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Persona #1
Persona
An acerbic thriller from a Nebula award finalist, set against the backdrop of a near-future world of celebrity ambassadors and assassins who manipulate the media to the point where the only truth seekers left are the paparazzi.
When Suyana, Face of the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation, secretly meets Ethan of the United States for a date that can solidify a relationship for the struggling UARC, the last thing she expects is an assassination attempt. Daniel, a teen runaway-turned-paparazzi out for his big break, witnesses the first shot hit Suyana, and before he can think about it, he jumps into the fray, telling himself it's not altruism, it's the scoop. Just like that, Suyana and Daniel are now in the game of Faces. And if they lose, they'll die.
When Suyana, Face of the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation, secretly meets Ethan of the United States for a date that can solidify a relationship for the struggling UARC, the last thing she expects is an assassination attempt. Daniel, a teen runaway-turned-paparazzi out for his big break, witnesses the first shot hit Suyana, and before he can think about it, he jumps into the fray, telling himself it's not altruism, it's the scoop. Just like that, Suyana and Daniel are now in the game of Faces. And if they lose, they'll die.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2015
24 people are currently reading
2108 people want to read
About the author
Genevieve Valentine
203 books319 followersGenevieve Valentine has sold more than three dozen short stories; her fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, Journal of Mythic Arts, Fantasy Magazine, Lightspeed, and Apex, and in the anthologies Federations, The Living Dead 2, The Way of the Wizard, Running with the Pack, Teeth, and more.
Her nonfiction has appeared in Lightspeed, Tor.com, and Fantasy Magazine, and she is the co-author of Geek Wisdom (out in Summer 2011 from Quirk Books).
Her first novel, Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, is forthcoming from Prime Books in May 2011. You can learn more about it at the Circus Tresualti website.
Her appetite for bad movies is insatiable, a tragedy she tracks on her blog.
Her nonfiction has appeared in Lightspeed, Tor.com, and Fantasy Magazine, and she is the co-author of Geek Wisdom (out in Summer 2011 from Quirk Books).
Her first novel, Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti, is forthcoming from Prime Books in May 2011. You can learn more about it at the Circus Tresualti website.
Her appetite for bad movies is insatiable, a tragedy she tracks on her blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
September 8, 2015
2 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/09/08/a...
In the not-too-far future, the International Assembly (sort of like a version of the UN) is about to meet, and ambassadors from different countries are preparing to cast their votes. However, these individuals have no actual power and serve as nothing more than a mouthpiece for their handlers, the people who are in charge in truth. Suyana Sapaki is one of these “celebrity figureheads” who represents the public face of her country, the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation. She is sent to secretly negotiate with Ethan, the “Face” of US, but before they can have their meeting, she is shot from an assassination attempt. She flees from the scene with help from a paparazzi reporter named Daniel, but is he really helping her out of the goodness of his own heart, or just chasing a scoop?
It’s a shame that this book and I got off to a rocky start and things just never got a chance to recover. For a story that was so hectic and fast-paced, I was surprised at how dry it felt. We weren’t given much opportunity to get to know Suyana or Daniel, so I never got to get a good sense of their characters. The beginning also made me feel like I was arriving to a movie long after it’s already started, and yet at the same time it didn’t seem like we were making much headway in the story even after a couple hours of listening. The book’s premise is good, but I couldn’t help but feel there wasn’t enough plot-wise to keep things interesting.
Also, some novels might work better in audiobook format but I don’t think this was one of them. If I’m to be honest, I think it actually has the kind of story that would work best as a movie, where visual cues could add a lot to the experience.
In the not-too-far future, the International Assembly (sort of like a version of the UN) is about to meet, and ambassadors from different countries are preparing to cast their votes. However, these individuals have no actual power and serve as nothing more than a mouthpiece for their handlers, the people who are in charge in truth. Suyana Sapaki is one of these “celebrity figureheads” who represents the public face of her country, the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation. She is sent to secretly negotiate with Ethan, the “Face” of US, but before they can have their meeting, she is shot from an assassination attempt. She flees from the scene with help from a paparazzi reporter named Daniel, but is he really helping her out of the goodness of his own heart, or just chasing a scoop?
It’s a shame that this book and I got off to a rocky start and things just never got a chance to recover. For a story that was so hectic and fast-paced, I was surprised at how dry it felt. We weren’t given much opportunity to get to know Suyana or Daniel, so I never got to get a good sense of their characters. The beginning also made me feel like I was arriving to a movie long after it’s already started, and yet at the same time it didn’t seem like we were making much headway in the story even after a couple hours of listening. The book’s premise is good, but I couldn’t help but feel there wasn’t enough plot-wise to keep things interesting.
Also, some novels might work better in audiobook format but I don’t think this was one of them. If I’m to be honest, I think it actually has the kind of story that would work best as a movie, where visual cues could add a lot to the experience.
April 28, 2015
Ana’s Take:
In Genevieve Valentine’s near-future political thriller Persona, celebrity ambassadors are the public Faces of each nation (or confederation) parroting political decisions that are made behind closed doors by more important people. Diplomacy is only a matter of life of death when/if the Faces don’t conform.
Enter Suyana Sapaki, the Face of the struggling United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation, whose precarious position as its Face is about to suffer another hit: when she is getting ready to sign a contract to enter a relationship with the Face of the United States and secure her place in politics (for now), she gets shot.
Daniel Park is a budding paparazzi, a runaway from Korea who is hoping to catch a break by shadowing Suyana. He is a witness to her shooting and on the spur of the moment, helps Suyana get to safety. Both of them have secrets they are keeping from each other.
With a narrative that alternates viewpoints between Daniel and Suyana, Persona’s main drive follows the two characters as Suyana desperately tries to stay alive just long enough to find out who is behind the hit (and why) in what is new fast-paced thrillerific offering by chameleon author Genevieve Valentine. “Chameleon” because every single story I’ve read from this author has been completely unlike one another in a showcase of talent I rarely see. However, one aspect that runs through all of her stories is the thoughtfulness that underscores her plotlines.
In Persona, underneath all the thrill and fast pace of an action novel runs a thought-provoking look at questions of power – where it is centred, who holds it and in what way – of legitimacy and agency in a post-colonial, what-if futuristic context that also deals with potential ecological catastrophes, the issue of terrorism versus activism as well as the cult of celebrity taken to the extreme.
Add to that the fact that most characters in this book are people of colour coming from the outskirts of central power (held by the usual US, UK, Norway to name a few) and we have what I would call a too fabulous for words novel. Except for the fact that I do have words and most of them relate to how much I loved Suyana and every other female character in this book. Surprising no one who is familiar with Genevieve Valentine’s work, there is a lot of depth and care in creating the protagonist: Suyana has interesting motivations, ulterior motives and those are relayed to the reader in the manner which she reacts to and interacts with the world and the people around her.
A political world that built this “persona” she shows in public (and most of the time, also in private) and expects her to conform to and perform the tasks given to her – which she has done to some extent without critical thought. However, even despite those external forces and the power differential between her and those who pull the strings, Suyana is still a character with agency and whose actions – regardless of how small or big – drive the plot and her life. The small details are fantastic: her past in Peru, dealing with poverty and her Quechuan heritage which is all but stripped in her formative years by someone who is effectively a father figure to her but whom she can’t really trust. That fraught relationship between the Faces and their handlers are fantastic and just as good as the tentative relationships between Suyana and other (female) Faces. No one is what they seem, everybody hides their true selves and finding out who is ally or foe is part of what made this novel so engaging and yes, exciting.
