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The Damage Done
Perfect for fans of Ben Winters and Sarah Pinsker, violence is a thing of the past—but could new horrors lie in wait?
Imagine a world devoid of violence—a world where fists can’t hit, guns,don’t kill, and bombs can’t destroy. In this tantalizing novel of possibility, this has become our new reality.
The U.S. president must find a new way to wage war. The Pope ponders whether the Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” is still relevant. A dictator takes his own life after realizing that the violence he used to control his people is no longer an option.
In the first days after the change, seven people who have experienced violence struggle to adapt to this radical new paradigm: Dab, a bullied middle schooler; Marcus, a high school student whose brother is the last victim of gun violence in America; Ann, a social worker stuck in an abusive marriage; Richard, a professor whose past makes him expect the worst inthe present; Gabriela, who is making a dangerous border crossing into the U.S.; the Empty Shell, a dissident writer waiting to be tortured in a notorious prison; and Julien, a white supremacist plotting a horrific massacre.
As their fates intertwine, the things each of the seven experience become emblematic of the promise and perils of the new world. The future holds bright new possibilities for ending terrorism, racism, and even hatred itself. But although violence is no longer possible, that doesn’t mean that some among us won’t keep trying. Mindless cruelty is still alive and well—and those bent on destruction will seek the most devious means to achieve it.
Imagine a world devoid of violence—a world where fists can’t hit, guns,don’t kill, and bombs can’t destroy. In this tantalizing novel of possibility, this has become our new reality.
The U.S. president must find a new way to wage war. The Pope ponders whether the Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” is still relevant. A dictator takes his own life after realizing that the violence he used to control his people is no longer an option.
In the first days after the change, seven people who have experienced violence struggle to adapt to this radical new paradigm: Dab, a bullied middle schooler; Marcus, a high school student whose brother is the last victim of gun violence in America; Ann, a social worker stuck in an abusive marriage; Richard, a professor whose past makes him expect the worst inthe present; Gabriela, who is making a dangerous border crossing into the U.S.; the Empty Shell, a dissident writer waiting to be tortured in a notorious prison; and Julien, a white supremacist plotting a horrific massacre.
As their fates intertwine, the things each of the seven experience become emblematic of the promise and perils of the new world. The future holds bright new possibilities for ending terrorism, racism, and even hatred itself. But although violence is no longer possible, that doesn’t mean that some among us won’t keep trying. Mindless cruelty is still alive and well—and those bent on destruction will seek the most devious means to achieve it.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published March 8, 2022
22 people are currently reading
759 people want to read
About the author
Michael Landweber
5 books25 followersI was born in Madison, WI. I have sort of learned and mostly forgotten four languages: Hebrew, Spanish, Japanese and Thai. I am allergic to cumin. The pinnacle of my journalism career was following President Clinton around while he jogged. My short stories have appeared in some really cool literary magazines online and in print (and you can see a full list of them at my website). I have Masters degrees in Southeast Asian Studies and Public Policy. I have a soft spot for movies about talking animals. I am very unlikely to survive the zombie apocalypse. I have written four novels. I have worked for government bureaucracies, large and small. I mainly listen to alternative music, but my favorite song might be Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield. I live and write in Washington, DC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
March 10, 2022
An intriguing premise is the basis of Michael Landweber’s latest book, The Damage Done. Violence is no longer possible in the world and seven victims of previous violence struggle to adapt to this new reality. Told from seven different perspectives including a bullied middle schooler, a high school student, social worker, professor, writer, white supremacist and even a migrant crossing the border into America. What is their fate in this new reality or are there new perils to negotiate? Whilst not a regular reader of the science fiction genre, this was an enjoyable read with a four-star rating. With thanks to Crooked Lane Books and the author, for an uncorrected advanced copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given, with honesty.
September 9, 2021
Very clever and thought provoking
Imagine a world where violence is simply no longer possible. Where everytime you want to kick someone, you somehow end up gently nudging that person with your foot. Sounds great, yeah?
Well, not really. Because that's just suppressing the physical act of violence. But true violence - the wish to do someone harm - starts long before your physical body comes into play. It starts in your mind.
And it doesn't have to end with the body. There's an old saying about bricks and stones, but I think I can safely say that most of us disagree: words can hurt. They do, they have weight and meaning, and psychological violence is as real as it's physical counterpart. We might call it cruelty, but you know, a rose by any name ...
This is the world in The Damage Done. Suddenly, physical violence seems no longer possible. But this won't stop people from trying.
Michael Landweber thoroughly explores these possibilities. His cast includes people that are suddenly no longer on the receiving end of this violence, as well as people who would like to dish it out, but no longer can.
And while his band of protagonists seems to be a rag tag group of people, they all serve as a canvas for the reader - or rather: for different parts of the reader's mind. The part of us that is angry sometimes and wants to lash out. The part that lives in fear on being on the receiving end. The part that hates limits and tries to find creative ways around them.
As you explore more and more of this radically changed world, you also start to think more and more about the implications these ideas bring. And I'm pretty sure that's what Michael wants the reader to do: It's not just a tale for entertainment, it's food for thought.
To paraphrase Plautus - you can muzzle the wolf, but you can't take the wolf from man. It will always be there.
The fates of the characters are interwoven in different ways, some more overt than others. I enjoyed piecing together the covert ones, some of them rather clever.
Apropos clever: This tale is a clever thought experiment. Would it be really unrestrictedly good if violence would no longer work? Would there be downsides to it as well? I'll leave the final decision to you.
*****
After all is said and done, I've just read a very clever novel that plays with a novel idea, turning it round and round, watching it from every side. It's exciting in it's own way.
Sadly, it's almost too clever. The constant changing perspectives made it hard for me to catch onto something, constantly breaking my immersion. I've experiences many tales, and while a lot of them are interwoven, I never got the feeling that I had now a firm grasp about THE story. The last page left me a little empty. I'm just missing some final piece - but a great read, thought provoking, 4 stars!
Disclaimer: I've received a free Advanced Reader's Copy and are leaving this review voluntarily.
You can also read this review on my Blog.
If you give someone a gun, expect them to shoot you.
from Malcolm's thesis
Imagine a world where violence is simply no longer possible. Where everytime you want to kick someone, you somehow end up gently nudging that person with your foot. Sounds great, yeah?
Well, not really. Because that's just suppressing the physical act of violence. But true violence - the wish to do someone harm - starts long before your physical body comes into play. It starts in your mind.
And it doesn't have to end with the body. There's an old saying about bricks and stones, but I think I can safely say that most of us disagree: words can hurt. They do, they have weight and meaning, and psychological violence is as real as it's physical counterpart. We might call it cruelty, but you know, a rose by any name ...
