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Title: Cat's Cradle
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Genre: Science fiction (present day)
Thingummies: 4.5
Synopsis: A writer profiling one of the creators of the atom bomb becomes entangled with his screwed up children and a mysterious substance called ice-nine that has the power to end life as we know it.
Thoughts: Welp, that was dark.
Vonnegut has different levels of cynicism, ranging from rueful about humanity to completely convinced of the vast stupidity of man, the malevolence of God, and the hopelessness of life in general.
This book is in the latter mode.
It's funny, and clever. And completely cynical about the usefulness of anything Man can do.
Speaking of man, it's also impressively misogynistic, with one female character existing wholly to be a sex symbol. Seriously, he literally says that's what she is. She's there to be a prize to be won, and to have sex with the main character, and to convert him to the religion he's already leaning towards by being sexy. That's it. I'll give some leeway for the atmosphere at the time, but it's still discomfiting.
Anyway, it's an incredibly light rage against the universe and rather entertaining in the process. Just, you know, dedicated to the idea that God screwed us all, so screw him.
Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Genre: Science fiction (present day)
Thingummies: 4.5
Synopsis: A writer profiling one of the creators of the atom bomb becomes entangled with his screwed up children and a mysterious substance called ice-nine that has the power to end life as we know it.
Thoughts: Welp, that was dark.
Vonnegut has different levels of cynicism, ranging from rueful about humanity to completely convinced of the vast stupidity of man, the malevolence of God, and the hopelessness of life in general.
This book is in the latter mode.
It's funny, and clever. And completely cynical about the usefulness of anything Man can do.
Speaking of man, it's also impressively misogynistic, with one female character existing wholly to be a sex symbol. Seriously, he literally says that's what she is. She's there to be a prize to be won, and to have sex with the main character, and to convert him to the religion he's already leaning towards by being sexy. That's it. I'll give some leeway for the atmosphere at the time, but it's still discomfiting.
Anyway, it's an incredibly light rage against the universe and rather entertaining in the process. Just, you know, dedicated to the idea that God screwed us all, so screw him.
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Date: 2014-03-24 06:59 am (UTC)From: