From the Bookshelf of The Reading Challenge Group…

Midnight Robber

Nalo Hopkinson

Start date: May 1, 2015

Finish date: May 31, 2015

Discussion: Group Read Archive 2014-16

Why we're reading this: World Literature Group Read (Central America, Mexico & Caribbean) - May 2015
[close] World Literature Group Read (Central America, Mexico & Caribbean) - May 2015

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Group Read Archive 2014-16

Genre Group Read (Humour) - December 2016 - You Are Not So Smart
By Allison , Quest Hound · 11 posts · 30 views

last updated Dec 28, 2016 04:05PM

Alternate Group Read (Classics) - December 2016 - Mansfield Park
By Allison , Quest Hound · 5 posts · 18 views

last updated Dec 04, 2016 09:34AM

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What Members Thought

Apr 22, 2015 Allison marked it as sampled-not-finished · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, published-1990s, violent-brutal-gruesome, dark, published-2000s, tck-author

I'm not sure it's fair to mark this as 'abandoned' when I only read a few pages in the first place. Normally I wouldn't even consider that 'begun.' But I thought I should at least mention why I quit so early.

It's all because of the dialect in combination with the world-building. It usually takes some concentration to comprehend a new world, but when that world is introduced in a dialect that you can barely understand... it's rough. The first few pages were such hard work for me to decipher and ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Sep 06, 2022 Eileen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2022-ng-group-challenge, audiobook, science-fiction, 2022, cultural, fantasy, 2022genrechallenge

I really enjoyed this story more than I expected, and I suspect that I will 1) be listening to it again, and 2) love it more with each reading/listening experience. The main reason I didn't give it five stars is that I don't think I fully appreciated this book on my first pass and probably need to read it at least once more. First, for those who are concerned, content and trigger warnings include (view spoiler) I really enjoyed this story more than I expected, and I suspect that I will 1) be listening to it again, and 2) love it more with each reading/listening experience. The main reason I didn't give it five stars is that I don't think I fully appreciated this book on my first pass and probably need to read it at least once more. First, for those who are concerned, content and trigger warnings include (view spoiler)

With that out of the way, there were many things I loved about this book. The author expertly weaves Caribbean folklore and culture in a utopian/dystopian (depending on which side you are on) futuristic world. This book felt like fantasy, mythology, science fiction, survival, and adventure all rolled into one. It was also a coming-of-age story about Tan-Tan and what she does to survive and figure out who she is. The tale is told in what I believe is a Caribean dialect, which is one of the main reasons I decided to listen to the story. Robin Miles narrates the story, and as brutal as some of it was, she made it a joy for me to listen to this book. I originally intended to read along with the narration, but only one of my libraries had a copy, but it had a long waiting list. As it turns out, I didn't really need to read along, although I might try doing that in subsequent readings of this book. It took some concentration in some places, but the language is pretty logical and Robin Miles made it pretty easy for me to follow the story. In some ways, it reminded me of Clockwork Orange because of the unique language and the controlled society, as well as some of the violence. However, Midnight Robber is not nearly as violent and Tan-Tan is a very sympathetic character for all that she speaks about a good Tan-Tan and a bad Tan-Tan.

If you enjoy classic sci-fi, rich world-building, fantastical creatures, and interesting characters, and you can deal with the trigger warnings above, then give this book a try and for the more adventurous of you, listen to Robin Miles' excellent narration. ...more

1 like · Like · see review