This is the world in The Damage Done. Suddenly, physical violence seems no longer possible. But this won't stop people from trying.
The answer was that they would always be able to hurt each other.
about 7 % in
Michael Landweber thoroughly explores these possibilities. His cast includes people that are suddenly no longer on the receiving end of this violence, as well as people who would like to dish it out, but no longer can.
And while his band of protagonists seems to be a rag tag group of people, they all serve as a canvas for the reader - or rather: for different parts of the reader's mind. The part of us that is angry sometimes and wants to lash out. The part that lives in fear on being on the receiving end. The part that hates limits and tries to find creative ways around them.
As you explore more and more of this radically changed world, you also start to think more and more about the implications these ideas bring. And I'm pretty sure that's what Michael wants the reader to do: It's not just a tale for entertainment, it's food for thought.
Lupus est homo homini
Asinaria, by Titus Maccius Plautus
To paraphrase Plautus - you can muzzle the wolf, but you can't take the wolf from man. It will always be there.
The fates of the characters are interwoven in different ways, some more overt than others. I enjoyed piecing together the covert ones, some of them rather clever.
Apropos clever: This tale is a clever thought experiment. Would it be really unrestrictedly good if violence would no longer work? Would there be downsides to it as well? I'll leave the final decision to you.
But they don't matter. Not to you. Not to me. You know what matters?
You matter. Who you are. Who you want to be.
sage advice, 79 % in
*****
After all is said and done, I've just read a very clever novel that plays with a novel idea, turning it round and round, watching it from every side. It's exciting in it's own way.
Sadly, it's almost too clever. The constant changing perspectives made it hard for me to catch onto something, constantly breaking my immersion. I've experiences many tales, and while a lot of them are interwoven, I never got the feeling that I had now a firm grasp about THE story. The last page left me a little empty. I'm just missing some final piece - but a great read, thought provoking, 4 stars!
Disclaimer: I've received a free Advanced Reader's Copy and are leaving this review voluntarily.
You can also read this review on my Blog.
April 30, 2022
If you're going to write a book with this kind of premise I feel like the reader is owed some kind of commentary...
I don't feel like I got any. Instead I got a lot of events that didn't seem to gel together to form any kind of coherent internal logic. Roughly halfway through Landweber felt the need to continue to expand the web of characters and events to such an extent as to rob the narrative of any of the heft it could have had by wasting time treading water that the reader had already experienced. So much of the potential of the book seem squandered on a white supremacy storyline that took up the meat of the book... and for what I'm still struggling to grasp.
Ultimately this feels like a question that has been posed by many people over the years and Landweber had absolutely nothing to add to the discussion. He makes a lot of noise, throws out a lot of ideas, but none of it feels substantial or worth the time spent experiencing what the rambles are. It's definitely not a book I would urge anyone to rush out and pick up and even if the synopsis sounded interesting to a potential reader, I promise you that the narrative does nothing to explore the themes it presents. If you've read the synopsis you've read the book, there are simply no hidden depths to be mined here.
I don't feel like I got any. Instead I got a lot of events that didn't seem to gel together to form any kind of coherent internal logic. Roughly halfway through Landweber felt the need to continue to expand the web of characters and events to such an extent as to rob the narrative of any of the heft it could have had by wasting time treading water that the reader had already experienced. So much of the potential of the book seem squandered on a white supremacy storyline that took up the meat of the book... and for what I'm still struggling to grasp.
Ultimately this feels like a question that has been posed by many people over the years and Landweber had absolutely nothing to add to the discussion. He makes a lot of noise, throws out a lot of ideas, but none of it feels substantial or worth the time spent experiencing what the rambles are. It's definitely not a book I would urge anyone to rush out and pick up and even if the synopsis sounded interesting to a potential reader, I promise you that the narrative does nothing to explore the themes it presents. If you've read the synopsis you've read the book, there are simply no hidden depths to be mined here.
September 24, 2021
The Damage Done is about a world where all of a sudden a genie sneezed and no one can ever commit violence against another. Bullets stop in mid air. Bombs don’t go off. Punches don’t land. But, there’s no explanation of how or why this occurs or how the physics works. The author uses this premise to explore a number of different stories from a Sixth grader who is being bullied, a kid in the drug-infested housing projects coping with the dealers and other gangbangers on the stairs, a revolutionary, a dictator, teenagers illegally immigrating to escape violence in El Salvador. Some of the stories overlap with connections between the characters. Others don’t connect. There doesn’t seem to be much point to the story, no resolution, no climax, just magically everything is unicorns and tulips.
March 9, 2022
The Damage Done has such a unique premise- what happens when people simply no longer possess the ability to be violent? Talk about thought-provoking, right? The story is told from several points of view of people coming to the realization that violence is no longer an option. They are all from extremely different backgrounds and circumstances, but we soon see that some of their stories intersect.
Now, each character must navigate this new world in a new way. The lack of violence changes everyone's lives in one way or another, though some have more difficulty accepting it than others. And because humans are, well, humans, many people in this world try to find a way around the peacefulness.
I loved how the book brought issues that likely wouldn't have crossed my mind into play. Like what happens in prisons if there is no ability to truly intimidate people locked up? How do dictators terrify their citizens without the threat of bodily harm looming large? Bullies are far less intimidating when you know they cannot actually hurt you. And this list obviously goes on and on. But it's one thing to know this from a logical perspective, and another to adapt one's whole mental outlook so quickly.
Watching the characters come to terms with their new world is certainly the highlight of the story for me. Seeing how they will move forward, hopefully move better, was fabulous. I do wish we'd have had a little more time in the story, perhaps to see what some of the more long-term affects of the nonviolence was. And of course, I was curious as to why, though had I been in this world I'd probably be less focused on the reasons as well.
Bottom Line: So very thought provoking, I enjoyed learning about this world without violence right along with the characters and their often quite moving stories.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Now, each character must navigate this new world in a new way. The lack of violence changes everyone's lives in one way or another, though some have more difficulty accepting it than others. And because humans are, well, humans, many people in this world try to find a way around the peacefulness.
I loved how the book brought issues that likely wouldn't have crossed my mind into play. Like what happens in prisons if there is no ability to truly intimidate people locked up? How do dictators terrify their citizens without the threat of bodily harm looming large? Bullies are far less intimidating when you know they cannot actually hurt you. And this list obviously goes on and on. But it's one thing to know this from a logical perspective, and another to adapt one's whole mental outlook so quickly.
Watching the characters come to terms with their new world is certainly the highlight of the story for me. Seeing how they will move forward, hopefully move better, was fabulous. I do wish we'd have had a little more time in the story, perhaps to see what some of the more long-term affects of the nonviolence was. And of course, I was curious as to why, though had I been in this world I'd probably be less focused on the reasons as well.
