Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Alys Arwen Dayton! Today I will be sharing my thoughts on the book with you, as well as a giveaway! And trust me, you need to read this one!
Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton Published by Delacorte Press on December 4, 2018
Pages: 384
Format:ARC
For fans of television shows Black Mirror and Westworld, this compelling, mind-bending novel is a twisted look into the future, exploring how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimen and what it means to be human at all.
Set in our world, spanning the near to distant futures, Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is a novel made up of six interconnected stories that ask how far we will go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimens, and how hard that will push the definition of "human."
This extraordinary work explores the amazing possibilities of genetic manipulation and life extension, as well as the ethical quandaries that will arise with these advances. The results range from the heavenly to the monstrous. Deeply thoughtful, poignant, horrifying, and action-packed, Arwen Elys Dayton's Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful is groundbreaking in both form and substance.
Where oh where to begin? Well, let’s start with how fabulous this was, and then actually, let’s just never stop. In fact, when trying to write about it, all I can come up with are things that make me want to shove this into your hands immediately, so let’s just go with that, yeah? Great.
Reasons to grab thyself a copy ASAP:
- It is terrifyingly plausible how human beings would do both the most amazing and most awful things with medical science. Ah, we humans are a fun bunch, no? We can be giving and caring to a fault; we can be cruel and selfish just as easily. Add messing with actual biology to it? Oh you know that is going to be a trip. We as a species rarely have the self awareness to realize that we’re crossing lines or going too far. And this book showcases it all- the good, the bad, the morally gray. And there’s nothing I love better than the morally gray!
- The format is fun! It’s actually not one story, but six separate stories artfully tied together. They all connect, but they’re all their own entities. It’s extremely well done, too. I have read books like this before that didn’t quite hit the mark in this regard- the stories either felt too disconnected or too similar- but the author truly does this format justice. I knew I was in the same world, the same overall novel, but each story seemed new and exciting. (Incidentally, my favorites are the first and last- they’re kind of perfect.)
- I had many feelings, so many feelings. Obviously this book is thought provoking, but more than that, it’s emotive. Which is no small feat considering the stories were all separate. No matter, I cared about each one of them.
- There was honestly nothing I didn’t like. Like okay, guys. There were bird people in this book and I didn’t hate them! Do you understand the significance? It is real.
- The science stuff was so freaking fascinating! You can tell that the author really did her homework, because wow, it was handled well. Also, there’s an interesting twin scenario that sent me down a very long Wikipedia hole and I have zero regrets. Nothing ever seemed too simplistic, nor too hard to follow.
- I was basically unable to put the thing down. I so, so badly needed to know what was going to be the next bonkers thing that human beings did, that I kept “one more chapter”-ing it. And at the same time, I wanted it to go on forever because frankly, I could have read 100 stories about this world, especially the way the author made me care about the characters so quickly!
P.S.- If you weren’t necessarily the biggest fan of Seeker, but this sounds up your alley, I urge you to try it! I was a little hesitant but I am so, so glad that I did! One of the best books of the year for me!
Bottom Line: Oh for goodness sake, just read the thing. If you like sci-fi, or futuristic stuff, or just find human behavior interesting, this is absolutely a book you don’t want to miss!
About Arwen Elys Dayton
Arwen Elys Dayton is best known for her 2012 novel Resurrection and the YA Seeker trilogy. She began her career as a teenage staff writer at a foundation that produced Peabody Award-winning educational shows for PBS. Soon afterward, she began writing novels.
She spends months doing research for her stories. Her explorations have taken her around the world to places like the Great Pyramid (which she explored by flashlight when researching Resurrection), Hong Kong and its many islands, lots of ruined castles in Scotland, and the cold cities around the Baltic Sea. She enjoys creating complete worlds inhabited by characters who charm, frustrate or inspire.
Arwen lives with her husband and their three children on the West Coast of the United States. You can visit her at arwenelysdayton.com and follow @arwenelysdayton on Instagram, or reach her by email at arwenelysdayton@gmail.com.
1 finished copy of STRONGER, FASTER, AND MORE BEAUTIFUL by Arwen Elys Dayton
US Only
Wow this sounds awesome. And such a fascinating topic too! Will definitely be getting this one.
Wow, you didn’t hate the bird people? Who are you, and what have you done with Shannon?! Haha, I’m glad you liked the book. It sounds really weird and sciencey.
This sounds cool! I do enjoy morally gray characters and stories.
Karen @ For What It’s Worth
I didn’t realize the format of this book was in six separate stories–now I’m even more intrigued! Everything about it sounds so intriguing, I’m really looking forward to checking this one out.
Hurray for science! This sounds really interesting and this is the first I’ve heard of it. I do tend to enjoy sci fi so I’ll have to pick this up!
You didn’t hate the bird people?? Haha! I’m sure they were very nice birds, er, people. What did they identify as? 😉 I was hesitant to request this one, but your review may have convinced me. You couldn’t put it down, the science was actually interesting, and you were emotionally invested in the characters. It sounds like my kind of book!
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear?
I already was very excited to read Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful (I even received an ARC), but after reading your review I just feel like dropping everything I’m doing and plunge into this world.
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
This looks like it is right up my alley. I am so intrigued by this format and I’m really feeling Black Mirror at the moment. I personally am not looking to modify myself or my kids. It’s too dangerous and it always seems to have a consequence, usually of the psychopathic or murderous variety.
This book sounds so unique and fascinating, especially with the 6 different interconnecting perspectives about a sci-fi world. The only other book I’ve read with bird people (that I can remember) was Magnolia which was interesting! Lovely review Shannon.
I am so glad you were able to head over heels love this one! I have been loving my sci-fi reads lately and want to get back into the genre more. The cover caught my eye, then the synopsis intrigued me, but finally your review has completely sold me onto this book. I am so going to read this one now and have added it to my wishlist 😉