Gregorian-style chants + teenage astronomy scholars = alien space adventure .....what!?
Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" is a doozey of a novel. The most interesting characteristic about it is that, while it discusses a culture foreign to all readers/listeners, it makes you, the observer, feel alien. On top of that, the author enjoys making up every other word, re-contextualizing familiar vocabulary, and throwing in quantum physics and outlandish theories as much as humanly (or alien-ably) possible. I am bitter that the story resolves itself in traditional, happily-ever-after fashion, but that is due to my life track and no fault of the author. The storyline clearly follows the sort of coming-of-age adventure I would have longed for as a 15 year old boy. In any case, this 20 year old girl found "Anathem" to be stimulating, if estranging, company.
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