thepunktheory's Review of Acceptance (Southern Reach Trilogy, #3)

by Jeff VanderMeer

‘Pure reading pleasure’ NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

'Genuinely potent and dream-haunting writing’ GUARDIAN

‘Powerful and echoing’ NEW STATESMAN

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

With an introduction by Helen MacDonald

Area X has rebuffed expedition after expedition for decades, refusing to reveal its secrets. As it expands alarmingly, the Southern Reach agency tasked with its investigation has collapsed in confusion. Now, one last, desperate team crosses the border, determined to reach a remote island that may yet hold vital answers. How was Area X created, and why? Can it be stopped?

In this climactic volume of the Southern Reach trilogy, reality mutates and mysteries resolve, but now that so many questions have answers, the consequences are no less profound – or terrifying.

'Pure reading pleasure' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

‘Arresting, unsettling, and unforgettable’ NEW YORKER

'Contemporary masterpieces and career-defining novels' GUARDIAN

Full review on my blog!

To be honest, this was by far my favorite book of the Southern Reach trilogy.
I didn't love it and I wouldn't read it a second time but this one was entertaining, made sense and finally gave me (at least a hint at) the answers I wanted.
The story isn't so much of an irritating mess, you can actually follow what is going on. While I am sure I won't ever come to like VanderMeer's writing style, Acceptance is at least something I can work with.
The multitude of perspectives was refreshing and helped us learn a lot about Area X. Although we are still far from getting all the answers, this felt like some sort of closure. We did get some information and, honestly, I'm not mad at it.
However, my general conclusion of the Southern Reach trilogy is that is much too long. I don't see any reason for three books existing. You could have edited this down to one book with 400 pages maximum. I think it would have been more interesting, the pacing would have been better and overall the flow would have been less irritating.

Acceptance (Southern Reach Trilogy, #3)

by Jeff VanderMeer

Reviewed by thepunktheory on Oct 17, 2019

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