Bottom Line: So very thought provoking, I enjoyed learning about this world without violence right along with the characters and their often quite moving stories.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
May 16, 2022
QUICK TAKE: Very clever concept (what would happen if all the violence in the world just ended), but I struggled a bit with the execution. The story is told through the POV of several tangentially connected characters and how they deal with the fallout of a world without violence (spoiler: even without violence, people still find a way to harm each other), but the book left me with more questions than answers. Definitely thought-provoking and worth considering if you enjoyed THE VIOLENCE or THE MEASURE.
April 7, 2022
Imagine a world without violence. What would happen if we were no longer capable of hurting each other? Bullets bouncing off victims, knives missing targets, muscles going limp as you try to punch someone, men physically unable to rape a woman due to spontaneous impotence. This book explores these scenarios, through different people and situations they face.
Even if we can get rid of physical violence, does that mean we can’t hurt each other? We can still hate each other, right?
This was a very thought provoking novel that asked some relevant, important questions. Some of these stories resonated deeper than others - the kid being bullied at school, the girl escaping violence of her hometown in search of safety and better life.. the woman abused by her husband. Every person affected in a different way.
This is a book worth reading if you wonder about the state of humanity and how the world would look like if human beings weren’t capable of violence against each other.
Even if we can get rid of physical violence, does that mean we can’t hurt each other? We can still hate each other, right?
This was a very thought provoking novel that asked some relevant, important questions. Some of these stories resonated deeper than others - the kid being bullied at school, the girl escaping violence of her hometown in search of safety and better life.. the woman abused by her husband. Every person affected in a different way.
This is a book worth reading if you wonder about the state of humanity and how the world would look like if human beings weren’t capable of violence against each other.
December 7, 2021
Interesting premise but confusing writing! While the idea of a world where everyone is incapable of committing violence might be hard to wrap your head around, it works in the sense of the author trying to create meaning and a lesson. But, the story is extremely hard to follow and keep concentrated in.
Definitely not a typical thriller read but also has a lot to take in beyond the pages.
Definitely not a typical thriller read but also has a lot to take in beyond the pages.
March 5, 2022
Imagine a world without violence. Imagine reading the news and finding no mention of violence - no shootings or stabbings, a world where fists can no longer hit and bombs no longer explode. With everything going on the world right now, this is an exciting thought to ponder but is there a downside to the loss of violence in the world?
The author gives us seven very different characters and shows us how the attempts on violence no longer work. Dab, a school boy who is amazed when the punches from his bully do not harm him..in fact, he doesn't even feel them. Ann, a social worker, can no longer be physically hurt by her husband's abuse. Julien, a white supremacist has plans to shoot children in a Jewish school but his bullets just hang in the air and don't do any damage. These are three of the seven disparate characters who illuminate the changes in our world. As we read more about them we realize that despite the impossibility of violence that harms or kills people, this doesn't affect the racism, the hatred and terrorism that still exist and it doesn't stop people who still think about harming other people. Cruelty is still alive and people who want to be violent are still considering ways that they can accomplish their destruction. This is a thought provoking book about love and loss, violence and reconciliation and the possibility of a new world.
I thought that this book had an interesting premise but a lot got lost with too many characters who are unable to hurt other people. I would have preferred less characters and more depth into their stories. That said, this is definitely a story that will keep you imagining a world without violence.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.
The author gives us seven very different characters and shows us how the attempts on violence no longer work. Dab, a school boy who is amazed when the punches from his bully do not harm him..in fact, he doesn't even feel them. Ann, a social worker, can no longer be physically hurt by her husband's abuse. Julien, a white supremacist has plans to shoot children in a Jewish school but his bullets just hang in the air and don't do any damage. These are three of the seven disparate characters who illuminate the changes in our world. As we read more about them we realize that despite the impossibility of violence that harms or kills people, this doesn't affect the racism, the hatred and terrorism that still exist and it doesn't stop people who still think about harming other people. Cruelty is still alive and people who want to be violent are still considering ways that they can accomplish their destruction. This is a thought provoking book about love and loss, violence and reconciliation and the possibility of a new world.
I thought that this book had an interesting premise but a lot got lost with too many characters who are unable to hurt other people. I would have preferred less characters and more depth into their stories. That said, this is definitely a story that will keep you imagining a world without violence.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.
July 16, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with this advanced reader copy to review. All of my ARC reviews are spoiler-free! The Damage Done is expected to release March 8th 2022.
Imagine that you wake up one day and there is no violence. Guns will not fire, punches cannot be thrown, knives bend upon impact with skin as if they were made of foam. There is no rape, no murder, no gang violence, no domestic abuse or police brutality. Would this change the world as we know it for the better, or would humanity find a way to ensure the suffering of others regardless of physical limitations?
The Damage Done addresses this very question in a book that is less a story, and more a collection of possible viewpoints that addresses a number of people in different positions around the world. All of them are connected to one another in some way, some more than others. This isn't quite what I initially expected but it certainly didn't disappoint and I'm keen to check out some of Landweber's other works as it seems he likes to write about these big hypotheses.
The character's that we meet throughout the book are well crafted, the writing simple but emotive and the question raised very compelling, touching on important sociological and political themes. I do think that it would have done well to be longer, to have given us more of the long term aftermath or to have extended some of the POVs a little because there were quite a few of them and the bulk only cover the first few days of the change, but it didn't detract too much overall.
Imagine that you wake up one day and there is no violence. Guns will not fire, punches cannot be thrown, knives bend upon impact with skin as if they were made of foam. There is no rape, no murder, no gang violence, no domestic abuse or police brutality. Would this change the world as we know it for the better, or would humanity find a way to ensure the suffering of others regardless of physical limitations?
The Damage Done addresses this very question in a book that is less a story, and more a collection of possible viewpoints that addresses a number of people in different positions around the world. All of them are connected to one another in some way, some more than others. This isn't quite what I initially expected but it certainly didn't disappoint and I'm keen to check out some of Landweber's other works as it seems he likes to write about these big hypotheses.
The character's that we meet throughout the book are well crafted, the writing simple but emotive and the question raised very compelling, touching on important sociological and political themes. I do think that it would have done well to be longer, to have given us more of the long term aftermath or to have extended some of the POVs a little because there were quite a few of them and the bulk only cover the first few days of the change, but it didn't detract too much overall.
May 26, 2022
What would happen if everyone in the world was incapable of committing physical violence against others? Would it create a peaceful society? Or would those with the propensity toward violence still find ways to cause harm?
While the concept in this is highly implausible, The Damage Done presents thought-provoking possibilities and an intriguing cast of characters. I was quite mesmerized by this story, especially in the first half. Although it is non-sequential and does introduce quite a few people into the narrative, I initially felt the setup helped fuel the momentum. However, adding more lead characters after the halfway point did slow the pacing. While these additions were also a bit overwhelming, I did appreciate that the author began to do a more in depth examination of how this situation affected individuals outside of the US. The diversity gave me a lot more to consider than the focus on a small group of characters would have.
I felt the author did an exceptional job exploring the various personalities, both corrupt and kind, and their thoughts in response to this incredible event. It was interesting to see how he connected the characters, as well. In many ways, this book felt more like an interwoven collection of short stories than a novel.
Despite all that I loved, the slowed pacing in the second half and the tidy ending did affect my overall view of the story. I was particularly dismayed that the author took so much time to develop this profound look at human beings in an unprecedented situation only to take what I felt was the easy way out as things concluded.
I do consider all that I did enjoy to be worth my time. There were so many angles examined that never even crossed my mind and if such a situation were plausible, I could easily envision so much of this happening. The story does capture the nature of human beings quite well, taking bold steps into new territory and dissecting the psychology of it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I am immensely grateful to Libro.fm, Crooked Lane Books, and Michael Landweber for my advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
CW: Gun violence, attempted mass shooting, bullying, domestic violence, suicide, homophophia, antisemitism, racism, attempted rape, & attempted mass execution.
While the concept in this is highly implausible, The Damage Done presents thought-provoking possibilities and an intriguing cast of characters. I was quite mesmerized by this story, especially in the first half. Although it is non-sequential and does introduce quite a few people into the narrative, I initially felt the setup helped fuel the momentum. However, adding more lead characters after the halfway point did slow the pacing. While these additions were also a bit overwhelming, I did appreciate that the author began to do a more in depth examination of how this situation affected individuals outside of the US. The diversity gave me a lot more to consider than the focus on a small group of characters would have.
I felt the author did an exceptional job exploring the various personalities, both corrupt and kind, and their thoughts in response to this incredible event. It was interesting to see how he connected the characters, as well. In many ways, this book felt more like an interwoven collection of short stories than a novel.
Despite all that I loved, the slowed pacing in the second half and the tidy ending did affect my overall view of the story. I was particularly dismayed that the author took so much time to develop this profound look at human beings in an unprecedented situation only to take what I felt was the easy way out as things concluded.
I do consider all that I did enjoy to be worth my time. There were so many angles examined that never even crossed my mind and if such a situation were plausible, I could easily envision so much of this happening. The story does capture the nature of human beings quite well, taking bold steps into new territory and dissecting the psychology of it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I am immensely grateful to Libro.fm, Crooked Lane Books, and Michael Landweber for my advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.
CW: Gun violence, attempted mass shooting, bullying, domestic violence, suicide, homophophia, antisemitism, racism, attempted rape, & attempted mass execution.
March 23, 2022
Even when just reading the first few pages of this book I knew I had been absolutely correct in how interesting, moving, and excellent it would be. It sucked me right in and I was swept away by the compelling stories of the diverse characters and what not only happened to them on the day humans became incapable of physically harming one another, but also how each responded to those events and how they came out on the other side.
This book is labeled as dystopian when it’s anything but. It’s also listed as thriller and/or mystery, and it’s neither of those either. This is pure speculative fiction with a hefty side dose of philosophy and terrific prose. It proposes a thought experiment and then lets stories unfold, almost as if the author had started out with these different characters and their origins and then let the chips fall where they may. Will the two immigrant children make it to America? Will dictator-led countries fall apart? What will happen to the brother of the last known victim of gun violence?
But it also asks us, in the spirit of the book’s title: what about the damage already done? How does it feel to all of a sudden be free of a domestic abuser’s fists? How does a domestic terrorist come to terms with not being able to terrorize anymore? Who is already so broken down by violence worldwide that this new world seems not only confusing, but almost horrifying? Can we even still harm our fellow man anymore? Will those intent on doing harm find a way, somehow?
The book is a page-turner with lovely writing and compelling scenarios, which keeps you wanting to read and read because there’s just another victim or perpetrator on the next page willing you to read their story. You just can’t help but read on and on, waiting to see how it all turns out at the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book is labeled as dystopian when it’s anything but. It’s also listed as thriller and/or mystery, and it’s neither of those either. This is pure speculative fiction with a hefty side dose of philosophy and terrific prose. It proposes a thought experiment and then lets stories unfold, almost as if the author had started out with these different characters and their origins and then let the chips fall where they may. Will the two immigrant children make it to America? Will dictator-led countries fall apart? What will happen to the brother of the last known victim of gun violence?
But it also asks us, in the spirit of the book’s title: what about the damage already done? How does it feel to all of a sudden be free of a domestic abuser’s fists? How does a domestic terrorist come to terms with not being able to terrorize anymore? Who is already so broken down by violence worldwide that this new world seems not only confusing, but almost horrifying? Can we even still harm our fellow man anymore? Will those intent on doing harm find a way, somehow?
The book is a page-turner with lovely writing and compelling scenarios, which keeps you wanting to read and read because there’s just another victim or perpetrator on the next page willing you to read their story. You just can’t help but read on and on, waiting to see how it all turns out at the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 9, 2022
The premise is fascinating, but the execution was horrendous. I did not enjoy the multiple perspectives. They were messy and confusing. And even when all the stories were meant to come together, they did so in a way that was completely irrelevant. I was hoping for the ending to be a jaw dropping revelation- but got the complete opposite. I did not care about any of the characters. I had to drink many glasses of wine to finish this book.
February 17, 2022
I’ve often wondered what I world without violence would look like. Michael Landweber paints a thought-provoking, speculative offering of what this world might look like.
As a concept, I found this book to be intriguing, and was no surprised to see humans trying to find a way through this new constraint on their lives. Just look at how much people have pushed back against the pandemic protections these past few years. It's just one shitty part of our species.
As a story, I found it a little tricky to follow with so many characters. I found it difficult to connect with any of them. For me, I think it split too much of what is a really fascinating idea and could have been explored deeper if there were fewer voices vying for attention.
Many thanks to Michael Landweber, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As a concept, I found this book to be intriguing, and was no surprised to see humans trying to find a way through this new constraint on their lives. Just look at how much people have pushed back against the pandemic protections these past few years. It's just one shitty part of our species.
As a story, I found it a little tricky to follow with so many characters. I found it difficult to connect with any of them. For me, I think it split too much of what is a really fascinating idea and could have been explored deeper if there were fewer voices vying for attention.
Many thanks to Michael Landweber, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2021
Have you ever imagined what the world would be like without violence? Michael Landweber has given it a lot of thought.
