Lynnie
dystopian, sci-fi
This book has been in my "to read" queue for a long time but, like many, I was inspired to get to it with the movie adaptation coming out soon.
The Electric State is a stunningly beautiful book with a heartbreaking, and also hopeful, story. I
can't define this is a traditional graphic novel, but Simon Stålenhag's
images are a vital and stunning part of this story. I could have spent
hours just pouring over the images and I was glad to be reading it on my
iPad so I could zoom in on the images and truly see the details.
As for the story, a young woman, Michelle, and her robot companion, Skip, are traveling across a ravaged America to the Pacific coast, though it's not clear until the end why they are traveling. Through their adventures, we learn about Michelle's sad upbringing while learning about the technology that has ruined America (and presumably, the world). After a war fought by drones, humans became addicted to the AI technology created for the war; they could no longer function in the real world, leading to death, destruction, and the vast wasteland of trash and people that Michelle and Skip navigate. There are alternating scenes told by a federal agent who is on a crash course for Michelle and Skip. The entire effect - the images, the back and forth between the two stories - is haunting.
This book is a work of art and the story is a moving look at a dystopian society where technology goes wrong. I recommend you read the physical copy or on an iPad so you can zoom in on Stålenhag's gorgeous artwork. A traditional Kindle won't do this story justice.
As for the story, a young woman, Michelle, and her robot companion, Skip, are traveling across a ravaged America to the Pacific coast, though it's not clear until the end why they are traveling. Through their adventures, we learn about Michelle's sad upbringing while learning about the technology that has ruined America (and presumably, the world). After a war fought by drones, humans became addicted to the AI technology created for the war; they could no longer function in the real world, leading to death, destruction, and the vast wasteland of trash and people that Michelle and Skip navigate. There are alternating scenes told by a federal agent who is on a crash course for Michelle and Skip. The entire effect - the images, the back and forth between the two stories - is haunting.
This book is a work of art and the story is a moving look at a dystopian society where technology goes wrong. I recommend you read the physical copy or on an iPad so you can zoom in on Stålenhag's gorgeous artwork. A traditional Kindle won't do this story justice.
The movie looks like it is VERY loosely based on this book, but I'm eager to see the scenery brought to life none-the-less.
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