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jitka597's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
zydecoreads's review against another edition
5.0
Only Mary can give me the whole ending of a 480 page book in the title and still surprise me again and again and again. I loved every moment. I felt at peace when Lionel was happy, anxious when he was in danger, I felt the constant terror of plague with him, the joys of companionship— this novel is set in the late 21st century ending in the 22nd, and though it starts feeling like a 19th century novel, it is still so readable, so relatable, so human, and begins the whole genre of human extinction and climate fiction! Mary Shelley defined science fiction. Her visions of the future may seem limited in scope but she built this future. She is my world, she is my everything, we are separated by 200 years by some curse I have yet to understand, I love her so dearly.
rosekk's review against another edition
4.0
It's an oddly constructed story, but I've enjoyed it all the same. The first half proceeds as the relatively normal life of man and his companions: it's only in the second half that everything falls apart. In some ways it's jarring, because one gets lulled into the every day drama of the first part of his life, before being plunged into the dark last days of mankind. It works well, though, because it means you get attached to the characters before they perish, and appreciate all that the main character lost when the world died. It inflates the hoplessness of the last days, when you can contrast the two (unlike many modern apocalypse narratives, which tend to begin at the end, so the only way is up from the first chapter).
fmcculley's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This is the very definition of tedious. I could not wait for everyone to die so that I could move on to a different book
banhamej's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
brighroosh's review against another edition
1.0
This book was tortuous for me to get through. At first I was able to accept the "flowery" language as that of the time, and I was intrigued by the opening chapter where the Cumaean Sibyl's cave played a part (I have studied the Sibyl's and like any reference to them). I also wanted to give it a chance since I loved Frankenstein by Shelley.
Shelley was prescient about a worldwide "pestilence" or even as she named it once, a "pandemic." There was a lot of aimless wanderings in trying to get away from the "plague" but some of the reasoning behind the destinations didn't make sense. The stilted language kept me at an emotional distance from the characters until close to the end of the book.
I plowed through to the bitter end, with the expected outcome being the "Last Man" (to survive) of course.
Lots of philosophizing, many adjectives, and lots of people dying or dead.
If you had lots of time to only read this one book and didn't have a bookshelf full of new books waiting to be read, or if you are studying the writing of this time period, have at it!
Shelley was prescient about a worldwide "pestilence" or even as she named it once, a "pandemic." There was a lot of aimless wanderings in trying to get away from the "plague" but some of the reasoning behind the destinations didn't make sense. The stilted language kept me at an emotional distance from the characters until close to the end of the book.
I plowed through to the bitter end, with the expected outcome being the "Last Man" (to survive) of course.
Lots of philosophizing, many adjectives, and lots of people dying or dead.
If you had lots of time to only read this one book and didn't have a bookshelf full of new books waiting to be read, or if you are studying the writing of this time period, have at it!
lucilla_17's review against another edition
1.0
One of the most boring books I've ever read, compounded by her incredibly dense language. I've heard that Frankenstein is amazing, but I think Mary Shelley might not be my thing.
josotros's review against another edition
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This book was so very well written it was just absolutely horrible to get through
nilsna's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at page 300. I wanted to like it but it's just sooooo boring. Too bad :/
krimsonraine's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0