In this novel, violence is no longer possible. The rules for this require a suspension of belief. It’s basically just magic that defies physics and logic. We’re introduced to a diverse cast of characters as they navigate this new world.
There’s Dab, a bullied middle schooler questioning his sexuality; Marcus, a young black teenager whose older brother is the last victim of violence; Ann, a social worker with an abusive, villainous husband. Richard, a professor whose early life is shaped by violence; Gabriela and Cristela, two sisters fleeing violence in El Salvador and attempting a dangerous migration into the United States; a North Korean writer called The Empty Shell who is waiting to be tortured in prison; and Julien, a white supremacist planning a mass killing.
We also get vignettes from the perspective of the president, the pope, and others. There are so many characters that it’s hard to truly connect with all of them. In order to fit all of their stories, they all feel a bit rushed.
I appreciated the author’s attempts to include all of these perspectives, but I didn’t find them all to be necessary. For example, there’s a brief chapter on two fishermen that doesn’t really connect to the rest of the book and didn’t really add anything to the story.
The idea of a world where violence is impossible is an interesting concept and Landweber is skilled at imagining it, I just wish the book had been a little more focused.
In this novel, violence is no longer possible. The rules for this require a suspension of belief. It’s basically just magic that defies physics and logic. We’re introduced to a diverse cast of characters as they navigate this new world.
There’s Dab, a bullied middle schooler questioning his sexuality; Marcus, a young black teenager whose older brother is the last victim of violence; Ann, a social worker with an abusive, villainous husband. Richard, a professor whose early life is shaped by violence; Gabriela and Cristela, two sisters fleeing violence in El Salvador and attempting a dangerous migration into the United States; a North Korean writer called The Empty Shell who is waiting to be tortured in prison; and Julien, a white supremacist planning a mass killing.
We also get vignettes from the perspective of the president, the pope, and others. There are so many characters that it’s hard to truly connect with all of them. In order to fit all of their stories, they all feel a bit rushed.
I appreciated the author’s attempts to include all of these perspectives, but I didn’t find them all to be necessary. For example, there’s a brief chapter on two fishermen that doesn’t really connect to the rest of the book and didn’t really add anything to the story.
The idea of a world where violence is impossible is an interesting concept and Landweber is skilled at imagining it, I just wish the book had been a little more focused.
March 16, 2022
A world without violence. No one can hurt anyone with anything. Guns, bullets, swords, knives, etc., they all don’t work for hurting purposes. But you can use them to kill yourself, yes. The dictator knows about it well.
Such an interesting utopian concept. I know I am one of the people who had wondered how the world will be without wars and bullets. But what I failed to contemplate is how each human from different demographic will react to this new world order. I don’t have to contemplate or wonder anymore because Michael Landweber has thoughtfully explained how the new world would be.
Tailoring lives of different people including a president who wants war but doesn’t know how to proceed, a dictator who want to control people with fear, an abused wife, a victim of police brutality, a religious leader who is torn between beliefs and conscious, an immigrant trying their best, and a terrorist with an extremist thought. The crown jewel of all, the speculation of human behaviour. One cannot predict what a human brain can do. It surprises and disappoints ALL THE TIME.
This book rekindled my love for speculative fiction. As a reader, one might feel confused with a lot of characters and their chaotic lives, but I think its true to the tone of the concept of this story!
(The story has so many trigger points, so please proceed with caution.)
Thank you Crooked Lane books for the gifted copy!!
Such an interesting utopian concept. I know I am one of the people who had wondered how the world will be without wars and bullets. But what I failed to contemplate is how each human from different demographic will react to this new world order. I don’t have to contemplate or wonder anymore because Michael Landweber has thoughtfully explained how the new world would be.
Tailoring lives of different people including a president who wants war but doesn’t know how to proceed, a dictator who want to control people with fear, an abused wife, a victim of police brutality, a religious leader who is torn between beliefs and conscious, an immigrant trying their best, and a terrorist with an extremist thought. The crown jewel of all, the speculation of human behaviour. One cannot predict what a human brain can do. It surprises and disappoints ALL THE TIME.
This book rekindled my love for speculative fiction. As a reader, one might feel confused with a lot of characters and their chaotic lives, but I think its true to the tone of the concept of this story!
(The story has so many trigger points, so please proceed with caution.)
Thank you Crooked Lane books for the gifted copy!!
September 13, 2021
Interesting premise, not that violence is eradicated, but that the ability to perpetrate it is removed, it's entirely possible for someone to consider violent acts, but impossible for them to carry them out.
Loved the idea of that, but this didn't explore it beyond the surface, the problem is that there are so many different perspectives to consider, so many characters, and while there is something interesting in all of them, we never get past day three with any of them. It feels like there were so many things trying to get into the story, that we skimmed over all of them just so they had equal air time.
And then there's the flaw in the concept, it's still possible to do terrible things to people even if you can't hurt them with your own hands, you can still make them walk over broken glass, you can still harm yourself, and you can still arrange circumstance where a person can be killed, you just can't do it directly.
As an exercise in thought, this was superb, and I loved that there were so many different perspectives to look through, I wish that there was a deeper dive into the possibilities here, into the thoughts that so clearly drove the creation of this book. What we have here is how it started, and how it ended, what would fascinate me is what happened between those two.
This would easily be a four, maybe even a five star if it had been one characters journey through the new landscape, and I'd be interested to read more of the same.
Loved the idea of that, but this didn't explore it beyond the surface, the problem is that there are so many different perspectives to consider, so many characters, and while there is something interesting in all of them, we never get past day three with any of them. It feels like there were so many things trying to get into the story, that we skimmed over all of them just so they had equal air time.
And then there's the flaw in the concept, it's still possible to do terrible things to people even if you can't hurt them with your own hands, you can still make them walk over broken glass, you can still harm yourself, and you can still arrange circumstance where a person can be killed, you just can't do it directly.
As an exercise in thought, this was superb, and I loved that there were so many different perspectives to look through, I wish that there was a deeper dive into the possibilities here, into the thoughts that so clearly drove the creation of this book. What we have here is how it started, and how it ended, what would fascinate me is what happened between those two.
This would easily be a four, maybe even a five star if it had been one characters journey through the new landscape, and I'd be interested to read more of the same.
May 30, 2022
Okay so. The premise of this sounded *excellent* but I absolutely hated the execution. But I think this was more a case of "it's not you, it's me" because there were a lot of factors that went that.
First, this felt more like an anthology? Most of the characters only recurred in one or two chapters, if at all. So even though they were centered around the same topic and all the stories covered the same events from different sides, that is not what I was looking for from this story?