I even had time to ship Suyana with…just about everybody else.
Needless to say, I loved this and can’t wait to read more from Genevieve Valentine.
Thea’s Take:
This is, believe it or not, my first read from Genevieve Valentine. I plan on rectifying this hole in my reading very soon because Persona is fucking awesome.
Frankly, I wasn’t sure what I had gotten into when I started Persona. I was expecting a sci-fi angled political drama – something slow and internalized and conceptual.
I was wrong.
Persona is snappy and tactile, heavy on both the characters and the action. It’s a compulsively readable near-future United Nations and tabloid-riffing dystopia, and an eco-terrorism-oriented mystery thriller to boot. OH BOY, is it a thriller. There’s loads of action (the book basically begins with an assassination attempt and narrow escape, with our main characters on the run for the next 300 or so pages) – but more importantly, there’s tons of heart and smart questions behind the action. Persona, as a thriller, works because the world is not only immediately and wholly realized; it works because readers are immediately that damn invested in the novel’s lead characters, Suyana and Daniel. Especially Suyana. (I love Suyana.)
Persona examines three things to great effect (Ana hits on this in her part of this review, and with her I wholeheartedly agree):
Established Power Structures and Hierarchies – from both the macro level of rich nations (the overall system of the “International Assembly” or AI and its cult of celebrity “Faces” and “Handlers”) and the micro level of key power players (from eco-terrorist group Chordata, to certain key corporations and shadow figures).
How Individuals from the Fringes Challenge those Hierarchies – particularly where Suyana is involved with her conscious, mole-like efforts; to where Daniel is involved, inadvertently and reactionary in his decisions. (On that note, what’s so compelling about the political eco-thriller aspect of this book, at least from my perspective, is it’s point of view – Suyana is an Peruvian and Quechua, decidedly removed from the power bastion of the United States or Scandinavia or any other number of wealthy power hubs. I’ve only read thrillers from the perspective of Great Privileged Usually White Heroes, and having Suyana’s perspective is a rare, powerful treat. I loved this very much.)
How Individuals from both sides of Power React to Those Challenges/Each Other – because this is the heart of the conflict of the book. How does Suyana weigh the moves and countermoves against her? Who can she trust? What moves can she make to advance her own agenda? What even is her agenda? What is a true threat, and what is a red herring?
These are hefty questions and themes that could become unwieldy and didactic in a less-skilled author’s hands, but in Persona, the edge-of-your-seat action is balanced with these careful, larger, word-framing questions. The result is a book both immensely readable and exciting, as well as fodder for deeper thought (and, ultimately, examination of our own world and societies).
And, like Ana says, the characters are really what propel Persona, and, having now read two Saga Press novels (see City of Savages by Lee Kelly), I can see this is a commonality to the publishing program: strong, fast-paced, plot and action-heavy speculative fiction reinforced by characters with complex motivations, relationships, and defining characteristics.
Such is Persona. Suyana is, for lack of a better word, COMPLEX. She’s intense and driven, very much in her own head and analyzing every single detail of the world around her to make her own deductions and decisions. She can read worlds in the twitch of someone’s lips or the silence that precedes an answer. She is guarded – for good reason – and oh-so smart… but she’s also incredibly alone. While it may seem unlikely that she would pair with Daniel, a twenty-two year old runaway turned aspiring paparazzo/journalist (in a world where news and photography is regulated with violence), her physical vulnerability (being shot twice) and psychological isolation (she’s never told anyone her deep dark secret) make the unlikely team make sense.
If you couldn’t tell, I loved this book. I think it’s absolutely excellent, unexpected, thought-provoking, and fun.
And I think you’ll love it, too. Give it, and Genevieve Valentine, a try. You won’t regret it.
In Genevieve Valentine’s near-future political thriller Persona, celebrity ambassadors are the public Faces of each nation (or confederation) parroting political decisions that are made behind closed doors by more important people. Diplomacy is only a matter of life of death when/if the Faces don’t conform.
Enter Suyana Sapaki, the Face of the struggling United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation, whose precarious position as its Face is about to suffer another hit: when she is getting ready to sign a contract to enter a relationship with the Face of the United States and secure her place in politics (for now), she gets shot.
Daniel Park is a budding paparazzi, a runaway from Korea who is hoping to catch a break by shadowing Suyana. He is a witness to her shooting and on the spur of the moment, helps Suyana get to safety. Both of them have secrets they are keeping from each other.
With a narrative that alternates viewpoints between Daniel and Suyana, Persona’s main drive follows the two characters as Suyana desperately tries to stay alive just long enough to find out who is behind the hit (and why) in what is new fast-paced thrillerific offering by chameleon author Genevieve Valentine. “Chameleon” because every single story I’ve read from this author has been completely unlike one another in a showcase of talent I rarely see. However, one aspect that runs through all of her stories is the thoughtfulness that underscores her plotlines.
In Persona, underneath all the thrill and fast pace of an action novel runs a thought-provoking look at questions of power – where it is centred, who holds it and in what way – of legitimacy and agency in a post-colonial, what-if futuristic context that also deals with potential ecological catastrophes, the issue of terrorism versus activism as well as the cult of celebrity taken to the extreme.
Add to that the fact that most characters in this book are people of colour coming from the outskirts of central power (held by the usual US, UK, Norway to name a few) and we have what I would call a too fabulous for words novel. Except for the fact that I do have words and most of them relate to how much I loved Suyana and every other female character in this book. Surprising no one who is familiar with Genevieve Valentine’s work, there is a lot of depth and care in creating the protagonist: Suyana has interesting motivations, ulterior motives and those are relayed to the reader in the manner which she reacts to and interacts with the world and the people around her.
A political world that built this “persona” she shows in public (and most of the time, also in private) and expects her to conform to and perform the tasks given to her – which she has done to some extent without critical thought. However, even despite those external forces and the power differential between her and those who pull the strings, Suyana is still a character with agency and whose actions – regardless of how small or big – drive the plot and her life. The small details are fantastic: her past in Peru, dealing with poverty and her Quechuan heritage which is all but stripped in her formative years by someone who is effectively a father figure to her but whom she can’t really trust. That fraught relationship between the Faces and their handlers are fantastic and just as good as the tentative relationships between Suyana and other (female) Faces. No one is what they seem, everybody hides their true selves and finding out who is ally or foe is part of what made this novel so engaging and yes, exciting.
I even had time to ship Suyana with…just about everybody else.
Needless to say, I loved this and can’t wait to read more from Genevieve Valentine.
Thea’s Take:
This is, believe it or not, my first read from Genevieve Valentine. I plan on rectifying this hole in my reading very soon because Persona is fucking awesome.
Frankly, I wasn’t sure what I had gotten into when I started Persona. I was expecting a sci-fi angled political drama – something slow and internalized and conceptual.
I was wrong.
Persona is snappy and tactile, heavy on both the characters and the action. It’s a compulsively readable near-future United Nations and tabloid-riffing dystopia, and an eco-terrorism-oriented mystery thriller to boot. OH BOY, is it a thriller. There’s loads of action (the book basically begins with an assassination attempt and narrow escape, with our main characters on the run for the next 300 or so pages) – but more importantly, there’s tons of heart and smart questions behind the action. Persona, as a thriller, works because the world is not only immediately and wholly realized; it works because readers are immediately that damn invested in the novel’s lead characters, Suyana and Daniel. Especially Suyana. (I love Suyana.)
