Review: #6 The Change - Noriko's Story


NARRATION/VOICE
The style of narration in Noriko's Story isn't for everyone. Some prefer a book's narrator to keep his or her thoughts directed within the page. However, the narrator in Noriko's Story seems to reach outside of it to speak to the reader, telling us what to feel and what it is feeling. This is intriguing but risky.

ABOUT THE STORY
Noriko's Story is about... well, Noriko. The story setting is that of a dystopian Tokyo where a rogue AI, unsuitably called HA/HA, has taken over the city and running it as humanely as a psychotic AI can.

The spine of the story features Torino's quest to find her parents who had been missing since the beginning of HA/HA's coup. Through her eyes, we explore the harsh ways in which HA/HA manages Tokyo and the lives of the people living under its rule. Apart from HA/HA's efforts to capture humans who are outside of its rule (Toriko included), the book also shows us some of the feats of the rebels trying to survive and fight back. Surprisingly, there is also a sprinkle of disgruntled robots not happy with the HA/HA's style of ruling who are also rebelling the only way they know how. .

CONCLUSION
Noriko's Story is a blend of sci-fi and fantasy. There is also a bit of fighting, killing and such. The narrator's voice takes some time getting used to, but it is not boring by any means. For me as a reader, this book serves more as a starter rather than the main meal. Noriko's Story does more to set me up for what is to come rather than making a big deal of what is happening. A fairly interesting book.

Noriko's Story is published by Solaris. Many thanks to them for the review copy.



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