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5 out of 5 stars
By
Amy
on
03-22-13
A Wrenching, Challenging, Thought-Provoking Wonder
This is a one-of-a-kind gem I can't recommend highly enough. Surely it's one of dystopian science fiction's best-kept secrets. Imagine an isolated island preserved from world plague by its remote location. Now imagine the inhabitants creating a community based on Plato's REPUBLIC.
What does it mean to be alive? To be an individual? To be a member of a community? To be responsible? Whatever you expect this book will be, it will surprise you. I've listened to this more than once, and yet the twist ending never fails to take my breath away.
Don't be fooled if you see this referred to as a "young adult" novel; it's a perfect listen for thoughtful adults, as well.
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4 of 4 people found this review helpful
3 out of 5 stars
By
NMwritergal
on
10-25-16
You have to be in the right mood for this one
The frame (Anax taking her 5-hr exam) is a device for the story she tells about Adam Ford and an AI. Yes, tells--not a lot of showing. And even the story she tells isn't much of one. Basically this book is about philosophical questions, such as "What is consciousness?"
Because there isn't a lot of "showing," and there's not a lot of fluff; it's not something you can listen to with half an ear.
I did find it interesting, but it was (in part) my mood. I had just finished reading something from the '40s, which was also quite philosophical and not exactly action-packed.
As far as the twist, halfway though I had most of it figured out, though it didn't spoil the book for me because I was interested in the questions the book was posing.
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