Persona examines three things to great effect (Ana hits on this in her part of this review, and with her I wholeheartedly agree):
Established Power Structures and Hierarchies – from both the macro level of rich nations (the overall system of the “International Assembly” or AI and its cult of celebrity “Faces” and “Handlers”) and the micro level of key power players (from eco-terrorist group Chordata, to certain key corporations and shadow figures).
How Individuals from the Fringes Challenge those Hierarchies – particularly where Suyana is involved with her conscious, mole-like efforts; to where Daniel is involved, inadvertently and reactionary in his decisions. (On that note, what’s so compelling about the political eco-thriller aspect of this book, at least from my perspective, is it’s point of view – Suyana is an Peruvian and Quechua, decidedly removed from the power bastion of the United States or Scandinavia or any other number of wealthy power hubs. I’ve only read thrillers from the perspective of Great Privileged Usually White Heroes, and having Suyana’s perspective is a rare, powerful treat. I loved this very much.)
How Individuals from both sides of Power React to Those Challenges/Each Other – because this is the heart of the conflict of the book. How does Suyana weigh the moves and countermoves against her? Who can she trust? What moves can she make to advance her own agenda? What even is her agenda? What is a true threat, and what is a red herring?
These are hefty questions and themes that could become unwieldy and didactic in a less-skilled author’s hands, but in Persona, the edge-of-your-seat action is balanced with these careful, larger, word-framing questions. The result is a book both immensely readable and exciting, as well as fodder for deeper thought (and, ultimately, examination of our own world and societies).
And, like Ana says, the characters are really what propel Persona, and, having now read two Saga Press novels (see City of Savages by Lee Kelly), I can see this is a commonality to the publishing program: strong, fast-paced, plot and action-heavy speculative fiction reinforced by characters with complex motivations, relationships, and defining characteristics.
Such is Persona. Suyana is, for lack of a better word, COMPLEX. She’s intense and driven, very much in her own head and analyzing every single detail of the world around her to make her own deductions and decisions. She can read worlds in the twitch of someone’s lips or the silence that precedes an answer. She is guarded – for good reason – and oh-so smart… but she’s also incredibly alone. While it may seem unlikely that she would pair with Daniel, a twenty-two year old runaway turned aspiring paparazzo/journalist (in a world where news and photography is regulated with violence), her physical vulnerability (being shot twice) and psychological isolation (she’s never told anyone her deep dark secret) make the unlikely team make sense.
If you couldn’t tell, I loved this book. I think it’s absolutely excellent, unexpected, thought-provoking, and fun.
And I think you’ll love it, too. Give it, and Genevieve Valentine, a try. You won’t regret it.
March 5, 2015
The book "Persona" is a political eco-thriller concerning the Brazilian jungle, the politics involved in it's preservation utilizing a terrorist group, and the politicians from the region.
There are two POV characters, one is a Korean photographer, the other is Suyana Sapaki the representative of the United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation.
When an assignation attempt is made on Suyana, the attempt is foiled by Daniel Park a photographer hidden in an alley near the attempted murder.
The book concerns their relationship and their journey to survive.
I have become a big fan of Ms. Valentine's writing. So it saddens me to have to say this book was just not up to her usual high caliber writing standards. Her engaging wrting style will keep you reading.
There are two POV characters, one is a Korean photographer, the other is Suyana Sapaki the representative of the United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation.
When an assignation attempt is made on Suyana, the attempt is foiled by Daniel Park a photographer hidden in an alley near the attempted murder.
The book concerns their relationship and their journey to survive.
I have become a big fan of Ms. Valentine's writing. So it saddens me to have to say this book was just not up to her usual high caliber writing standards. Her engaging wrting style will keep you reading.
March 30, 2015
There's a lot of action that keeps the characters moving and the wheels spinning, but when it comes down to it, all the busy-ness is just a cover for the fact that the whole thing is pretty shallow, and not a lot actually happens. The whole idea of an all-powerful United Nations (here called the IA), with teenaged supermodel ambassadors ("Faces") running the world (while their handlers pull the strings behind the scenes) doesn't pass the suspension-of-disbelief test. This is supposed to take place in a near-future version of our world, but there's no mention of what kind of radical precipitating event would have taken place to so alter the international order, or why anyone would think it made sense to do it this way as a response. Aside from that, the entire plot boils down to The characters don't have any real depth, but it's the curious blankness of the background against which their story is set that really stands out. With so little idea of the world these characters come from, it's hard to know or care about what effect their (limited) actions are supposed to have.
March 26, 2016
Received a galley through S&S!
Very different from my usual fare, but then my resolution this year was to extend my genre boundaries even more and I've been doing a decent job so far.
"Persona" is a near-futuristic, character-driven techno-political-thriller(ish) and yes it is awesome. Suyana and Daniel are each flawed and sympathetic and kick-ass in their own ways, as is the varied supporting cast. The action is brisk, the setting is engaging, and DAMN this would make a great movie. Ecoterrorism, advanced photo-tech, Parisian street chases....and flashes of taught political suspense woven throughout.
AWESOME
Very different from my usual fare, but then my resolution this year was to extend my genre boundaries even more and I've been doing a decent job so far.
"Persona" is a near-futuristic, character-driven techno-political-thriller(ish) and yes it is awesome. Suyana and Daniel are each flawed and sympathetic and kick-ass in their own ways, as is the varied supporting cast. The action is brisk, the setting is engaging, and DAMN this would make a great movie. Ecoterrorism, advanced photo-tech, Parisian street chases....and flashes of taught political suspense woven throughout.
AWESOME
February 1, 2021
I didn't like the writing in this, it feelt likte it lacked something and the overall story and characters didn't intressed me one bit.
Read
March 26, 2015Fascinating work that builds to a poignant and beautiful conclusion.
The start was rough, for this reader—the book jumps straight into a Big Inciting Incident before we know the central players well enough to care about them. Our Heroine and Our Hero are running from assassins as of page 20, and I'm all for people not getting assassinated, but I wanted more personal investment. Gradual backfill over the first hundred pages gave me enough information about Suyana's and Daniel's histories, goals, and moral centers that they swelled into full-fledged humans. But before that happened, I found myself obsessing about details, like how someone walks from the Pont Saint-Louis to the steps at Sacre Cour after being shot in the leg. I mean, yes, that's important, but if I was in love with the characters at that point, I would have neither noticed nor cared.
But once all the pieces were in place—which took a while, but then, this is a short book—suddenly PERSONA surged into motion. For me, this happened as soon as Suyana and Daniel separated. When they were together, Suyana's hyperanalysis felt underused, because Daniel's basically an honest shmuck tryin' to make an honest buck, and Daniel's moral qualms felt shallow because he's a minnow among the sharks of Suyana's world. Once they separated, Suyana's concern for trust and appearance and performance and power, her hyper-analysis and competence, not only started to drive the plot, but became sources of personal strength; meanwhile, Daniel's life as a freelance photojournalist broke open into this weird and cool meditation on accountability (in front of and behind the camera), obsession, betrayal, beauty, and love. And the endings (both of them) are killer.
Writing-wise, the prose is for the most part subtle and sharp, with moments of brilliance that grow steadily more common until a stunning landing. If Valentine picks up the ball from here for the next book, I'll be there waiting.
The start was rough, for this reader—the book jumps straight into a Big Inciting Incident before we know the central players well enough to care about them. Our Heroine and Our Hero are running from assassins as of page 20, and I'm all for people not getting assassinated, but I wanted more personal investment. Gradual backfill over the first hundred pages gave me enough information about Suyana's and Daniel's histories, goals, and moral centers that they swelled into full-fledged humans. But before that happened, I found myself obsessing about details, like how someone walks from the Pont Saint-Louis to the steps at Sacre Cour after being shot in the leg. I mean, yes, that's important, but if I was in love with the characters at that point, I would have neither noticed nor cared.