This almost felt like reading one of those action movies (like Vantage Point) that covers the same event from a bunch of different perspectives. That works great with a film but I don't think that worked well for this book. By the time some of the characters did recur, I'd completely forgotten who they even were.
Ultimately this felt more like a short story collection and that's just not my thing to begin with so if I'd known that going in, I probably wouldn't have picked this up in the first place.
I also did audio for this one and I think that was another big problem. I'm still fairly new to audiobooks and typically listen to them while driving so my concentration wasn't a hundred percent to begin with. But with this story in particular, I think it would've helped to have the physical book just so I could flip back as needed. (Especially when I couldn't remember characters.)
And then my biggest issue with this book was that it provided more questions than answers. The premise is basically the whole book. No new information is presented. This basically just provides a vague answer to the question "how would the world look without violence" in showing the reactions for a few characters. But my biggest question was WHY. What caused the end of violence and why. So this felt like it needed some world building that was just not provided.
So. This sounded really good in theory and the premise really intrigued me but this just was not for me, unfortunately. And I'm glad to be done and moving on to other things.
First, this felt more like an anthology? Most of the characters only recurred in one or two chapters, if at all. So even though they were centered around the same topic and all the stories covered the same events from different sides, that is not what I was looking for from this story?
This almost felt like reading one of those action movies (like Vantage Point) that covers the same event from a bunch of different perspectives. That works great with a film but I don't think that worked well for this book. By the time some of the characters did recur, I'd completely forgotten who they even were.
Ultimately this felt more like a short story collection and that's just not my thing to begin with so if I'd known that going in, I probably wouldn't have picked this up in the first place.
I also did audio for this one and I think that was another big problem. I'm still fairly new to audiobooks and typically listen to them while driving so my concentration wasn't a hundred percent to begin with. But with this story in particular, I think it would've helped to have the physical book just so I could flip back as needed. (Especially when I couldn't remember characters.)
And then my biggest issue with this book was that it provided more questions than answers. The premise is basically the whole book. No new information is presented. This basically just provides a vague answer to the question "how would the world look without violence" in showing the reactions for a few characters. But my biggest question was WHY. What caused the end of violence and why. So this felt like it needed some world building that was just not provided.
So. This sounded really good in theory and the premise really intrigued me but this just was not for me, unfortunately. And I'm glad to be done and moving on to other things.
February 21, 2022
I wish I had a better review for this book because the premise is totally fascinating! It was just ok for me. Unfortunately the writing style and I didn't mesh. I found it to be a bit of a chore to get through the areas between the action. I hope this book finds its true audience, as I think there are people that really like third person POV and a more stark writing style than I am used to.
May 12, 2022
2022 Reading Challenge: A book you know nothing about.
It sucks it took me 3 weeks to finish this story because I found it so thought provoking and so damn interesting. I’m glad Sarah suggested this one to use for this particular challenge. I really enjoyed how all the stories ended up connecting to each other.
It sucks it took me 3 weeks to finish this story because I found it so thought provoking and so damn interesting. I’m glad Sarah suggested this one to use for this particular challenge. I really enjoyed how all the stories ended up connecting to each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2022
I loved this take on the dystopian trope if what if. People talk about what it there was no violence anymore, but the ramifications of that notion aren't typically explored. The different POVs allowed the reader to get into the minds of the perspective of different people through this world changing event. How Landweber tied everything together at the end was perfect. The book's message left a lot to think about and how it would impact future generations.
January 30, 2023
Good premise and ideas… but really lackluster binding and gathering. Too many storylines that were bandaided together to attempt to connect them. There are maybe 3 points of view that actually had value but it needed to be fleshed out more for this to work.
June 30, 2024
2.5 stars! This book was very different than just thought it’d be. When I heard the concept I was excited because it sounds really cool. Unfortunately this book fell flat for me possibly because I was expecting it to be written differently. The different povs felt like too much but it was cool how they all enter twined. Honestly I could tell this book was written by a man (take that how you will) and usually I don’t notice that type of stuff but there were some paragraphs where I was like 🤨.
April 11, 2022
This book had a really cool premise, but mostly seemed like a character study which I wasn't expecting. If you didn't like the open endings of Bird Box or Leave the World Behind, this may not be for you. I wanted more action.
April 20, 2022
This book reads like a compilation of responses to a creative writing class assignment. The ones that got Cs.
March 28, 2022
What it’s about: One day, everyone on Earth finds that they can no longer directly physically harm another person. Fists will not connect. Projectiles change course or freeze in mid-air. Weapons of mass destruction refuse to detonate.
But there were people dealing with the effects of violence before that day. And news takes time to travel.
This is the story of several people in the days leading up to, and the days just after, the end of physical violence. A child, a pre-teen, a teenager, a young man, a revolutionary, a young father, a wife. Each has their own history before this moment. Each has their own story after it.
Some find that there are more kinds of violence than the physical. Some find that harm can be indirect. Some wonder how far this new protection goes. Some are angry to find they can no longer send violence out into the world.
All of them are trying to figure out what this change means for their lives, now and in the future.
What I thought: This book wasn't quite what I thought it would be. It is a realistic-fiction book at its heart, with one fantastical element (the end of direct human violence). It's a bit hard to talk about it in detail without giving away several twists and turns. So get ready for spoiler flags!
It started out quite good, but the cast of characters kept expanding, and
I appreciated the short, interspersed moments from a wide range of characters that fit between sections of the book. Several dictators find themselves in a very difficult place if they no longer have the ability to visit violence on others. The Pope wonders what this might mean, and whether it actually counts as a miracle (and makes a logical case for why it's not).
I can roll with the magical realism of the event; I don't need to know why it happened. Like the characters, I'm curious, but it's more important to focus on the effects rather than the cause in this situation.
But there were parts that didn't work really well for me. There is an extended section from the point of view of a virulent racist that I found difficult to take, particularly as this character's attitude didn't seem to make any sense. It almost seems like Landweber is suggesting that racism is a mental imbalance, something internal and without any basis. I could just be very naive, but that view doesn't make sense to me. There are folks who are racist, but they generally have a reason - they've been raised in it, they've had an encounter that pushed them in that direction, they have been inculcated by someone else. This character didn't seem to have any of that, which made the character seem like a one-dimensional bad guy within the story.
Many of the characters struck me the same - pretty flat. There could have been some very interesting and rich depth added to these characters, but instead, each one seemed to mostly be about one particular path or aspect of human nature, rather than being fully-formed individuals.
I think part of that is due to the width of the cast - there are SO MANY people this book is trying to follow.
The representation is also a bit lackluster. There is diversity, but it almost feels like there was a list the author was trying to make sure to include. And despite the very different background and circumstances of the characters, they all have similar "feels" on the page. There's A gay kid. There's A Black kid (and A Black adult). There's A Latina. There's A woman.
