Walkaway (A review)
Finally finished another book during some state testing and I had some spare time.
Book: Walkaway, by Cory Doctorow Rating: ehhh 6.5/10
I read this book since it was by Cory Doctorow. It also sounded somewhat interesting and the title made it look like the other book (the one about drought). Book was ok. It was slow, but plot twists move the book along. There's obviously slow parts in the book, but a lot of the book could be compressed, and there's unnecessary sex scenes in the book.
Synopsis (Spoilers)
Reading the back cover, you would imagine that these 'walkaways' find like some drug that makes you unkillable.
In reality, they basically find a way to upload a digital copy of yourself and in a way such that other people (meat-humans/bodies) are able to interact with you. This leads to some interesting things happening, like when one of the main characters is actually not alive and they interact with a digital sim of themselves.
Main plot points: Zottas (Billionaires++) control the world, and it's not really 'worth' living anymore. Therefore, some people walkaway from society (walkaways) to what is basically empty land (Canada in this book is where the action happens). Also, society is at a point where 3d printers can print clothes, food, and basically almost everything. The walkaway culture is built off of the hacker culture, with the leading figure in the walkaway zone (Limpopo) resonating the ideal of someone who does things because it's right -- treat others how you want to be treated. The book is built around Natalie Redwater (Iceweasel walkaway name) who's father is a zotta. Thus, Natalie is raised in a world where they basically control the world with some physical locations.
As a result however, she is pretty rebellious, especially since her dad does constant surveillance on her. Also, surveillance is everywhere.
So then she goes walkaway. Eventually, the zottas try to fight against these walkaways (committing atrocities) as the walkaways figure out a way to upload digital sims of themselves -- now they can 'live' forever! Natalie then gets kidnapped. She eventually bargains for her escape but that's in a long long time. Meanwhile, the walkaway group was attacked so they decide to try to break Iceweasel out. (It doesn't really go anywhere)
Two men die, while Limpopo, the "ringleader" or the one who commands control of all, is put into prison as she's just too powerful. Iceweasel/Natalie bargains her escape by just giving all her money to the person who keeps her captive.
uhh everything is pretty smooth sailing after that and the book fast-forwards 10ish years until things start actually happening.
Again, book is kinda mid. Too many unnecessary sex scenes and some sections are dragged on too long imo. I think the walkaway culture was built off hacker culture (duh), and this book imagines a dystopian society far far into the future. Of course, people are still able to break into things (technology).
The arc of this book isn't too simple to follow and is jagged. It's kind of hard to draw a line from start to finish and realize why -- were we following a teenager's life? A transition from zottas to a "good" world? Why did some things happen? etc.