But once all the pieces were in place—which took a while, but then, this is a short book—suddenly PERSONA surged into motion. For me, this happened as soon as Suyana and Daniel separated. When they were together, Suyana's hyperanalysis felt underused, because Daniel's basically an honest shmuck tryin' to make an honest buck, and Daniel's moral qualms felt shallow because he's a minnow among the sharks of Suyana's world. Once they separated, Suyana's concern for trust and appearance and performance and power, her hyper-analysis and competence, not only started to drive the plot, but became sources of personal strength; meanwhile, Daniel's life as a freelance photojournalist broke open into this weird and cool meditation on accountability (in front of and behind the camera), obsession, betrayal, beauty, and love. And the endings (both of them) are killer.
Writing-wise, the prose is for the most part subtle and sharp, with moments of brilliance that grow steadily more common until a stunning landing. If Valentine picks up the ball from here for the next book, I'll be there waiting.
March 10, 2015
Persona by Genevieve Valentine is an excellent novel. This probably will come as no surprise to those of you who have read the author’s two previous, critically acclaimed novels, Mechanique and The Girls at the Kingfisher Club, but as a newcomer to Valentine’s works I was quite blown away. (I should probably add that, based on feedback from friends and on those two books’ blurbs, Persona appears to be very different from her earlier work.)
Persona starts off in near future Paris, where Suyana Sapaki is about to cast a vote in the International Assembly (IA). Suyana is the “Face” representing her country in the IA, which means she has virtually zero decision-making power: she is a figurehead, a glorified spokesperson who says what she is told to say and votes the way she is told to vote.
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
Persona starts off in near future Paris, where Suyana Sapaki is about to cast a vote in the International Assembly (IA). Suyana is the “Face” representing her country in the IA, which means she has virtually zero decision-making power: she is a figurehead, a glorified spokesperson who says what she is told to say and votes the way she is told to vote.
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
October 16, 2017
Fast-moving plot of political shenanigans and assassinations. I really liked Suyana and just how analytical and cold she was at assessing her situation and resources. Understood Daniel's conflicted feelings and actions.
October 6, 2016
I really didn’t like the sample, which presented a protagonist who didn’t appeal to me in a situation that appealed to me even less. But various bloggers persisted in commenting about their love for this book, so when it appeared at a sale price, I picked it up and eventually (with some trepidation) went on with it just to get it off my TBR pile.
Then I wound up really enjoying Persona — and admiring the writing a great deal. I admire the adroit way Genevieve Valentine moves back and forth in time to build in her protagonists’ personal stories while also moving forward with the actual plot. I admire the subtlety of the writing, and the intensity, and the way the world closes around you claustrophobically as you read the novel . . . honestly , it’s a triumph of storytelling that I genuinely enjoyed this book, because ordinarily a claustrophobic setting makes me pull away and maintain an emotional distance from the story.
In this one, the protagonists – and most of the other characters – are so tightly closed in by their circumstances; honestly, it’s unbearable to imagine living that way. Practically every move they make and word they utter is witnessed by an audience, and there’s betrayal on every side and (almost) no one you can trust. The whole idea just makes my skin crawl. Also, celebrity pop culture is simply not something I get. If I lived in that world, I would be oblivious to the Faces and baffled by the fascination they exert on everyone else, just as I’m oblivious to and baffled by celebrities today.
On the other hand, I really love Suyana and Daniel. Plus this book is such a great example of how you can have high and rising tension with relatively little action. It’s an intense reading experience, not something to pick up lightly and read casually. But after finishing Persona, I immediately picked up the just-released sequel, Icon. The first book was pretty well self-contained, but I am eager to see how Suyana meets the new challenges she faces. Also, I would definitely like to see Margot go down.
Then I wound up really enjoying Persona — and admiring the writing a great deal. I admire the adroit way Genevieve Valentine moves back and forth in time to build in her protagonists’ personal stories while also moving forward with the actual plot. I admire the subtlety of the writing, and the intensity, and the way the world closes around you claustrophobically as you read the novel . . . honestly , it’s a triumph of storytelling that I genuinely enjoyed this book, because ordinarily a claustrophobic setting makes me pull away and maintain an emotional distance from the story.
In this one, the protagonists – and most of the other characters – are so tightly closed in by their circumstances; honestly, it’s unbearable to imagine living that way. Practically every move they make and word they utter is witnessed by an audience, and there’s betrayal on every side and (almost) no one you can trust. The whole idea just makes my skin crawl. Also, celebrity pop culture is simply not something I get. If I lived in that world, I would be oblivious to the Faces and baffled by the fascination they exert on everyone else, just as I’m oblivious to and baffled by celebrities today.
On the other hand, I really love Suyana and Daniel. Plus this book is such a great example of how you can have high and rising tension with relatively little action. It’s an intense reading experience, not something to pick up lightly and read casually. But after finishing Persona, I immediately picked up the just-released sequel, Icon. The first book was pretty well self-contained, but I am eager to see how Suyana meets the new challenges she faces. Also, I would definitely like to see Margot go down.
Read
April 13, 2015I don't know how to mark this a spoiler on my tablet so SPOILERS AHEAD.
i really wanted to like this book because so much of it screams 'me' (trying and often failing to breach the divide between performed and internal identity) but something about the book was distant and felt false and it wasn't until the very end that I realized why. there's a lot of gesturing towards culture - suyana is indigenous Brazilian whose involved herself in an ecoterrosim plot. presumably she's motivated by her indigenous heritage and her mother's activism and a deep connection to the land (there's actually a line where she says people would understand why she fought if they had seen 'home ' quickly followed by a line about how she's only seen the amazon once) but it's mostly superficial gesturing in a way that never rang true to me - suyana isn't interested in the people she represents or preventing the poverty that allowed her to be prey to the IA from happening - she wants to save the trees. and this is probably wholly my bias but I got to the end and was like 'seriously?'
idk I hate being that person especially when valentine seems to have tried really hard but so much of suyana and daniel (as a Korean man) read to me like a white persons imagining of what goes on in a disproportionately disadvantaged poc whose going up against the big guns. there's a lot of large gestures made re ideas white people have about cultural beliefs (duty, soldiering on , what patriotism looks like outside the west) but there's no thorough follow through. and I know she could not have written this book with white characters because so much of the point is so tied up in imperialism and race but it rang false to me.
i really wanted to like this book because so much of it screams 'me' (trying and often failing to breach the divide between performed and internal identity) but something about the book was distant and felt false and it wasn't until the very end that I realized why. there's a lot of gesturing towards culture - suyana is indigenous Brazilian whose involved herself in an ecoterrosim plot. presumably she's motivated by her indigenous heritage and her mother's activism and a deep connection to the land (there's actually a line where she says people would understand why she fought if they had seen 'home ' quickly followed by a line about how she's only seen the amazon once) but it's mostly superficial gesturing in a way that never rang true to me - suyana isn't interested in the people she represents or preventing the poverty that allowed her to be prey to the IA from happening - she wants to save the trees. and this is probably wholly my bias but I got to the end and was like 'seriously?'
idk I hate being that person especially when valentine seems to have tried really hard but so much of suyana and daniel (as a Korean man) read to me like a white persons imagining of what goes on in a disproportionately disadvantaged poc whose going up against the big guns. there's a lot of large gestures made re ideas white people have about cultural beliefs (duty, soldiering on , what patriotism looks like outside the west) but there's no thorough follow through. and I know she could not have written this book with white characters because so much of the point is so tied up in imperialism and race but it rang false to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2016
Loved it. My only complaint about this book is that there isn't more of it. (But I'm pleased to note that there will be.) It's so sharp, it's so effortless in the way that the blade of the plot keeps moving in one fast slice and leaves behind layers of world and nuance and commentary and character. I love that Suyana is both impossibly capable and amazingly human, and that Daniel is such an interesting mess. The buffet of amazing diversity in the main cast is gravy, but wonderful gravy. (Oh Grace. Oh Martine.)
