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New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 400 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
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Seller's Description:
PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 400 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Composite Creatures is one of those books that slowly draws you in and keeps you hooked, wanting to find out more. There's a real sense of tension and unease which works it's way around all of the events, even those that may seem mundane from the outset. As a reader we are kept very much in the dark, for example the match between Norah and Arthur seems to be orchestrated by a shadowy company and the creature that they 'adopt' is never fully described. The world seems to be very different from the one we inhabit now - there are no birds and the land seems to be toxic but we are not told a lot of the precise details or backstory. The suspense kept me reading and I was really excited for any piece of information that was given to me at the beginning, but I did find it a little frustrating later on, when I was so far through the book with no real answers.
Some things are fully explained thankfully, but it comes as a bit of an info-dump towards the very end of the book. As we get answers there is suddenly an influx of plot-holes as you start to think the plot through with new eyes. As we find out what Nut is it seems very odd that she is initially described like a cat - why does she have fur and a tail for example? When we learn that the soil seems toxic and the farmers who work on it die early it seems jarring that we see our main character gardening or going outside without putting on some kind of protection from the elements. The idea of someone 'greying' is also never explained - it seems to be a deterioration that happens overnight but that is all we are told about it. I would have loved a little more world-building, even though I understand why Norah's secrets are kept held tightly by the author it would have been nice to find out what happened to the planet and nature around her at least and perhaps would have prevented the book from becoming frustrating.
Norah isn't a very likeable main character; she is jealous and obsessive with no real drive or ambition. This again takes a confusing turn when we learn what is actually going on in her life later on and the choices she has made. The writing style in her narrative is really well constructed though and the book kept me hooked throughout.
Overall, Composite Creatures is an engaging read, I just wish a few of its secrets were revealed to the reader a little sooner (if at all!). Thank you to NetGalley & Angry Robot for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
