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I started reading it last night. Then I remembered that I had started reading it about a year ago, but that I had given up around chapter 4. This is where the
by atombender 5y ago
I started reading it last night. Then I remembered that I had started reading it about a year ago, but that I had given up around chapter 4.
This is where the novel switches gears completely. It introduces a new narrator who describes the spider world, except in human terms with cars, royal families, blacksmiths and references places with Earth-like names like Princeton, so clearly a kind of allegorical form of storytelling. It completely put me off what was up to then pretty decent hard sci-fi. It reminded me of the fable-like way the aliens are described in The Three-Body Problem, which I did not like.
I will try a few more chapters, I guess.
- int_19h 5y agoIf you read on, you'll eventually find out just why it's narrated the way it is. You're correct in that it's clearly metaphorical - but that actually has a compelling in-story explanation, and it is a major factor later in the plot. A (hopefully) non-spoiler TL;DR is that this has to do with how our perception of others affects our ability to humanize or dehumanize them. In fact, there's one scene near the end where this metaphorical narration is intentionally and explicitly contrasted with the actual appearance of the Spiders and their world.
- atombender 5y agoThanks. My guess so far is that it's an "interpretation" written by one of the human characters — which is fine in principle, but I find it really off-putting. The mixing of hard science fiction with this Jules Verne-like fabulism just doesn't work for me.