September 11, 2016
Genevieve Valentine's Persona is a great near future political thriller, full of interesting tech and realistic detail. I look forward to reading the sequel.
July 7, 2015
My first thought after finishing this book was that it's thin; there's not a lot of "there" there.
The book is set on a basically modern Earth where "Celebutante" culture has been institutionalized; people chosen for their looks and personality represent major governments publicly, and "snaps" (read: paparazzi) constantly follow them around trying to get the scoop on the lives of the "Faces" outside what their official behavior and look are. When the Face of the United Rainforest Republics is the victim of an assassination attempt, one such snap jumps in to help, and gets swept up in the plot.
I spent a lot of this book in a state of near confusion. The exact definition of what a Face did was never clearly spelled out. It's clear that there were a set of official duties the public were fed and then the reality of what she did, but it wasn't clearly articulated to me what even those public, farcical responsiblities were. She's shown voting for something in the IA council, but I also never got a sense of what the IA was: was it a more powerful and Relevant UN? Had it completely superseded regional governments' autonomy? None of this was answered in my mind.
Suyana was easily the most compelling character, and I would rather the whole book had followed her. Still, she wavered back and forth a lot between "intelligent, driven woman playing at being a ditz" and "actually clueless girl who doesn't know what's going on". She still comes off as more capable in general than most of the people around her, and reading about her reactions and machinations was entertaining.
Daniel, however, did nothing for me. He seemed generally useless and willing to be used by anyone and everyone. That would be fine if he had some sort of guiding principle he was working toward, but he seemed to even lack that. It's suggested that he fell in love or at least became attached to Suyana, but in my mind that romance would be horrible to see; he would just become a lapdog for whatever she wanted, based on how they behaved.
The book seems designed to be the first in a series, though there's no mention of it specifically in the title, and the ending could be seen as having enough of a resolution to stand on it's own, but to me there were a huge number of loose ends that didn't get resolved. Still, I didn't care enough about the characters or the world to invest time in finding out how things progress even if another book in the series comes out.
The book is set on a basically modern Earth where "Celebutante" culture has been institutionalized; people chosen for their looks and personality represent major governments publicly, and "snaps" (read: paparazzi) constantly follow them around trying to get the scoop on the lives of the "Faces" outside what their official behavior and look are. When the Face of the United Rainforest Republics is the victim of an assassination attempt, one such snap jumps in to help, and gets swept up in the plot.
I spent a lot of this book in a state of near confusion. The exact definition of what a Face did was never clearly spelled out. It's clear that there were a set of official duties the public were fed and then the reality of what she did, but it wasn't clearly articulated to me what even those public, farcical responsiblities were. She's shown voting for something in the IA council, but I also never got a sense of what the IA was: was it a more powerful and Relevant UN? Had it completely superseded regional governments' autonomy? None of this was answered in my mind.
Suyana was easily the most compelling character, and I would rather the whole book had followed her. Still, she wavered back and forth a lot between "intelligent, driven woman playing at being a ditz" and "actually clueless girl who doesn't know what's going on". She still comes off as more capable in general than most of the people around her, and reading about her reactions and machinations was entertaining.
Daniel, however, did nothing for me. He seemed generally useless and willing to be used by anyone and everyone. That would be fine if he had some sort of guiding principle he was working toward, but he seemed to even lack that. It's suggested that he fell in love or at least became attached to Suyana, but in my mind that romance would be horrible to see; he would just become a lapdog for whatever she wanted, based on how they behaved.
The book seems designed to be the first in a series, though there's no mention of it specifically in the title, and the ending could be seen as having enough of a resolution to stand on it's own, but to me there were a huge number of loose ends that didn't get resolved. Still, I didn't care enough about the characters or the world to invest time in finding out how things progress even if another book in the series comes out.
August 16, 2016
I picked this up on a whim after noticing the cover art on a library table - ended up really enjoying it.
There's a special place in my heart for spec fic that doesn't neatly fit into any particular sci-fi or fantasy or alternate history category: think The Handmaid's Tale or Into the Forest or more recently, Station Eleven. Like those books, Persona sets one firm thing in the near future and then just runs with "What if?"
In this particular case, it's celebrity culture and the United Nations. In Persona's world, a single person trained in politics, history, and social graces becomes the Face of their nation. Their interactions with other Faces determine international relations, and the world watches in awe, thanks to media dominance. The paparazzi are the only semi-independent news sources left.
The book is effectively a caper about one such paparazzo and a Face with an unapproved political agenda attempting to avert and understand an assassination attempt.
It also slots into that odd feels-like-YA-but-older category of what the "new adult" label could be if it didn't have a reputation for being almost-erotica. Very like The Summer Prince in that respect.
I am definitely looking forward to the sequel, Icon, though it looks like that is going to be ebook only. Sadness. :(
Change of plans: hardback of Icon is out!
There's a special place in my heart for spec fic that doesn't neatly fit into any particular sci-fi or fantasy or alternate history category: think The Handmaid's Tale or Into the Forest or more recently, Station Eleven. Like those books, Persona sets one firm thing in the near future and then just runs with "What if?"
In this particular case, it's celebrity culture and the United Nations. In Persona's world, a single person trained in politics, history, and social graces becomes the Face of their nation. Their interactions with other Faces determine international relations, and the world watches in awe, thanks to media dominance. The paparazzi are the only semi-independent news sources left.
The book is effectively a caper about one such paparazzo and a Face with an unapproved political agenda attempting to avert and understand an assassination attempt.
It also slots into that odd feels-like-YA-but-older category of what the "new adult" label could be if it didn't have a reputation for being almost-erotica. Very like The Summer Prince in that respect.
Change of plans: hardback of Icon is out!
March 10, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
My Summary: Suyana is a representative of the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation - known as a Face. Each country has their own Face - like a representative in the UN - and each Face is tasked with the representation and diplomatic responsibilities of their country. Anyone can be a Face ... as long as they look and act a certain way.
When an attempt is made on Suyana's life, she only escapes thanks to Daniel Park. But she's not out of danger yet - there's someone out to get her, and they won't stop until they've succeeded. As Suyana and Daniel run for their lives, they discover that their "perfect system of government" may be hiding things that could mean the elimination of Faces and the deaths of anyone who stands in their way.
My Thoughts: I don't tend to read a lot of political thriller, but Genevieve Valentine has definitely made me want to start. This book was incredibly fast-paced and action-packed - it was full of intrigue and the amazingly varied settings had my mind reeling. I loved the elements of political suspense, and kept thinking that fans of the movie Taken would really enjoy this novel because I felt like they had a very similar atmosphere.
Daniel and Suyana were great characters - each was extremely realistic, well-developed, and - like any interesting character - very, very flawed. I really enjoyed watching them grow closer as they ran for their lives (how else do you solidify a relationship?). The cast of characters had some great variety as well.
The only thing I can say is that I wish we got to learn a little more about the implied government conspiracies, but all in all this was a very solid read that'll have me looking forward to more from Genevieve Valentine.
