE: gay men, gay women, wives, husbands, lovers, friends, speech! But also the tension between high ideals and self preservation without casting blame on either side of the argument. Such a compassionate and tender book. A new favorite in the canon!