I didn’t have much expectation when I read the book, and I
only read the blurb after I finished the book. I’m glad I did it that way.
The book follows a main character, Theo, in his younger days
through his perspective, and the older him through the perspective of his
android caretaker, set around five decades into the future.
The revelation between the two PoVs is clever, and the way
the story goes back and forth, one moving to the future and the other
reminiscing about the past, works well. It weaves readers into the plot, giving
enough but not too much, with many intriguing world-building along the way. I
kept thinking about 3 Body Problem, although it’s not similar, but imo,
exploring humanity and how we deal with invasion threats are much more
intriguing than the cliche Sci-Fi with green alien, especially when there is a
relatable character with their ordinary lives. Older Theo is heartbreaking to
read.
The characters are distinguishable and very believable. The
only setback in this brilliant book, imho, is the ending. I like the ending,
however, I don’t think there is enough build-up, not in terms of quantity, but
more in potential and possibility. I feel that the attempt to hide the twist
backfires a bit and dangerously leans into character inconsistency.
4.5 rounded up to 5