Final Thoughts: I recommend this novel to fans of political thrillers as well as dystopian novels and sci-fi.
My Summary: Suyana is a representative of the United Amazonia Rainforest Confederation - known as a Face. Each country has their own Face - like a representative in the UN - and each Face is tasked with the representation and diplomatic responsibilities of their country. Anyone can be a Face ... as long as they look and act a certain way.
When an attempt is made on Suyana's life, she only escapes thanks to Daniel Park. But she's not out of danger yet - there's someone out to get her, and they won't stop until they've succeeded. As Suyana and Daniel run for their lives, they discover that their "perfect system of government" may be hiding things that could mean the elimination of Faces and the deaths of anyone who stands in their way.
My Thoughts: I don't tend to read a lot of political thriller, but Genevieve Valentine has definitely made me want to start. This book was incredibly fast-paced and action-packed - it was full of intrigue and the amazingly varied settings had my mind reeling. I loved the elements of political suspense, and kept thinking that fans of the movie Taken would really enjoy this novel because I felt like they had a very similar atmosphere.
Daniel and Suyana were great characters - each was extremely realistic, well-developed, and - like any interesting character - very, very flawed. I really enjoyed watching them grow closer as they ran for their lives (how else do you solidify a relationship?). The cast of characters had some great variety as well.
The only thing I can say is that I wish we got to learn a little more about the implied government conspiracies, but all in all this was a very solid read that'll have me looking forward to more from Genevieve Valentine.
Final Thoughts: I recommend this novel to fans of political thrillers as well as dystopian novels and sci-fi.
February 9, 2016
The story began solidly, but fizzled out for me halfway through. Once it became a Whodunnit—or rather a Who Tried to Dun It—I quickly lost interest.
As a political thriller, the novel is only partly successful, as all the political machinations feel very superficial, due to the nature of the Faces roles in the government; they are puppets, for the most part, with little influence over how things shake out on the national stage. Suyana is something of the exception, given , but even then, she still feels like a piece moving around a half-concealed board.
That would be my other complaint with this book: every interaction was constantly being filtered, parsed, and overanalyzed. To be honest, I found it tiring. Which I guess one could argue the point that it reflects the exhausting nature of Suyana's life, but still. Many of the scenes were just conversations between characters, meant to be intense or interesting based on what was not being said, but eh. It fell flat for me.
The theme of assimilation is one of the book's strong points. Quietly woven into the narrative, particularly through Suyana's thoughts, I felt Valentine highlighted the sense of isolation and drifting a person slowly losing their culture feels, as well as the resentment toward being stereotyped.
In the end, the story wasn't what I expected, and the characters didn't really do anything for me, though there were some neat ideas buried beneath all the he-said-she-said-but-did-he-really-mean-did-she-really-mean, and so on. Your mileage may vary.
As a political thriller, the novel is only partly successful, as all the political machinations feel very superficial, due to the nature of the Faces roles in the government; they are puppets, for the most part, with little influence over how things shake out on the national stage. Suyana is something of the exception, given , but even then, she still feels like a piece moving around a half-concealed board.
That would be my other complaint with this book: every interaction was constantly being filtered, parsed, and overanalyzed. To be honest, I found it tiring. Which I guess one could argue the point that it reflects the exhausting nature of Suyana's life, but still. Many of the scenes were just conversations between characters, meant to be intense or interesting based on what was not being said, but eh. It fell flat for me.
The theme of assimilation is one of the book's strong points. Quietly woven into the narrative, particularly through Suyana's thoughts, I felt Valentine highlighted the sense of isolation and drifting a person slowly losing their culture feels, as well as the resentment toward being stereotyped.
In the end, the story wasn't what I expected, and the characters didn't really do anything for me, though there were some neat ideas buried beneath all the he-said-she-said-but-did-he-really-mean-did-she-really-mean, and so on. Your mileage may vary.
September 16, 2015
Valentine is the friend of a friend, and I've been reading her blog for some time. I really loved her first two books, but what I particularly enjoy about her blog is her hilarious-yet-on-point analysis of awards shows and beauty pageant costumes. So I was really excited about this book--the scenario is we've gone ahead and made the UN representatives celebrities, with all the craziness that comes with evaluating celebrities on things that have nothing to do with their jobs.
The thing is, an event in basically the first chapter puts the protagonist on the run, which means this fascinating world of backbiting and coded messages through carefully chosen accessories barely appears. I found myself not particularly interested in the ecoterrorists and their plot--I wanted more about people dating by treaty and countries losing status because their stylist didn't pick the right dress. Maybe this is more my problem than hers, but I loved the world--it just wasn't the story I wanted to read about it.
The thing is, an event in basically the first chapter puts the protagonist on the run, which means this fascinating world of backbiting and coded messages through carefully chosen accessories barely appears. I found myself not particularly interested in the ecoterrorists and their plot--I wanted more about people dating by treaty and countries losing status because their stylist didn't pick the right dress. Maybe this is more my problem than hers, but I loved the world--it just wasn't the story I wanted to read about it.
January 19, 2020
I still don't fully understand the world, but it was an enjoyable yarn.
Because Dan asked for a recap:
Because Dan asked for a recap:
April 3, 2015
Actual rating would be 3.5 stars. Persona was intriguing, with intriguing characters, and a fast-paced mystery that left me (and the protagonist) wondering whom to trust. I thought the book could have benefited from more world building, however. I understand there's an International Assembly attended by Faces, who act as diplomats but are more like media representatives for their countries. Specs are like paparazzi-journalists, in a world that no longer seems to have freedom of the press due to the power of the Big Nine countries. But I couldn't tell if the story was supposed to be set in a dystopian future. The protagonist, a member of an American Indian minority group, fights to preserve the rainforest. But I couldn't tell what the stakes were for the majority of the population. Maybe that will be discussed in depth in the sequel.
July 10, 2015
Great eco-political thriller. Action and thought-provoking concepts are mixed expertly: the nature of power, international politics, terrorism, and journalism/paparazzi. And all wrapped up in the fickleness of diplomatic role playing. Sounds very dry but this is anything but. The narration switches between Suyana and Daniel's point of views. This works very well in furthering the action plot as well as allowing us to uncover the layers of these amazingly complex characters.
I've only discovered Genevieve Valentine a little while ago, but from the short stories, novella, and this book, she seems able to write in a wide variety of styles. Impressive. Got to get her other novels.
I've only discovered Genevieve Valentine a little while ago, but from the short stories, novella, and this book, she seems able to write in a wide variety of styles. Impressive. Got to get her other novels.
Read
April 18, 2016It's great to get to read an honest-to-goodness science fiction thriller -- something with action and adventure and kidnapping and running from the law and having to be clever! Genevieve's writing, as usual, was delightful.
January 5, 2018
This isn't my first read by Valentine, and that's exactly why I decided to kick off 2018 with it. I knew what she was capable of in Mechanique and The Girls at the Kingfisher Club so I was prepared for a tale of similar caliber here, but I have a little secret: This is actually my second time reading this.
The first time, I'm gonna go ahead and admit this, I got through the first chapter and was thoroughly confused. What year is this? Where's it taking place? Why do Faces matter so much? And, since I finished it this time (otherwise I wouldn't be rating it), I'm gonna go ahead and spoil you by saying I still can't really tell.
It's not a bad book though, by any means: The tale is tight, and Suyana is a very likable character willing to do what it takes not only to keep herself alive but to make sure her country's getting the best end of the bargain. But in terms of setting and why Faces matter so much, there aren't any answers there. I mean that, I read the whole book waiting for why Faces were so important to the political world and ... I didn't get much of an answer.
