Mona Lisa Overdrive

Reviews (See all 208) Write a reviewfor this

It's a hit!

A well-crafted finale to the Sprawl trilogy that began with the excellent genre-defining "Neuromancer" and kind of lost momentum with "Count Zero".... (show more)

A well-crafted finale to the Sprawl trilogy that began with the excellent genre-defining "Neuromancer" and kind of lost momentum with "Count Zero". Perhaps that's a little too harsh, "Count Zero" is also a good read, it just suffers from "second album/novel/movie sequel syndrome" in comparison with "Neuromancer".
"Mona Lisa Overdrive" has all of the atmosphere and action one ought to expect from a good sci-fi, and stands alongside the other two novels high on the list of Sci-Fi Novels You Ought To Read, in my opinion.
If you'd like to stay in this particular niche, sub-genre, or whatever, before embarking on Gibson's Virtual Light/Idoru/All Tomorrow's Parties trilogy, try Pat Cadigan's "Synners" and then Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash". (show less)

 

 

by Pete

No, it's a flop!

Couldn't get into it - I loved Pattern Recognition, but this one didn't hold my interest in the same. Plus, the cover sort of freaked me out.

 

 

by Carrie

More Reviews

• 
  

  I was actually pleasantly surprised when reading this book. I’ve been a bit disappointed with a lot Gibson books; as he seems to use many cheap narrative tricks. Maybe it’s because I’m not that interested in storylines or characters, but I just feel that it’d be better as a movie.

  This book is plagued by of the few things that I found irritating about his other books – intertwining plotlines, trying to force suspense, seducing readers with technophilia, and attempts to rap up loose ends… it... (show more)

  I was actually pleasantly surprised when reading this book. I’ve been a bit disappointed with a lot Gibson books; as he seems to use many cheap narrative tricks. Maybe it’s because I’m not that interested in storylines or characters, but I just feel that it’d be better as a movie.

  This book is plagued by of the few things that I found irritating about his other books – intertwining plotlines, trying to force suspense, seducing readers with technophilia, and attempts to rap up loose ends… it might be nice to read on a long bus ride, when you can’t think straight, but otherwise.

  However, the story of Mona Lisa is actually very well written and kind of interesting. Maybe it’s the fact, that I seem to read too many books about depressing female characters, but damn. The descriptions around Mona’s story have a great texture to them. It’s unfortunate, that plot continuity interferes with the unraveling of the Mona story. I would have really enjoyed this book being strictly written from her perspective. I love the feeling of confusion and enclosure in narrative.

  And I’d be lying, if I said I didn’t enjoy the return of Molly Shears – the female razorgirl who’s eyes you can’t see from Neuromancer. It’s a guilty pleasure. (show less)

   

   

  by Lemmy on Jan 04, 2010 at 10:32PM

  Already read

  Is this review helpful? yes no
   
• 
  

  I guess I wasn't fully prepared for this book. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" is the third in Gibson's "Sprawl" trilogy, but it's been over 15 years since I read the first two and I didn't remember all the details that would help to get through this.

  I'm not sure I understood all of it, definitely not much about the combination of voodoo and high tech as it was in Angie's head or the Aleph device.

  This continues Gibson's futuristic, fairly dirty, gritty dystopian sort of future ... (show more)

  I guess I wasn't fully prepared for this book. "Mona Lisa Overdrive" is the third in Gibson's "Sprawl" trilogy, but it's been over 15 years since I read the first two and I didn't remember all the details that would help to get through this.

  I'm not sure I understood all of it, definitely not much about the combination of voodoo and high tech as it was in Angie's head or the Aleph device.

  This continues Gibson's futuristic, fairly dirty, gritty dystopian sort of future with drugs and a global high tech network called cyberspace or the matrix that people jack into, though I don't understand the visual representation he describes.

  I liked most of the plot lines that wove through the story, even if I didn't really feel they connected well at the end. I do wish he wrote more in each chapter so they didn't switch quite as fast between characters.

  Overall, not bad, but I probably would've liked it a lot better if I reread "Neuromancer" and "Count Zero" first to get back into the story line. (show less)

   

   

  by Kevin on Aug 27, 2009 at 03:07PM

  Already read

  Is this review helpful? yes no
   
• See all reviews
  Write a review