≡ Download Free The Diamond Age Or a Young Lady Illustrated Primer Bantam Spectra Book Neal Stephenson 8601420086418 Books

The Diamond Age Or a Young Lady Illustrated Primer Bantam Spectra Book Neal Stephenson 8601420086418 Books

Download As PDF : The Diamond Age Or a Young Lady Illustrated Primer Bantam Spectra Book Neal Stephenson 8601420086418 Books

The Diamond Age Or a Young Lady Illustrated Primer Bantam Spectra Book Neal Stephenson 8601420086418 Books

This is my favourite book, despite many many flaws.
I've read it five times now, and Nell's journey from abused child to [spoilers] is something that never ceases to enthrall
The characters that drive and interweave with her story are intricate, bizarre and original.

The problem with the book (and the reason why it's really not for everyone) is that some of the writing is close to impenetrable: Neal Stephenson has a habit of using the most arcane words to describe mundane items, and of going off on utterly bizarre tangents that generally distract from, rather than enhance the story.

All that said, if I had a few spare million in the bank, I'd kick down every door I could to buy the TV rights to this. The book itself is in two parts, which would transition perfectly in to series 1 & 2 of a Netflix style production; with a series 3 begging to be extrapolated from "what happens next".

If you don't mind a challenging read then this story is amazing.


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The Diamond Age Or a Young Lady Illustrated Primer Bantam Spectra Book Neal Stephenson 8601420086418 Books Reviews

This started SO WELL!!! I loved the interesting new world and many of the characters....but HATED the ending- which was not an ending. The book builds this complex world filled with complex characters- then jettisons many of the characters abruptly for no reason. Miranda starts as an interesting person- then ends as a limp character in a stage with a chunk missing about why it had to be her. The sections with the drummers were AWFUL- back to using the bodies of women for the pleasure of men, except that they catch on fire- willingly or drugged? How banal. Overall, I was HUGELY disappointed- I kept reading, hoping it would get better- it didn't and then it just ended as if the author was bored with the story. Was there even a plot line to follow? Was there an editor involved at all?
This is not my first Neal Stephenson book. As a matter of fact, it's my third. I wasn't planning on reading another one, but a friend who is also an avid reader recommended it. I must say that I preferred the other two books (Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon). Since this isn't a review of those books, I won't delve into why I liked those better. Rather, I will try to define why I didn't like this one as much.

First, this is not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. It starts with three separate plot lines that are not strong enough to stand alone, so you just know they are going to come together. To his credit, Stephenson maintains the suspense of how they will come together quite well. The character development is mixed. Some of the characters are well formed with flaws and all the aspects of a real human personality. Others tend to get more caricature treatment, even though they are not bit players in the plotline.

Mostly, the characters and imagery is solid. This is what I like about Stephenson's writing. He uses a broad pallet in his writing that shows deep skill as a writer along with artistic flourishes that send me regularly to the dictionary to learn about some arcane word that I've never seen before. Some would find this annoying. Why use an obscure word when an average, everyday one will do? Because, it adds color and flair and that's what makes good writing.

The Diamond Age feels at once historical and futuristic. That's not an easy thing to do, but Stephenson does it beautifully. Maybe that's why I keep coming back. If you're reading this review, the plotline probably already got your attention. Go ahead, jump in, the water is fine!
Bronze Age, Iron Age, Diamond Age... Say what? Yes the Diamond Age, the age of nanotechnology, where windows made from perfect, crystalline carbon are cheaper than those of glass. That's what this book is about the tech and the social implications thereof. As we've come to expect from Stephenson, the tech in this book, no matter how advanced and extravagant, is well thought out and coherent. The writing is crisp, lucid, and, at times, beautiful. Rarely, if ever, do we encounter an awkward choice of words or a badly turned phrase. I pretty much enjoyed the book from the first word to the last.

I have two quibbles

1. The story arc, its length and complexity, led me to expect a bigger and more explosive climax. The end seemed slightly abrupt to me.
2. Some character development seemed weakly linked to character importance in the story. Some characters, whose contribution to the story seemed secondary, got quite a bit of space. Other characters, who played a role in the story's climax and resolution, were introduced later and more casually.

Those critiques aside, this is an excellent book. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to my friends.
In light of the subsequent development of an "A.I." Barbie doll that is purported to be about to hit the consumer market; this book is actually
prophetic. Some reviews have said it was a difficult read but it is actually a highly nuanced read. Stephenson is writing on many levels about the complexity of global economics, technologies and cultures and the impact of the "haves" on the "have-nots".
The book is part steampunk, part Dickensian and part fairy tale but they are all interwoven very well. Since there is no glossary provided it would seem the writer did not want the reader to get bogged down wondering what certain things were but to infer what they might be via context. Important "unknowns" are eventually defined or described in detail although not always when first introduced into the storyline so a "leap of faith" is sometimes required.
This is a book for readers who like subtlety and who appreciate an author who has an imagination to flex and ideas to explore and develop, it is not a point A to point B plot at all. Invest the time-it is definitely worth it.
This is my favourite book, despite many many flaws.
I've read it five times now, and Nell's journey from abused child to [spoilers] is something that never ceases to enthrall
The characters that drive and interweave with her story are intricate, bizarre and original.

The problem with the book (and the reason why it's really not for everyone) is that some of the writing is close to impenetrable Neal Stephenson has a habit of using the most arcane words to describe mundane items, and of going off on utterly bizarre tangents that generally distract from, rather than enhance the story.

All that said, if I had a few spare million in the bank, I'd kick down every door I could to buy the TV rights to this. The book itself is in two parts, which would transition perfectly in to series 1 & 2 of a Netflix style production; with a series 3 begging to be extrapolated from "what happens next".

If you don't mind a challenging read then this story is amazing.