The Stone Gods by Jeanette Winterson Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Stone Gods
Book Review: Old wine in new bottle
Summary: 3 Stars
Every aspect of this story has appeared before: The planet so bad that humans must flee, the moral equivalency of all cultures as equally guilty, human-android love/lust, aliens, similar stories in different times...it's old but the author does her best to coat it with a brilliant literary covering.
Once again, if folks can undertake interstellar travel can't they manufacture the materials needed on their planet? Many authors assume all progress stopped in the 70's and nothing - new energy sources, artificial materials, bioengineeing advances, AI and robotic miracles - will ever emerge. Yet (lol) they can envision a society spending trillions on transporting its citizens across light years to an ominous destination when, for a fraction of the cost, they could correct the problem on their own planet. Preposterous.
SPOILER ALERT **** Orbus, the alternate Earth, is divided into three political groups - think West, East and Islamic, all morally bankrupt and uncaring for their planet or citizens (evil big business, sigh). They find the perfect planet but alas, there are dinosaurs. So, instead of rapidly exterminating them with conventional methods, they guide a large asteroid out of orbit but (again, absurd) they miscalculate and not only the dinosaurs but the just-landed travelers bite the dust. And surprise, surprise, the planet is actually...Earth and the asteroid is the one that...blah blah blah.
One vignette on Easter Island (an Englishman, warring parties amid stone faces) is almost poetic in presentation. The final vignette is also stunning. It's sad that such literary talent was wasted on such a trite cautionary tale.
Book Review: Science Fiction and Lesbians - a favorite combo of mine
Summary: 5 Stars
Strongly written, a mind bending plot, and a robot head who, even though carried around under the protagonist's arm, still manages to get away for a little sex. Excellent.Book Review: Stone Gods
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first of her books I've read....and I was completely delighted with it...and plan to read more of her writings. The historical nature of the book was most intriquing and I loved the use and reference to older writngs and poetry; how that was a thread which she used to weave the story around. Some might consider it a silly bit of writing....those that don't think too much. But for the thinkers out there this is well worth a read.Book Review: Three Ways To Threaten Earth
Summary: 5 Stars
Similiar in plot structure with the DVD "The Fountain," "The Stone Gods" has a three part setting of time and space in this apocalyptic warning tale of human self-destruction. Opening 65 million years ago, an advanced human civilization looks for immigration to Earth to escape the ecological damage and wars that plague their planet Orbus. The middle section takes place on Easter Island in 1774 while the finale is set in the future with civilization trying to rebuild among the ruins. The author is the writer of "The Passion" and "Oranges are not the Only Fruit." This book may not be for every reader, as the writing is an acquired taste of brief sentences and paragraphs. But it is a book that will make you think and rue Earth's future.Book Review: Well it was a great start, and then it lost me...
Summary: 3 Stars
There was a little bit too much jumping around between the 3 stories, it was like history it's repeating it'self again and again (and we as humans don't really learn anything), i can see the relationship between the first story and the Planet Orbit and the last story and Earth, but the Easter Island story what was that all about? Maybe this book was intellectualy beyond me, but this one lost me.