I appreciated that we got to see how different types of people might be affected by The Event, but that same attempt to cover lots of perspectives leaves the characters feeling rather generic, and dilutes the depth into which the story can delve, as it's so busy going wide.
Despite creating a very pat ending, there are several questions I was left with that are driving me a little crazy. There are places where people are able to indirectly set up physical harm for someone else - it seems like there would be a contingent of humanity working on figuring out all the ways they could create those kinds of situations.
There's also a scene that suggests that animals can't harm humans, either. But it's unclear if that's because the animals were being used as tools of violence, or if people just can't be purposely harmed by other living beings. If it's the latter, then does that mean there are no more mosquitoes? No more bear attacks? How large or small does the no-harm rule go? Is this also the end of disease?
And on the other side of this question is: are people able to purposely harm animals anymore? Has the entire human race been converted to vegetarianism overnight? What does that do to the food supply? If it's not the case, then what are the boundaries or parameters of "cannot cause direct physical harm"?
It's a bit frustrating to have an interesting concept tossed out, but only partially explored.
Why I chose those shelves: Trigger warnings: There are both physical and mental abuse throughout the book, with various characters on the receiving end. There are lots of alluded-to graphic violence, but not a lot of on-page violence. There is mention of sexual assault, but it's off-page. There is racism - there is a heavily racist character whose perspective we see a decent section of the story from, and that character's thoughts are quite upsetting. There are deaths both before and after The Event. One character is with a group trying to sneak into the US. There is a decently diverse cast - El Salvadoran, North Korean, Black, white, male, female. There is a gay character.
Why I rated it like I did: The concept is interesting, but the follow-through was only so-so. The writing is decent, and it's a readable and thought-provoking novel, but it felt both too long and not long enough at the same time.
But there were people dealing with the effects of violence before that day. And news takes time to travel.
This is the story of several people in the days leading up to, and the days just after, the end of physical violence. A child, a pre-teen, a teenager, a young man, a revolutionary, a young father, a wife. Each has their own history before this moment. Each has their own story after it.
Some find that there are more kinds of violence than the physical. Some find that harm can be indirect. Some wonder how far this new protection goes. Some are angry to find they can no longer send violence out into the world.
All of them are trying to figure out what this change means for their lives, now and in the future.
What I thought: This book wasn't quite what I thought it would be. It is a realistic-fiction book at its heart, with one fantastical element (the end of direct human violence). It's a bit hard to talk about it in detail without giving away several twists and turns. So get ready for spoiler flags!
It started out quite good, but the cast of characters kept expanding, and
I appreciated the short, interspersed moments from a wide range of characters that fit between sections of the book. Several dictators find themselves in a very difficult place if they no longer have the ability to visit violence on others. The Pope wonders what this might mean, and whether it actually counts as a miracle (and makes a logical case for why it's not).
I can roll with the magical realism of the event; I don't need to know why it happened. Like the characters, I'm curious, but it's more important to focus on the effects rather than the cause in this situation.
But there were parts that didn't work really well for me. There is an extended section from the point of view of a virulent racist that I found difficult to take, particularly as this character's attitude didn't seem to make any sense. It almost seems like Landweber is suggesting that racism is a mental imbalance, something internal and without any basis. I could just be very naive, but that view doesn't make sense to me. There are folks who are racist, but they generally have a reason - they've been raised in it, they've had an encounter that pushed them in that direction, they have been inculcated by someone else. This character didn't seem to have any of that, which made the character seem like a one-dimensional bad guy within the story.
Many of the characters struck me the same - pretty flat. There could have been some very interesting and rich depth added to these characters, but instead, each one seemed to mostly be about one particular path or aspect of human nature, rather than being fully-formed individuals.
I think part of that is due to the width of the cast - there are SO MANY people this book is trying to follow.
The representation is also a bit lackluster. There is diversity, but it almost feels like there was a list the author was trying to make sure to include. And despite the very different background and circumstances of the characters, they all have similar "feels" on the page. There's A gay kid. There's A Black kid (and A Black adult). There's A Latina. There's A woman.
I appreciated that we got to see how different types of people might be affected by The Event, but that same attempt to cover lots of perspectives leaves the characters feeling rather generic, and dilutes the depth into which the story can delve, as it's so busy going wide.
Despite creating a very pat ending, there are several questions I was left with that are driving me a little crazy. There are places where people are able to indirectly set up physical harm for someone else - it seems like there would be a contingent of humanity working on figuring out all the ways they could create those kinds of situations.
There's also a scene that suggests that animals can't harm humans, either. But it's unclear if that's because the animals were being used as tools of violence, or if people just can't be purposely harmed by other living beings. If it's the latter, then does that mean there are no more mosquitoes? No more bear attacks? How large or small does the no-harm rule go? Is this also the end of disease?
And on the other side of this question is: are people able to purposely harm animals anymore? Has the entire human race been converted to vegetarianism overnight? What does that do to the food supply? If it's not the case, then what are the boundaries or parameters of "cannot cause direct physical harm"?
It's a bit frustrating to have an interesting concept tossed out, but only partially explored.
Why I chose those shelves: Trigger warnings: There are both physical and mental abuse throughout the book, with various characters on the receiving end. There are lots of alluded-to graphic violence, but not a lot of on-page violence. There is mention of sexual assault, but it's off-page. There is racism - there is a heavily racist character whose perspective we see a decent section of the story from, and that character's thoughts are quite upsetting. There are deaths both before and after The Event. One character is with a group trying to sneak into the US. There is a decently diverse cast - El Salvadoran, North Korean, Black, white, male, female. There is a gay character.
Why I rated it like I did: The concept is interesting, but the follow-through was only so-so. The writing is decent, and it's a readable and thought-provoking novel, but it felt both too long and not long enough at the same time.
February 24, 2022
I received an advanced reader copy of The Damage Done by Michael Landweber in exchange for an honest review.
I was enthralled by the premise of the Damage Done: one day, inexplicably, violence no longer exists. It is impossible to hurt another human being. The book starts with this premise, and follows several characters experiencing the aftermath of this tumultuous change.
The book is told through multiple perspectives; every few chapters it switches to another point of view. There are a handful of characters they regularly return to, as well as one-off insight into figures like the pope and the president.
The book opens on the perspective of a pre-teen boy named Dabney. Dab is unsure about his sexuality, hasn’t even given it much thought; all he knows is that he can’t stop staring at Connor’s hair. Going into the book I had no expectations, and I was delighted to be welcomed into this world with a story of queer self-discovery. Sure, it wasn’t the happiest of scenarios, but the way it was told, and the feelings Landweber shared with us, filled me with so much joy. Dabney’s story was relatable and heartwarming.
