tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post5305039038787111982..comments2024-03-27T17:34:52.560-05:00Comments on A Garden Carried in the Pocket: Two by Paolo Bacigalupijenclairhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06046532245054911248noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-42431340172502555672012-09-04T10:20:27.246-05:002012-09-04T10:20:27.246-05:00The Drowned Cities has so much meaning for New Orl...The Drowned Cities has so much meaning for New Orleans. New Orleans I, that is. <br /><br />I ordered both books immediately after hearing Bacigalupi's interview for NPR at Comic-Con. He does a great interview. jenclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06046532245054911248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-65776024958817182702012-09-04T10:12:41.816-05:002012-09-04T10:12:41.816-05:00That makes sense. And comparing the two, Ship Brea...That makes sense. And comparing the two, Ship Breaker was his first foray into YA fiction after having written/published The Windup Girl and I imagine in some ways he was feeling his way around trying to write differently, especially given the more darker tones of some of his adult stuff. It will be interesting if you choose to read The Drowned Cities if you see any improvement in these areas or not.Carl V. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15948764216438379394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-80173277972508249592012-09-04T10:05:21.051-05:002012-09-04T10:05:21.051-05:00Carl - The truth is that I was a lot more positive...Carl - The truth is that I was a lot more positive about Ship Breaker until I read The Windup Girl, immediately following. I know it colored my opinion....jenclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06046532245054911248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-69863648716651439272012-09-04T09:44:14.209-05:002012-09-04T09:44:14.209-05:00I had pretty much decided after reading some of Ba...I had pretty much decided after reading some of Bacigalupi's own concerns over the accolades that Windup Girl was getting that I wouldn't read it, and many others including you now have confirmed the brutality. I know it happens in real life, I guess I just don't need it in my fiction if I can avoid it.<br /><br />I understand exactly what you mean about Ship Breaker and don't disagree with you. I just didn't find my enjoyment of the novel affected by those issues and I wonder if it is because I went into it not expecting that out of a YA novel or if that just wasn't where my focus was as I was reading. Its been too long to remember. I suspect we'll get more info about the half-men in the next book as Tool is one of the main characters in it. I need to try to get to it during the next Science Fiction Experience if not before.Carl V. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15948764216438379394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-16773479000866906542012-09-04T09:02:18.917-05:002012-09-04T09:02:18.917-05:00Carl - The Windup Girl was too brutal for me, as w...Carl - The Windup Girl was too brutal for me, as well. I wouldn't recommend it, in spite of the fact that many love the novel.<br /><br />What I mean about world building on Ship Breaker is that I want a little more background on the different extremes between the Corporate world and the world of the drowned cities and impoverished life along the coast. It doesn't have to be much, even a paragraph or two. <br /><br />I also would have preferred more information on the half-men. Both novels include the scientific ability to create creatures out of DNA combined from humans and animals, but no ability to accomplish fairly simple things. Such a contrast of high tech and low tech.<br /><br />I also like "new" technology to have a little more feeling of possibility, and the W G certainly didn't provide that. Kink springs providing everything? What are they? If people can manage to create them, why can't they create conventional energy sources and weapons? <br /><br />In Ship Breaker, the actual ship breaking, scavenging, and drowned cities made perfect sense given what is happening world wide with global warming and the rise in sea level. <br /><br /> <br />I've heard great things about his short stories, and Ship Breaker felt more like an expanded short story than a novel.<br /><br />Nevertheless, I enjoyed Ship Breaker and liked the characters. Not so with The Windup Girl. :\<br /><br />I do like that Bacigalupi addresses problems that the world is facing today, although we are in the early stages. In W G the problems with the Agro corporations, the sterile seeds, etc. is another current concern that interests me. The Seed Banks are something I researched a little after reading another novel. <br /><br />Both novels provide a frightening scenario for a project that should be beneficial, the preservation of seeds in case of some apocalyptic disaster. jenclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06046532245054911248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-11823503898027214682012-09-04T07:29:32.342-05:002012-09-04T07:29:32.342-05:00I have never wanted to read The Wind Up Girl becau...I have never wanted to read The Wind Up Girl because I have heard enough about it from several people that I don't think I would enjoy the more brutal and depressing parts of the story. I have read some of Bacigalupi's short fiction though and he is a fantastic writer and I loved Ship Breaker. I didn't have the same experience with the world building, I think in part because I had read about the story (on his blog, I believe) and the whole ship breaking part is based on things that actually happen right now. It didn't seem to me such a far fetched extreme from the path the world is on and as a YA book I was glad not to have an enormous amount of world building outside of what was wrapped up in the story. I have yet to read the next book set in this world but it is on my list. Carl V. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15948764216438379394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-60012191554205153782012-08-23T19:23:18.105-05:002012-08-23T19:23:18.105-05:00I found the Ship Breaker kind of not my thing, so ...I found the Ship Breaker kind of not my thing, so I have never read anything else from him. Other friends of mine love his books, though.Kailanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11136262232046813471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-91221439433256268892012-08-22T12:23:07.118-05:002012-08-22T12:23:07.118-05:00Katherine - I wish Bacigalupi had developed this o...<b>Katherine</b> - I wish Bacigalupi had developed this one more. It was a fast read, maybe too fast. jenclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06046532245054911248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22616974.post-8430111669141224992012-08-22T11:52:48.876-05:002012-08-22T11:52:48.876-05:00I haven't read 'The Windup Girl', but ...I haven't read 'The Windup Girl', but I did read 'Ship Breaker' and I think your analysis of it is a fair one - your comment about the facade-like effect of Western towns in movies had me really nodding my head. It was a good book, but not that good. Or so I thought. Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.com