Comment - We See Everything
Wir sehen alles
What an interesting novel! I love it! It‘s fascinating with very exciting dystopian aspects. I liked that the author described the two lives of the main characters very well. That enables the reader to ...
What an interesting novel! I love it! It‘s fascinating with very exciting dystopian aspects. I liked that the author described the two lives of the main characters very well. That enables the reader to empathize with the characters. And what I have become personally aware of through the novel is the fact that the expected technological developments may have negative effects. Technological progress is great, but it isolates and alienates.
While reading, I immediately understood the author's trick. The novel is consistently constructed from two perspectives, because what the two main characters Lex and Alan experience is told alternately from their first- person perspective and the actions also take place at the same time. What I find interesting is how the lives of Lex and Alan are connected in an unusual way. The two boys do not know each other, but they are indirectly connected, whereby only Alan sees Lex through the drone cameras, while Lex knows nothing about Alan’s existence. The author manages to describe the emotions of this characters. Isn’t it great to be able to understand the feelings of the characters?
Unfortunately, we don’t get any background information about the situation in London. Even though it would be helpful for the general understanding. The questions that are unanswered for me are for example: Why was London sealed off? Why is London divided in two? Why are the “Corps“ treated like terrorists? Have any of you who read this novel any great ideas? Therefore I noticed that the author plays with the ignorance of the reader, forces them into the role of an observer and at the same time he wants to convey a sense of closeness.
I think the ending was sorrowful, because the story takes a sad ending for two lovers. Finally, I had the feeling that the author don't know exactly what he wants to achieve with his story. It seems to me he couldn't decide what kind of story this is supposed to be. Dystopia or rather romance?
All in all, ”We See Everything“ is a very fascinating novel that is easy to read. I have never read such a book with very interesting topics such as surveillance, bomb attacks and development of two teenagers in English class.