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I was deeply disappointed by this book.
I thought Dave Eggers was the darling of the literary world (he's been nominated for both the Pulitzer and the National Booker award, after all), so I expected The Circle to be a well-written but dull story of how a universally-adopted modern convenience is actually evil. (Soylent Green, anyone?) Instead, what I found was a poorly written and dull story of how a universally-adopted modern convenience is actually evil. I am so confused. I'm almost as confuse ...more
I thought Dave Eggers was the darling of the literary world (he's been nominated for both the Pulitzer and the National Booker award, after all), so I expected The Circle to be a well-written but dull story of how a universally-adopted modern convenience is actually evil. (Soylent Green, anyone?) Instead, what I found was a poorly written and dull story of how a universally-adopted modern convenience is actually evil. I am so confused. I'm almost as confuse ...more
I gotta say, I found this slow-burning Big Data thriller pretty compelling. The steady erosion of privacy, watching everyone throw it away with both hands, the fleeting joy of going off the grid...he paints some chillingly realistic pictures. Most of the scary new technologies presented felt plausible, which added to the shivers.
But the characters are no good. There's no there there. Imagine how powerful it could have been if we followed fleshier characters with motivations we could grasp? It m ...more
But the characters are no good. There's no there there. Imagine how powerful it could have been if we followed fleshier characters with motivations we could grasp? It m ...more
Dystopian fiction? Cautionary tale? Whatever category you prefer, Eggers has imagined a world totally connected and what might happen if everyone were required to be visible and accessible to everyone at all times (except 3 minute bathroom breaks and after 10 p.m.). At birth children could be implanted with chips which could monitor their health and location for the rest of their lives. Small cameras could be planted everywhere in the world, so everywhere could be seen by anyone with a computer.
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What an interesting book. I don't mean that the book itself is very interesting- it's not. The plot is Brave New World-lite meets near-dystopian Google/Apple. Detail-driven narrative fills in a barely-there plot.
I mean that the book in its context and my reactions to it are interesting. Eggers is a good writer. His detail, while completely unnecessary in this context, is complete, intricate, and engrossing. So many varied descriptions of people: skin like burnished mahogany, hair rising like sm ...more
I mean that the book in its context and my reactions to it are interesting. Eggers is a good writer. His detail, while completely unnecessary in this context, is complete, intricate, and engrossing. So many varied descriptions of people: skin like burnished mahogany, hair rising like sm ...more
wow, this kind of makes you think about how much of our information is out there on the internet, how things are becoming more connect thru it, etc etc. Pretty good story!
Fascinating, thought-provoking and chilling book. I can too easily see the reality of this book come true.
It's hard to review this book without getting into a debate about the pros and cons of social media, and I actually find it rather fitting and ironic at the same time that I am sharing this review on social media. It's the kind of book that will leave you questioning how much we share online, or - if you're already questioning - will make you want to shut down your FB profile for good.
Intere ...more
It's hard to review this book without getting into a debate about the pros and cons of social media, and I actually find it rather fitting and ironic at the same time that I am sharing this review on social media. It's the kind of book that will leave you questioning how much we share online, or - if you're already questioning - will make you want to shut down your FB profile for good.
Intere ...more
A strange combination of compelling and predictable.
Clever and a bit scary.
Technology takes over in this dystopian novel about social media controlling your life.
Oct 24, 2013
Erin
marked it as to-read
Nov 21, 2013
Gary
marked it as to-read
Nov 22, 2013
Nancy
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Jan 21, 2014
April
marked it as to-read
May 04, 2014
Kate
marked it as to-read
Feb 21, 2016
Nick
marked it as to-read
Aug 25, 2016
Zack
marked it as to-read
Jun 14, 2017
Shelley Giusti
marked it as to-read
Jul 05, 2018
Mike
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Feb 05, 2020
Laura
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