The Circle: A Review

I would actually like to keep this review of The Circle as general short, sweet, simple and painless as possible, because if I do talk about it in length, it will only turn into an angry rant that would do nothing for the integrity of the book.

So in general, it is a very interesting look into a Utopia turned Dystopia. Dave Eggers does a brilliant job in showing the slow sure decent into the utter madness that usually surrounds a Dystopia. The idea of technology going beyond it's own boundaries is creepy and chilling, especially when it seems, in some form, our own world would follow some of the steps that the Circle took in amassing their empire. It was a wonderful idea and a really eye-opener to our practices- right down to my own practices- with technology.

In all honestly, especially with the ending, I ended up not liking the book. Especially with main character Mae Holland. I get that it would have been too easy to end with a happy note, where everything gets fixed, but Mae just made the descent so maddening. Her naivety, and quite frankly, stupidity in her handling of relationships, and her life, outside and inside of the Circle was just absolutely aggravating, and that's putting it mildly. She had no personality no actual thought for herself, it seemed, by the end of the book. She was robot, just waiting to be programmed by the "right" people. The fact that she only had one single moment of clarity throughout the whole book, which she quickly dismisses just makes her worse in my eyes! She was too wrapped up in wanting and being apart of the company that taking it away from her own self was absolutely unheard of.

*sighs* Okay, I tried not to rant, I really did that doesn't mean I succeeded. In the end The Circle was in a general overview, a good book, but definitely not one I would pick up again any time soon let the irrational anger run it's course first... give or take a couple years.