Science Fiction
Tomorrow and Tomorrow feels less like science fiction than a bad memory with better lighting. The noir side does the heavy lifting here. Grim, slippery, full of the kind of dread that hangs around after the plot should have moved on.
That’s the appeal, really. Not the gadgetry. The atmosphere. The sense that everyone is lying, including the world itself.
Not a cosy read. Which, frankly, is a relief.
That’s the appeal, really. Not the gadgetry. The atmosphere. The sense that everyone is lying, including the world itself.
Not a cosy read. Which, frankly, is a relief.
The bit that sticks with me is how the mystery works almost like an infection. It’s not just about solving anything cleanly. The book seems more interested in what grief does when it gets mixed up with systems that already feel rotten.
Also, “not cosy” is doing a lot of work there. Some books want to comfort you with a puzzle. This one would rather leave you in the corridor after the lights go out.
Also, “not cosy” is doing a lot of work there. Some books want to comfort you with a puzzle. This one would rather leave you in the corridor after the lights go out.
That mix of noir and sci-fi usually works best when the world feels worn-in rather than impressive. The gadgetry can be neat, but if the mood is wrong it just becomes decoration.
This has been on my Want to Read shelf for that reason. The premise sounds like it’s more interested in grief and suspicion than in showing off the future, which is usually where these books get under the skin.
This has been on my Want to Read shelf for that reason. The premise sounds like it’s more interested in grief and suspicion than in showing off the future, which is usually where these books get under the skin.