The Diamond Age

[lightreads]

The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
In a nanotechnified future, where the geography of nation states has been replaced by cultural societies bound by technology, a neo-Victorian engineer in China develops a subversive toy for young girls. It's a highly advanced form of interactive fiction, and the old fairytale story within the primer alternates with the political and technological upheaval of the outside world.



Brilliantly creative, fun and moving in places, but ultimately disappointing. The last fifth or so was rushed and distant, and the whole thing – self-determination and life narratives and everything else – never actually came together. Also, for all its female protagonist, this is one of those books about female self-determination that is actually 75% by volume men talking about female self-determination, if you know what I mean. And I would have appreciated a counterpoint to a lot of the cultural absolutism we got – a lot of westerners are x and easterners are y. And and and.



I'm glad I read his excellent Anathem first – it brings all the clever and the fun stylism, and also actually delivers in the end.




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Comments

[readerjane]

Glad you enjoyed Anathem! I'm almost done with it now, and I kept thinking as I read it, "Light would love this -- must recommend."

[lightreads.livejournal.com]

Isn't it good? I mean, a bit too sprawling and wandery, but really very funny in places for one thing.

[readerjane]

I always enjoy a book that has several different flavors of geek. 'Cause then we're not just token-represented. *g*

[treewishes.livejournal.com]

I do agree that the ending was weak; but I constantly go back to the ideas in this as some of the best in speculative fiction. Have you done Cryptonomicon? Another book with fabulous ideas. (And a better ending.)

I have great plans to get through Anathem this summer; but of course have just figured out how to put books on the Kindle, so we'll see how well THAT works out...

[lightreads.livejournal.com]

Yes, the ideas were awesome. Just a near-total failure of follow-through. I'll try Cryptonomicon next.