Status Updates From A Different Alchemy: a quie...

To be fair, I think the main character is traversing a long journey of grief that started when his son was born, and was amplified by losing his son in such a violent way. I’m sure he is grieving the idea of his wife too. Grief is definitely repetitive and illogical. The gruesome vignettes of killing people & animals could be the character’s way of processing and numbing himself to the inevitability death.

I like how Dietzel addresses different perspectives on processing trauma. Especially how different generations can process traumatic world events at different times in their lives and respond without panic.

Again, Dietzel’s portrayal of how world leaders would respond in the apocalypse seems realistic and utterly hilarious. Those are the moments I literally laugh out loud.

The main character is obsessing over some repetitive thoughts. I wonder how far he’ll go to run away from the rest of the world.

I kind of feel frustrated, like I’m stuck with this character who definitely has this narrow outlook on life and his relationships. Not only an unreliable narrator, but kind of a self-involved shit with stunted self awareness. It still evokes a lot of interesting questions.

Wow. This main character is really biased, and doesn’t understand women at all, or pregnancy, or basically any strangers he comes across. It’s not surprising that the main character’s perspective is so limited,it seems intentional, but it’s a bit disappointing sometimes being stuck with someone who doesn’t get it.

Laughing so hard at the panel of spies outing major world powers as idiots. Loving the petty practical jokes from the French. 😆🤣♥️

What I like about this series is that it’s less about hoarding food and trying to survive other people in an apocalypse, but more about figuring out what needs to be taken away (besides basics like food, water, shelter) to make life no longer worth living. In other words, what gives our lives meaning?

I misplaced my autographed copy of A Different Alchemy almost 10 years ago when I moved, and recently found it in a mislabeled box full of old notes and student projects In storage (AKA a safe place). It occurred to me to check Audible and I found it on there too! A lot of Dietzel’s other works are there too. It’s not exactly with the theme of my other books this year, but I’m excited to revisit this series!