Reviews

Magical realism, futuristic science fiction, post-apocalyptic narrative, environmental tragedy, and a story of brotherly love - this has it all. Matt Bell weaves the weird and mundane together with all our fears for our future to create this hauntingly wonderful tale. You’ll never look at an apple in the same way again.

amarti's review against another edition

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5.0

Appleseed is a barrel full of ideas and imagination, taking from to the 1850s, to the near future, and to the distant future, hundreds of years out. All while tackling questions and ideas from American mythology, the power of mega-corporations, climate crisis, AI, nano-technology, etc. Meanwhile, weaving in three very different, yet connected narratives. I learned so much while having a great time along the way.

jordantwombly's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

wild journey of humans and their relation to the ecosystem

soderick's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Appleseed was a book I’d never heard of before spotting it on the Booktube Prize list. It’s a really ambitious, thought-provoking novel tackling themes such as climate change, technology, the power of large corporations and more through three storylines - one set in the past, one in the near future and one in the far future. Eventually the three come together but it does take a while. It’s part sci-fi , part magical realism and part techno-thriller blended with Johnny Appleseed and Greek mythology. The dystopian future it conjures up is bleak, a useful lesson in what will happen if we continue to prioritise humans over nature. I thought this was a little uneven and definitely enjoyed some sections more than others but overall I’m glad I picked it up. The one choice we never make is to leave the oil in the ground, to let the trees grow uncut, to let the water slosh in the aquifers, Once we have the capacity to use a resource, we use it all….There is no such thing as sustainability as long as unlimited growth is the end goal.”

Content Warnings

emmaraeempowered's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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