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cassimiranda's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Genocide, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Colonisation, and Classism
ethayden2's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bookswithjk's review against another edition
Ultimately not for me. There isn’t too much of a plot happening, and the story started coming off as a bit preachy. The faun brother, admittedly, also threw me off since I wasn’t expecting a fantastical element to this story.
maryreadstoomuch's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you again William Morrow/Custom House and @mdbell79 for my gifted copy of Appleseed!
To say Appleseed is an ambitious novel is an understatement - the book covers three timelines (18th-century Ohio, the 2nd half of the 21st century, and a thousand years in the future). Bell weaves a complex tale with gorgeous prose and unexpected interconnections. I don't read a ton of science/speculative fiction, so this was a little outside my wheelhouse, but I enjoyed the challenge.
Bell throws the reader headfirst into these unfamiliar worlds, and I admit being a bit lost, confused, and intimidated at first. However, I soon got the hang of it and really enjoyed following the characters' journeys. I especially liked John and Chapman, and their paths went in very unexpected directions! Both characters' love for the earth was clear in the narrative, and I enjoyed getting to know them. The ending of the book wrapped things up beautifully and was a high point for me.
I read this book slowly so that I could digest what was going on, and I would definitely recommend that readers do that. If you like literary fiction, particularly The Overstory, you might enjoy this book - the multiple intertwined narrative structure and ode to nature reminded me a lot of that story. If you read this one, I'd love to hear what you think!
To say Appleseed is an ambitious novel is an understatement - the book covers three timelines (18th-century Ohio, the 2nd half of the 21st century, and a thousand years in the future). Bell weaves a complex tale with gorgeous prose and unexpected interconnections. I don't read a ton of science/speculative fiction, so this was a little outside my wheelhouse, but I enjoyed the challenge.
Bell throws the reader headfirst into these unfamiliar worlds, and I admit being a bit lost, confused, and intimidated at first. However, I soon got the hang of it and really enjoyed following the characters' journeys. I especially liked John and Chapman, and their paths went in very unexpected directions! Both characters' love for the earth was clear in the narrative, and I enjoyed getting to know them. The ending of the book wrapped things up beautifully and was a high point for me.
I read this book slowly so that I could digest what was going on, and I would definitely recommend that readers do that. If you like literary fiction, particularly The Overstory, you might enjoy this book - the multiple intertwined narrative structure and ode to nature reminded me a lot of that story. If you read this one, I'd love to hear what you think!
rbaker3's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
Just a wild, demented ride. Impressive.
wickgood's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I feel like I read three different books while I read Appleseed, but I will say one of the three storylines was less rewarding than the other two.
Bell follows an apple tree planting faun in the Ohio territory in the late 18th century, an eco-terrorist trying to give nature room to do it's work in the relatively near future, and a being that is searching for biomass during the next ice age. Though there were interesting portrayals and ideas in each section, it felt like the story of John carried the most information and the most action. In John's story where he's out in the western United States blowing up dams and freeways, he explains how the actions of the past have come to fruition and explains what will happen in the future. Even now, I think the book could have been interesting and gotten it's point across without Chapman's narrative, however Chapman was my favorite character and was usually the most sympathetic of all of the characters.
Though the ending felt weirder than the book that led to the ending, it was a fairly satisfying ending that felt more hopeful than I was expecting.
bovineuniversity's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I’ve read in the past few years. Epic, lyrical, urgent.
p9ng's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it. Climate change theme, melding of fantasy, myth and science. No dragons.
My only criticism is that it I found it hard to pull together the different timelines as I worked my way through the book. This is one of those stories told from the eyes of several individuals coming together at the end.
My only criticism is that it I found it hard to pull together the different timelines as I worked my way through the book. This is one of those stories told from the eyes of several individuals coming together at the end.
littlefoot_books's review against another edition
4.0
The synopsis certainly grabbed my attention, but I found both the subject matter and length to be a bit intimidating. However, I am here to say that I am very glad I read Appleseed! Magical realism, mythology, fable, science fiction…it was a wholly unique and challenging reading experience!
The story is told in 3 timelines: the late 1700s that follows two brothers (one human, one faun) who spend their days planting apple trees across Ohio; in the not too distant future where a giant corporation has a plan to stall global warming; and finally an ice age in the distant future where a cyborg attempts to reset the Earth.
Bell has truly taken on A LOT in this book, way more than I can even begin to go into here, but I think the most obvious take away is how humans and nature are so thoroughly connected and that relationship is probably (because I refuse to admit all hope is lost) beyond repair. Pretty bleak, but honest.
Yet, married with this darkness is so much beauty. What I loved the most about this book was Bell’s prose and imagery surrounding nature itself. His descriptions paint a vivid picture of our natural world and all that was here long before us. This makes it all the more painful to read what has become of Earth as the story moves into the late 21st century.
“The problem is bigger than any one person, any one company or government: the problem belongs to every last person; until it’s solved everyone remains complicit, even if they resist.”
Is all hope lost? Maybe. We have certainly done our best to shut our eyes and ears to global warming and the consequences of climate change. If there is any hope of reversing some of the havoc we have wreaked, we need to start listening to our Mother Earth. She has a lot to say and she’s f^*king pissed.
The story is told in 3 timelines: the late 1700s that follows two brothers (one human, one faun) who spend their days planting apple trees across Ohio; in the not too distant future where a giant corporation has a plan to stall global warming; and finally an ice age in the distant future where a cyborg attempts to reset the Earth.
Bell has truly taken on A LOT in this book, way more than I can even begin to go into here, but I think the most obvious take away is how humans and nature are so thoroughly connected and that relationship is probably (because I refuse to admit all hope is lost) beyond repair. Pretty bleak, but honest.
Yet, married with this darkness is so much beauty. What I loved the most about this book was Bell’s prose and imagery surrounding nature itself. His descriptions paint a vivid picture of our natural world and all that was here long before us. This makes it all the more painful to read what has become of Earth as the story moves into the late 21st century.
“The problem is bigger than any one person, any one company or government: the problem belongs to every last person; until it’s solved everyone remains complicit, even if they resist.”
Is all hope lost? Maybe. We have certainly done our best to shut our eyes and ears to global warming and the consequences of climate change. If there is any hope of reversing some of the havoc we have wreaked, we need to start listening to our Mother Earth. She has a lot to say and she’s f^*king pissed.