Aamna

This was a like a long extended dream. The kind you have at 4am. The kind that wake you up and wonder - how could it be so vivid and SO absurd? You remember parts of it like it really happened and other parts you just cannot recollect no matter how hard you try.

Yep, this was just a dream. And I'm sure it'll be different when I read it again. And that I will.

[Audio book]

3.8 stars

Actually looked forward to all commute this past week because I'd listen to this. Starts to decline after 70% though. Would have loved to see more of the Demosthenes/Locke storyline - it's introduced yet hardly built upon.

Found the author's note at the end very engaging as he talks about the origins of the story.

Couldn't put it down for the first 40%. Then interest dipped sharply at 60% and failed to recover. It's written in a speculative thriller sort of way albeit without much to reveal. Also the constant analogy-making thesaurus powered writing style gets tedious fairly quickly. If you haven't read it, the only thing you're missing on is some valley goss you can get in a summary. To be fair, I would have liked it more if it ended at the 50% mark, the second half draaaags.

This was such a good surprise. So well written and so much to take away even if you're not a hard core game designer. Will definitely be reading again at some point. Highly recommend.

3.5 / audiobook

For all the issues I have with this book I hold the editor responsible. The first few chapters about Anna's child acting career and her family are rather drab. The self deprecating humour feels forced or overdone. But as teenager Anna becomes a 20 something Anna things get more engaging. She gets real about stuff - like how she was broke when she got her oscar nomination for Up in the Air, how her outlook towards multiple things has evolved. I liked that.

Note on the audiobook - Anna talks really fast so actually had to listen at 0.8x for a bit to adjust my brain.