Brilliant and timely

I really enjoyed this book. Unique take on the real life issues we are currently dealing with regarding climate change and what that means for future generations. I loved unpacking the relationship between father and son and son and the world!

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I’m bewildered after this

Very hard to maintain concentration with this one, the narrator should be applauded for sticking with it.

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must read this one!

this was a fabulous read to get outside of yourself and find a different perspective. recommended reading for all

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Beautiful

Beautiful. heartbreaking. Thought-provoking. A world where what is science and what is speculative is thrown into question in the best kind of way

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I’m a jaded millennial this felt too environmentally preachy but I’m bias and probably not the target audience

Spoiler free review:

For the first 10th of the book I found it beautiful, poetic, educational and the authors love of nature definitely rung through. I’d have adored this book as a young adult full of excitement and hope about how one person’s actions can make a difference & excited for advocacy for disabilities *autism* (& I’d have found this book encouraging). Unfortunately as I’ve gotten older I’m a little more/too jaded. Let’s face it- the world is slowly dying and we’re responsible; our actions and negative impacts are kind of irreversible. I don’t need a 10+ hour book to remind me of this.

The author was obviously an environmentalist (which is a good thing) but there’s a difference between having a 1 hour stimulating 2+ way conversation about the environment and political factors here and there to listening to a 10 hour monologued lecture on it (I’m exaggerating here a little harshly I’ll admit).

Whilst there were positive beautiful moments here and there it’s an allegory to the selfishness of human nature, politics, funding, schooling and healthcare. I (personally) prefer my books to be a bit more of a positive escape from reality.

It delves into illness (autism specifically), science, astronomy, nature, funding, human judgment, human selfishness. If these are your interests you’ll hopefully love it. You probably have to be in the right mind frame to appreciate it- I wasn’t. I’d recommend an environmentalist to read this- they’d probably love it and be fueled with a yearning for action and justice- but for me it fell flat.

Also it was interesting seeing Robbie’s progression and whilst a lot of the book was obviously based on/inspired by reality I couldn’t help but intriguingly wonder how much of his treatment was realistic to the current times/technologies. I’m (in this case) optimistically thinking something like this will probably ONE DAY in the distant future be a reality (just as anti-cancer pills are finally now a thing)- it was an interesting concept.

I wish I loved it more- I just truth be told wasn’t expecting/in the mood for a satirical novel and the beauty, poeticism of it faded (for me personally).

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Powerful book!

Gripping from start to end. Mind expanding, beautifully written and expertly narrated. Can't recommend this enough.

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Depressing, but some beautiful descriptions

While there is beauty to be found in the wonder of the child in this story, overall it’s quite depressing, ending in a way that made me think the author had given up. The narration was enjoyable to begin with but became monotonous at times.

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here and beyond

Theo and Robbin. their journey is our journey. a happy ending? what a universe we live in.

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A journey into a human mind

I loved this book and the narration. It's a love story - a parent's love of his child, his wife, the universe; and his child's love of nature. It's a look into the very delicate mind of a young child who feels anger, sadness, empathy and emotional pain much more intensely than most others. The luck of this unique boy to have this particular father - an astrophysicist who struggles to raise a sensitive child in a world of abrasive truths. The discovery of a computer program that can train the brain to operate in a more ordered and calm manner and the politics behind what advances are made possible and what is not. This story prompts me to wonder so many things about society, the way we raise our children, what's regarded as normal and abnormal and the amazing power of our mind. It's a wonderfully different kind of insight into difference as a beautiful thing.

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Wonderful and Terrifying

A story with an urgent message for our species. A thoroughly believable sci-fi masterpiece. Up there with the book it references and reflects - Flowers for Algernon.

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