Now I can see why a lot of people might not like Suyana. She's a Strong Female Character™; she doesn't have much time for anything that's not on her agenda. But that's why I liked her so much! And I think the book hinted that she might be asexual with her admitting that she really doesn't care a fig for relationships or sex unless it helps get her country into a better position? Maybe I'm reading too much into that. But I loved that she was so focused on staying alive, on getting information to her allies, on warning another Face that something similar could be happening to her soon. I loved her.
As for Daniel... well, bless his heart. I never really got a sense for his character. He wanted to do the right thing after the assassination attempt, and that's great, but his profession is still pretty slimy. And I couldn't understand why he kissed Suyana when they were splitting up. I sorta failed to care about him after that as well. I mean, true, in his storyline you find out exactly who has ordered Suyana's death but all the Snap stuff... eh, I wasn't into it.
Speaking of them both, this book had so many POC and queer characters! It was great reading characters that got to be fully formed people on the page and not stereotypes. There's no white saviour-ing either.
I really appreciate that this wrapped up the assassination storyline but left open other stories to explore. So if a reader didn't feel satisfied with this volume, you don't have to read the next to see whether or not Suyana or Daniel makes it. (I'm totally continuing it though!)
The things I have problems with? Well, I couldn't understand the Face thing and since I never got an explanation on it, I admit it sorta festered in my mind. The US having just one Face? I mean, have you seen how the half the country lost its mind after eight years of Obama? I couldn't understand how a Face was picked so ... I know I'm putting way too much energy into that as well.
It's a good, quick read, and while I have to admit I didn't find it up to the other standards of Valentine's, that's not saying it's a bad book! It's definitely good, it just takes a bit to integrate yourself into the world.
The first time, I'm gonna go ahead and admit this, I got through the first chapter and was thoroughly confused. What year is this? Where's it taking place? Why do Faces matter so much? And, since I finished it this time (otherwise I wouldn't be rating it), I'm gonna go ahead and spoil you by saying I still can't really tell.
It's not a bad book though, by any means: The tale is tight, and Suyana is a very likable character willing to do what it takes not only to keep herself alive but to make sure her country's getting the best end of the bargain. But in terms of setting and why Faces matter so much, there aren't any answers there. I mean that, I read the whole book waiting for why Faces were so important to the political world and ... I didn't get much of an answer.
Now I can see why a lot of people might not like Suyana. She's a Strong Female Character™; she doesn't have much time for anything that's not on her agenda. But that's why I liked her so much! And I think the book hinted that she might be asexual with her admitting that she really doesn't care a fig for relationships or sex unless it helps get her country into a better position? Maybe I'm reading too much into that. But I loved that she was so focused on staying alive, on getting information to her allies, on warning another Face that something similar could be happening to her soon. I loved her.
As for Daniel... well, bless his heart. I never really got a sense for his character. He wanted to do the right thing after the assassination attempt, and that's great, but his profession is still pretty slimy. And I couldn't understand why he kissed Suyana when they were splitting up. I sorta failed to care about him after that as well. I mean, true, in his storyline you find out exactly who has ordered Suyana's death but all the Snap stuff... eh, I wasn't into it.
Speaking of them both, this book had so many POC and queer characters! It was great reading characters that got to be fully formed people on the page and not stereotypes. There's no white saviour-ing either.
I really appreciate that this wrapped up the assassination storyline but left open other stories to explore. So if a reader didn't feel satisfied with this volume, you don't have to read the next to see whether or not Suyana or Daniel makes it. (I'm totally continuing it though!)
The things I have problems with? Well, I couldn't understand the Face thing and since I never got an explanation on it, I admit it sorta festered in my mind. The US having just one Face? I mean, have you seen how the half the country lost its mind after eight years of Obama? I couldn't understand how a Face was picked so ... I know I'm putting way too much energy into that as well.
It's a good, quick read, and while I have to admit I didn't find it up to the other standards of Valentine's, that's not saying it's a bad book! It's definitely good, it just takes a bit to integrate yourself into the world.
April 16, 2017
Book #14 for 2017
Follow the Clues Challenge: Trail 1, Clue 4
PopSugar Challenge Prompts (max 3):
- An espionage thriller
- A book where the main character is a different ethnicity than you
- The first book in a series you haven't read before
Read Harder Challenge Task: A book wherein all point-of-view characters are people of color
Book Bingo Possible Squares:
- A Book with Multiple Perspectives
- A Book with an LGBTQA Character
Better World Books Challenge Task: A book set in a place you want to visit (Paris)
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge Task: A book wherein all point-of-view characters are people of color
I enjoyed this political thriller and liked both of the POV characters, Suyana and Daniel. It's good, though, that this was a character-driven story, because it seemed like so much of the eco-thriller plot was merely incidental. I never got a good feel for how this near-future political reality came about or what the UARC's and Chordata's issues really were. I did get the impression that Valentine had built a vastly detailed world for this novel but wound up putting only a small fraction of it on the page. Here's hoping that the follow-up, Icon, delves more into the world's backstory.
In the meantime, I think this would make an awesome movie, and I plan to read Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti for something a little different from this author.
Follow the Clues Challenge: Trail 1, Clue 4
PopSugar Challenge Prompts (max 3):
- An espionage thriller
- A book where the main character is a different ethnicity than you
- The first book in a series you haven't read before
Read Harder Challenge Task: A book wherein all point-of-view characters are people of color
Book Bingo Possible Squares:
- A Book with Multiple Perspectives
- A Book with an LGBTQA Character
Better World Books Challenge Task: A book set in a place you want to visit (Paris)
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge Task: A book wherein all point-of-view characters are people of color
I enjoyed this political thriller and liked both of the POV characters, Suyana and Daniel. It's good, though, that this was a character-driven story, because it seemed like so much of the eco-thriller plot was merely incidental. I never got a good feel for how this near-future political reality came about or what the UARC's and Chordata's issues really were. I did get the impression that Valentine had built a vastly detailed world for this novel but wound up putting only a small fraction of it on the page. Here's hoping that the follow-up, Icon, delves more into the world's backstory.
In the meantime, I think this would make an awesome movie, and I plan to read Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti for something a little different from this author.
August 6, 2017
A very cool thriller that doesn't read like a thriller (my style!), and an intriguing sci-fi premise.
May 12, 2015
Genevieve Valentine's novel Persona hugs the road like a well-built sports car, twisting and turning at tremendous speeds but always solidly grounded, a sheer delight to drive... I mean read. Part of that's probably just in contrast to the last couple of novels I've read, which were pretty tough sledding, but most of it's simply because Valentine's very good at what she does. Her writing is light and easy to read, but never superficial. And Persona is thrilling, but not a traditional thriller. From its title onward, this novel is multilayered, never satisfied with a single meaning where more than one applies. It actually strikes me now as (and forgive me for the comparison) a lot like a one-volume near-future Song of Ice and Fire—albeit with no wars, dragons or thrones, everything distilled somehow into pure intrigue.
The future of Persona looks... a lot like our present, really. The same nation-states are competing for the same resources, but Valentine extrapolates a couple of trends in classic science-fictional style to create a world that is both plausible and more than a little dystopian. In the International Assembly, theatrics have entirely replaced diplomacy. Countries are represented by their Faces: sophisticated professional actors whose primary role is to say whatever their handlers tell them to say, to appear where their handlers tell them to appear, and... to have relationships, at least publicly, with the people their handlers say they should.
