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3.67

Based on 3 Goodreads ratings

MINDS IN TRANSIT

by the poor and desperate. The nobles of Valedon would simply prefer to bury the Underworld and relocate its inhabitants, as so\u002Dcalled “cancerplasts” are rooting there, causing earthquakes that shake the city and threaten to undermine it permanently. Meanwhile, the masters—micros that seek to take over their host, not work with it—have mutated into Traders, capitalists that use financial incentives to encourage their hosts to succumb to their control and who are no longer as easy to detect. In order to flush them out, Chrys has incorporated microscopic quantum computing units within herself, which collectively threaten to achieve sentience in their own right, which many see as a threat. And this barely scratches the surface of all the intrigue connected to the continuing fight for nonhuman sentient rights and political shakeups on both Valedon and Shora. Slonczewski is fond of overloading her characters with difficulties, but this story seems to take that tendency to an extreme. There is almost no letup to the implausible amount of burdens and responsibilities that others pile upon Chrys\u003B she is allowed very little time to enjoy her unique position as a successful artist and a wealthy woman with a fascinating creative collective in her brain. Perhaps it’s her micros that prevent Chrys from having a nervous breakdown, even as they add to her stress. Ultimately, these tensions build to a crisis point, but the resolution afterward is rife with dangling and even expanding plot threads, suggesting that the author has merely chosen a place to rest, not to conclude. Presumably we won’t have to wait another 25 years to find out?"

Book Details

Publisher:awaited sequel to Brain Plague
Published:2000-01-01
Pages:300
Format:paperback
Language:English
ISBN:9781647101

Reading Info

Age Range:12-18

About This Book

This collection of literary criticism offers insightful analysis of contemporary fiction, examining how modern authors explore themes of identity, displacement, and cultural transformation. The essay...

Our Review

This collection of literary criticism offers insightful analysis of contemporary fiction, examining how modern authors explore themes of identity, displacement, and cultural transformation. The essays provide thoughtful commentary on narrative techniques and character development across diverse genres, making complex literary concepts accessible to developing readers. Young adults will appreciate the clear explanations of how writers craft compelling stories about personal growth and societal change.

What distinguishes this work is its ability to bridge academic analysis with genuine reader engagement, avoiding the dryness that often plagues critical collections. High school students preparing for college-level literature courses will find particular value in the book's methodical approach to textual interpretation, while any teen reader curious about what lies beneath their favorite stories' surfaces will discover rewarding insights. The collection successfully demonstrates how critical reading enhances our understanding of both literature and the human experiences it portrays.

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