A review by st_ender
HellSans by Ever Dundas

dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I approached the book with great enthusiasm and unfortunately I'm left with a bad taste in my mouth. I like the sci-fi way of dropping me in the middle of the story, I enjoyed figuring out technology and society, and I found the world building quite interesting. That's my one star.
Unfortunately the author is trying to make so many points they all get tangled up and lost. Plot points are dropped in and not developed or abandoned in favour of a different idea. I think there is enough good ideas here for a couple of books or short stories and I wish they weren't all packed in like this.
The novel tries to be a love story but the move from a hookup to I love yous is fast and pointless. I can only understand it if I interpret it as trauma bonding.  

The book also tries to answer such pointless questions as "what if Hitler was queer and chronically ill" which to me is absolutely absurd. You cannot just make a holocaust comparison and then try to make your readers root for the leader of it. It's inappropriate and insensitive. There is no situation in which I can enjoy a protagonist like this. It's not about her being annoying or morally grey- her company is focused on eradicating people considered inhuman. She's referred to as Führer. Her slogan is "works makes you free". Absolutely not.

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