Occasionally, though, a Face goes off-script, sometimes even trying to practice old-fashioned diplomacy.
Even less frequently, the Face gets away with it.
Suyana Supaki is the diplomatic Face of the United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation, a weak and embattled South American coalition trying (mostly in vain) to resist commercial exploitation and environmental degradation. Suyana actually did get away with some real diplomacy, once, but it cost her a handler and, as Persona begins, seems likely to cost her her life as well. Suyana is a very plausible character, complex and realistic—she's tough but not unstoppable, smart but not a genius, attractive but not beautiful, capable but not omnicompetent... she's the kind of protagonist I think we need to see more of.
Persona is the kind of book I think we need to see more of as well.
These two passages, back to back in the book, seem exemplary of Valentine's attention to the tiniest details—and if these resonate with you as well, I suspect you'll like Persona as much as I did:
Persona ends well, as a standalone novel should. And I don't want to see Valentine get trapped into writing an endless series of "Suyana Supaki" novels, either, but... even so, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing one or two more books like this one.
The future of Persona looks... a lot like our present, really. The same nation-states are competing for the same resources, but Valentine extrapolates a couple of trends in classic science-fictional style to create a world that is both plausible and more than a little dystopian. In the International Assembly, theatrics have entirely replaced diplomacy. Countries are represented by their Faces: sophisticated professional actors whose primary role is to say whatever their handlers tell them to say, to appear where their handlers tell them to appear, and... to have relationships, at least publicly, with the people their handlers say they should.
Occasionally, though, a Face goes off-script, sometimes even trying to practice old-fashioned diplomacy.
Even less frequently, the Face gets away with it.
Suyana Supaki is the diplomatic Face of the United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation, a weak and embattled South American coalition trying (mostly in vain) to resist commercial exploitation and environmental degradation. Suyana actually did get away with some real diplomacy, once, but it cost her a handler and, as Persona begins, seems likely to cost her her life as well. Suyana is a very plausible character, complex and realistic—she's tough but not unstoppable, smart but not a genius, attractive but not beautiful, capable but not omnicompetent... she's the kind of protagonist I think we need to see more of.
Persona is the kind of book I think we need to see more of as well.
These two passages, back to back in the book, seem exemplary of Valentine's attention to the tiniest details—and if these resonate with you as well, I suspect you'll like Persona as much as I did:
The fork on the far right of a place setting means to expect oysters. They'll already be shucked. If they aren't, look for a young man to shuck them for you. Shuck them yourself only if you're alone with a dignitary in front of whom you want to appear effortlessly competent.—and—
—p.70
She smiled, corners of the mouth stretched up in the way they'd taught her looked most natural on camera{...}
—p.71
Persona ends well, as a standalone novel should. And I don't want to see Valentine get trapped into writing an endless series of "Suyana Supaki" novels, either, but... even so, I certainly wouldn't mind seeing one or two more books like this one.
March 3, 2017
Good read. Would like to read the sequel.
February 14, 2016
Genevieve Valentine's near-future political thriller is a roller-coaster read with a strong protagonist and a lot to say about colonialism, ecological racism, international politics and power.
Earth is loosely governed by the International Assembly (IA), which appears to function rather like a beefed-up United Nations. Global issues are decided - at least nominally - by the assembly, but most decisions are made behind closed doors, side-deals between countries are common, and the votes are just for show. In an extension of the cult of personality, the representatives of the various countries - known as Faces - are trained and groomed to be public presences, under the guidance of their handlers. The media - called snaps, the new generation of politically savvy paparazzi - follow the Faces, merging personal and policy narratives for the public.
When Suyana Sapaki, Face of the United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation (UARC) narrowly escapes assassination thanks to the intervention of Daniel Park, a free-lance snap looking for the big story that will make his reputation, they are both thrust into a shadowy world of shifting alliances where they can trust no one, not even each other.
The political background of the story deals with corporate First World imperialism, the destruction of Developing World ecologies for First World profit, and the internecine battles for personal and political power that lie behind the often shiny surface of hierarchical power structures. The protagonists are both from countries outside the global seats of power; Suryana is Quechua by heritage, from the Peruvian half of the UARC, while Daniel is Korean.
By the end of the novel, both have navigated a precarious path through intrigue and danger - an I can hardly wait to see what comes next in the sequel, Icon, coming this summer.
Earth is loosely governed by the International Assembly (IA), which appears to function rather like a beefed-up United Nations. Global issues are decided - at least nominally - by the assembly, but most decisions are made behind closed doors, side-deals between countries are common, and the votes are just for show. In an extension of the cult of personality, the representatives of the various countries - known as Faces - are trained and groomed to be public presences, under the guidance of their handlers. The media - called snaps, the new generation of politically savvy paparazzi - follow the Faces, merging personal and policy narratives for the public.
When Suyana Sapaki, Face of the United Amazonian Rainforest Confederation (UARC) narrowly escapes assassination thanks to the intervention of Daniel Park, a free-lance snap looking for the big story that will make his reputation, they are both thrust into a shadowy world of shifting alliances where they can trust no one, not even each other.
The political background of the story deals with corporate First World imperialism, the destruction of Developing World ecologies for First World profit, and the internecine battles for personal and political power that lie behind the often shiny surface of hierarchical power structures. The protagonists are both from countries outside the global seats of power; Suryana is Quechua by heritage, from the Peruvian half of the UARC, while Daniel is Korean.
By the end of the novel, both have navigated a precarious path through intrigue and danger - an I can hardly wait to see what comes next in the sequel, Icon, coming this summer.
March 20, 2016
Suyana is the public face (called a Face, reasonably enough) of her country's diplomatic efforts. Told what to say, how to say it, and even who to have relationships with, every second of Suyana's life is chronicled and controlled. But an assassination attempt breaks her ordered life down, and Suyana goes on the run with the paparazzi who accidentally chronicled her near miss with death.
io9's review excited my interest in this book. I didn't end up liking it as much as the reviewer seemed to have. By the end of the book I still didn't get why diplomacy was now done via Faces, or how the public actually viewed Faces. Suyana and Daniel both have insider views of how the system works, but it seems like the public is supposed to believe that Faces are seriously involved in decision making? Or the public is somehow interested in what Faces do, to the extent that they're on the covers of magazines and have hoards of photographers dogging them, which seems opposite to how modern diplomats are treated. Basically, the world building for why there are a bunch of hot 20 somethings being oppressed by their handlers and watched by the world didn't work for me--it felt as shallow as all those YA dystopias where people are inexplicably sorted into castes or groups or have love surgically removed. On the other hand, I did like Suyana and Daniel, and I liked some of the comments/themes about colonialization, colorism, and power in this book. I just didn't think the plot was particularly satisfying or the world believable.
io9's review excited my interest in this book. I didn't end up liking it as much as the reviewer seemed to have. By the end of the book I still didn't get why diplomacy was now done via Faces, or how the public actually viewed Faces. Suyana and Daniel both have insider views of how the system works, but it seems like the public is supposed to believe that Faces are seriously involved in decision making? Or the public is somehow interested in what Faces do, to the extent that they're on the covers of magazines and have hoards of photographers dogging them, which seems opposite to how modern diplomats are treated. Basically, the world building for why there are a bunch of hot 20 somethings being oppressed by their handlers and watched by the world didn't work for me--it felt as shallow as all those YA dystopias where people are inexplicably sorted into castes or groups or have love surgically removed. On the other hand, I did like Suyana and Daniel, and I liked some of the comments/themes about colonialization, colorism, and power in this book. I just didn't think the plot was particularly satisfying or the world believable.
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