Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Mona Lisa Overdrive
Book Review: Excellent
Summary: 4 Stars
This was a great book. I loved Neuromancer and kinda dragged myself through Count Zero and now I know why...to get to MLO. This was just as colorful as Neuromancer. I could not put it down towards the end.Book Review: Excellent conclusion to the "Sprawl" series
Summary: 4 Stars
I enjoyed "Mona Lisa Overdrive" and "Count Zero" more than "Neuromancer" but the reason is that I read "Neuromancer" before "Burning Chrome" (Gibson's collection of short stories) and the other two after "BC". It makes a big difference because "BC" gives you a lot of necessary background. "MLO" is almost better than "CZ". The introduction of some new characters to go with the story of Angela Mitchell and The Count worked well, I thought. I liked the relationship bewteen Molly and Kumiko too. I think it's time I re-read "Neuromancer" to get a second perspective on it.Book Review: Fast paced and compelling
Summary: 5 Stars
If you've read Neuromancer and Count Zero, you MUST read this book. It is the third in the trilogy, and links the seemingly unrelated first two books. As with all Gibson's work, this book charges along at a breakneck pace leaving you exhausted by the end. I loved seeing what became of some of the Neuromancer characters. If you have not read the entire trilogy, you are missing out on some of the most exciting fiction of the century. Buy it NOWBook Review: Gibson did it again
Summary: 5 Stars
William Gibson has again proved himself an extraordinary writer with Mona Lisa Overdrive. The story takes place in a futuristic world where big corporations run everything and the entertainment business is the world's largest source of income. It is here that we meet Gibson's remarkable cast of characters including Angie, a famous "stim star" that has the ability to jack-in to cyberspace without any equipment, Slick Henry, an ex-con who seems to have an uncontrollable urge to create killing machines, Sally Shears, one of the few returning characters from Neuromancer, and Mona Lisa, a prostitute who bears an amazing resemblance to Angie.The bulk of the book is the separate stories of these individuals, bringing them together in the end in a brilliant fashion. Through this format, Gibson is able to tell a nearly omniscient view of the story by giving not only the point of view of one character, but of all of the characters. This gives an overall effect that sucks you into the book, and doesn't let go. Gibson is also easily able to use this format to show what the characters themselves aren't able to figure out. He gives you bits of information from each of the characters, and you are able to put this together while the characters are clueless. Gibson does all of this and keeps the action rolling without any confusion that allows for a very quick read.
Mona Lisa Overdrive is the third installation in Gibson's series, preceded by Neuromancer and Count Zero. Although it is not necessary to read the first two before Mona Lisa Overdrive, I would recommend it. You will understand much more, and will be able to enjoy all of the little references to the previous two. Gibson truly is a great writer, and Mona Lisa Overdrive is his masterpiece.
Book Review: Gibson does it again.
Summary: 5 Stars
This was the first Gibson book I ever read. After browsing through a local Sci-Fi bookstore, and having heard good things about Gibson from a friend, I spotted this in the used book section, and picked it up. Immediately thereafter, I was enthralled.Gibson has taken the probable, the possible, and the fantastic, and woven them into a single, believable entity. Mona Lisa Overdrive is a worthy successor to Neuromancer, in every aspect. Such favorites as Sally (AKA Molly), and the Finn tie this into Neuromancer quite well, as do the references to Case and the union of the Rio and Berne AIs.
Gibson's style is such that it takes several readings to truly understand a book; even then, you're left wondering "what did he mean by that?" Mona Lisa Overdrive is no exception. Never having read Neuromancer previous to Overdrive, I was mystified by the events described in the book; once I read Neuromancer, many things were revealed.
The technology, the political intrigue, and the societies of Gibson's future are projections of current trends, plus the mystical dimension of "cyberspace;" the medium through which the majority of the world communicates. There is nothing new under the sun, and Gibson proves this with Mona Lisa.