Review of Seven at Two Past Five
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rajesh soni
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Review of Seven at Two Past Five
[Following is a volunteer review of "Seven at Two Past Five" by Tara Basi.]
5 out of 5 stars.
The book "Seven at Two Past Five" by Tara Basi is a captivating tale that takes place in a world shackled by a strict routine of daily life. It is a world of both the familiar and the bizarre, a place we can almost touch, a place where our world might go if we let it, a place where we can still identify with the folks caught up in weird circumstances that have some resonance with our own. Abi, the lead character, lives a "normal" existence in a beautifully monotonous dystopia. She makes buttons. She befriends Knox. She couples with Denny. The story of a perfect, serenely uniform Dystopia. Stuff, as they say in the business, is about to happen. And when it does, Basi sets up a scaffolding of incredible cleverness to make her statement about "Disturbance Potential," and to carry a wealth of "meaning fullness" about various aspects of what it means to be human echoing in our ears, that we only realize in retrospect was there all along.
Tara Basi is exceptional at constructing her world. The novel is set in a chilling landscape where, from what we can gather, every aspect of life is strictly ruled. Working within the modus of the 'Mole Rule,' itself, and the 'Mother Coil' of control, the life of our lead character, Abi, truly seems like a life within a closed, underground structure. These Spartan surroundings, with their series of tables and their plethora of stacks, begin to wear upon the reader as much as they do upon Abi. Such are the myriad layers of this reality that, it would seem to some of us, have been expertly splayed out by Basi.
The novel maintains a consistent rhythm. Each chapter adds another level of intrigue and dispute to the story. Basi's writing style is on point; it's very precise. The story captures the everyday beauty of creation and the grotesque eeriness of the time it takes place. The dialogue is malicious in its intent yet also layered with significance; it emphasizes the absurdity and horror of what the main character is going through.
"Seven at Two Past Five" is taken to a whole other level by its thematic complexity. Abi's fight to hold onto her name and, most importantly, her sanity, amid the madness that surrounds her, is like an allegory for the struggle against external forces that will a person to go completely out of their mind. It is an argument for the good of being good, for the preciousness of the individual, and for the worth of upholding morality.
Although "Seven at Two Past Five" is quite a captivating read, several readers might find the book's abstract and surreal elements quite challenging, especially when it comes to understanding them fully. The Kafkaesque legal setup and the weirdness of the accusations might make the narrative puzzling. Some might feel that the world-building and the highly imaginative society that the author has created are a bit too much in-your-face. On the other hand, maybe those are just the right ingredients for a book that makes you think about what you're reading and makes the issues at hand in the book come alive for you in a memorable way.
The book editing is skillful, the writing style is excellent, and the book as a whole is very good. In my opinion, it deserves a perfect 5-star rating.
In conclusion, "Seven at Two Past Five" is an incredible piece of fiction. It successfully combines aspects of a frightening futuristic society, an intense detective story, and deep philosophical thought. On top of that, the writing is strong, using wonderfully imaginative passages that bring the reader deeper into the story. "Seven at Two Past Five" is something unique and worth anyone's time.
******
Seven at Two Past Five
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
5 out of 5 stars.
The book "Seven at Two Past Five" by Tara Basi is a captivating tale that takes place in a world shackled by a strict routine of daily life. It is a world of both the familiar and the bizarre, a place we can almost touch, a place where our world might go if we let it, a place where we can still identify with the folks caught up in weird circumstances that have some resonance with our own. Abi, the lead character, lives a "normal" existence in a beautifully monotonous dystopia. She makes buttons. She befriends Knox. She couples with Denny. The story of a perfect, serenely uniform Dystopia. Stuff, as they say in the business, is about to happen. And when it does, Basi sets up a scaffolding of incredible cleverness to make her statement about "Disturbance Potential," and to carry a wealth of "meaning fullness" about various aspects of what it means to be human echoing in our ears, that we only realize in retrospect was there all along.
Tara Basi is exceptional at constructing her world. The novel is set in a chilling landscape where, from what we can gather, every aspect of life is strictly ruled. Working within the modus of the 'Mole Rule,' itself, and the 'Mother Coil' of control, the life of our lead character, Abi, truly seems like a life within a closed, underground structure. These Spartan surroundings, with their series of tables and their plethora of stacks, begin to wear upon the reader as much as they do upon Abi. Such are the myriad layers of this reality that, it would seem to some of us, have been expertly splayed out by Basi.
The novel maintains a consistent rhythm. Each chapter adds another level of intrigue and dispute to the story. Basi's writing style is on point; it's very precise. The story captures the everyday beauty of creation and the grotesque eeriness of the time it takes place. The dialogue is malicious in its intent yet also layered with significance; it emphasizes the absurdity and horror of what the main character is going through.
"Seven at Two Past Five" is taken to a whole other level by its thematic complexity. Abi's fight to hold onto her name and, most importantly, her sanity, amid the madness that surrounds her, is like an allegory for the struggle against external forces that will a person to go completely out of their mind. It is an argument for the good of being good, for the preciousness of the individual, and for the worth of upholding morality.
Although "Seven at Two Past Five" is quite a captivating read, several readers might find the book's abstract and surreal elements quite challenging, especially when it comes to understanding them fully. The Kafkaesque legal setup and the weirdness of the accusations might make the narrative puzzling. Some might feel that the world-building and the highly imaginative society that the author has created are a bit too much in-your-face. On the other hand, maybe those are just the right ingredients for a book that makes you think about what you're reading and makes the issues at hand in the book come alive for you in a memorable way.
The book editing is skillful, the writing style is excellent, and the book as a whole is very good. In my opinion, it deserves a perfect 5-star rating.
In conclusion, "Seven at Two Past Five" is an incredible piece of fiction. It successfully combines aspects of a frightening futuristic society, an intense detective story, and deep philosophical thought. On top of that, the writing is strong, using wonderfully imaginative passages that bring the reader deeper into the story. "Seven at Two Past Five" is something unique and worth anyone's time.
******
Seven at Two Past Five
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Creative Destruction by Alastair Bowman