I also really liked the story of a character known as Empty Shell. In an unnamed country, implied to be North Korea, Empty Shell is a poet and activist who has just been imprisoned for his crimes against Dear Leader. His narrative was compelling and I loved reading about his experiences as the new world unfolded around him.
There was a plethora of complex characters to read about in this book, most of which were captivating. However, there was one I really did not like. I was uncomfortable being inside the mind of a neonazi shooting up a synagogue. Like, I get that the shooting incident was integral to the plot and influenced other characters’ actions, but the book could have been effectively written without hearing that man’s opinions of Jews and people of color. I think the book could have been even better had his perspective been omitted. Fortunately he gets his comeuppance, although I’m not particularly fond of disability as punishment. There was also an attempted r*pe scene, and that felt gratuitous and intense. It was really hard to read these parts, but they were the only blemishes in an otherwise stellar novel.
The cause of the world turning nonviolent is never explained, and I was okay with that. I did have a few questions though, not as a critique but more as a curiosity. Are humans the only ones affected by this change, or are animals impacted, too? Is there no longer a meat industry? What happens to wild animals- are they no longer able to catch prey? Will they all starve? Really interested in how this one change would influence the rest of the world. The book doesn’t go much into that, but it didn’t need to; it was just fun to contemplate.
I really loved the way Landweber ends this novel, getting to see the longterm effects of this change. I’m particularly pleased that while they cycle through all of our protagonists, the fascist didn’t get a conclusion. Good. It’s what he deserves. This book’s conclusion brought me the same warm feels as the opening chapter, so it really ended on a high.
Overall, apart from those couple grievances, I thought the Damage Done was an excellent read and I’m very glad to have read it. Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advance reader copy.
I was enthralled by the premise of the Damage Done: one day, inexplicably, violence no longer exists. It is impossible to hurt another human being. The book starts with this premise, and follows several characters experiencing the aftermath of this tumultuous change.
The book is told through multiple perspectives; every few chapters it switches to another point of view. There are a handful of characters they regularly return to, as well as one-off insight into figures like the pope and the president.
The book opens on the perspective of a pre-teen boy named Dabney. Dab is unsure about his sexuality, hasn’t even given it much thought; all he knows is that he can’t stop staring at Connor’s hair. Going into the book I had no expectations, and I was delighted to be welcomed into this world with a story of queer self-discovery. Sure, it wasn’t the happiest of scenarios, but the way it was told, and the feelings Landweber shared with us, filled me with so much joy. Dabney’s story was relatable and heartwarming.
I also really liked the story of a character known as Empty Shell. In an unnamed country, implied to be North Korea, Empty Shell is a poet and activist who has just been imprisoned for his crimes against Dear Leader. His narrative was compelling and I loved reading about his experiences as the new world unfolded around him.
There was a plethora of complex characters to read about in this book, most of which were captivating. However, there was one I really did not like. I was uncomfortable being inside the mind of a neonazi shooting up a synagogue. Like, I get that the shooting incident was integral to the plot and influenced other characters’ actions, but the book could have been effectively written without hearing that man’s opinions of Jews and people of color. I think the book could have been even better had his perspective been omitted. Fortunately he gets his comeuppance, although I’m not particularly fond of disability as punishment. There was also an attempted r*pe scene, and that felt gratuitous and intense. It was really hard to read these parts, but they were the only blemishes in an otherwise stellar novel.
The cause of the world turning nonviolent is never explained, and I was okay with that. I did have a few questions though, not as a critique but more as a curiosity. Are humans the only ones affected by this change, or are animals impacted, too? Is there no longer a meat industry? What happens to wild animals- are they no longer able to catch prey? Will they all starve? Really interested in how this one change would influence the rest of the world. The book doesn’t go much into that, but it didn’t need to; it was just fun to contemplate.
I really loved the way Landweber ends this novel, getting to see the longterm effects of this change. I’m particularly pleased that while they cycle through all of our protagonists, the fascist didn’t get a conclusion. Good. It’s what he deserves. This book’s conclusion brought me the same warm feels as the opening chapter, so it really ended on a high.
Overall, apart from those couple grievances, I thought the Damage Done was an excellent read and I’m very glad to have read it. Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advance reader copy.
January 1, 2022
** I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is scheduled to be published on March 8, 2022 in the US. **
Possible Triggers:
Physical Abuse | Death | Suicide | Rape | Racism
Characters:
Follows multiple points of view (Dabney, Marcus, Ann, Richard, Julian, Gabriela, Empty Shell) with a couple chapters scattered throughout of prominent world figures (ex. pope).
Positives:
+ Really thought provoking. I’m sitting here several hours after finishing the book still trying to decide if I think people would really behave the way they did in the book. Honestly the feeling I'm having is very similar to the feeling I had after watching the movie “District 9”; basically a combination of “wow, humans can be so shitty but also this is kinda hopeful at the end?” and “this is totally accurate”.
Negatives:
- Violence being stopped from.. I dunno concluding or finishing its objective (like a punch blocked ) is one thing, but why were bullets hanging in the air indefinitely in some places and in others, gravity worked?
- This was less of a cohesive story, more of a smattering of (the same 3) days from the perspective of multiple characters for what they were doing when the world changed. Many of the points of views were related in some kind of way, and that was really neat. I’m not sure I liked how it was divided though. There was a really stark “events surrounding right when this change happened” and then a pretty large jump in time to “and now”.
- The last chapter of Julians’ could have been left out. Felt really unnecessary for advancing the story to the end.
Final Thoughts:
If you are looking for a book that showcases only the good in humanity, this is not the book you are looking for. I found a lot of the chapters in the first ‘part’ of the book to be very uncomfortable and hard to read. There were so many examples of the worst facets of humanity and it’s important to recognize and acknowledge, but it also hurts to read. That being said, I absolutely had to set the book aside at times to have a break; it’s not needlessly gorey and graphic, just blunt. I had 1 large problem with the book that slightly impeded my enjoyment of it. I can’t go into huge details because it's a spoiler but, a cursory skim on the internet cites that there are around 163,000 deaths per day worldwide, that very very very large number, kinda changes a large aspect of the story. I’m not sure if I enjoyed the book or not. I do not, NOT like the story. I suppose it's just not my personal cup of tea.
Possible Triggers:
Physical Abuse | Death | Suicide | Rape | Racism
Characters:
Follows multiple points of view (Dabney, Marcus, Ann, Richard, Julian, Gabriela, Empty Shell) with a couple chapters scattered throughout of prominent world figures (ex. pope).
Positives:
+ Really thought provoking. I’m sitting here several hours after finishing the book still trying to decide if I think people would really behave the way they did in the book. Honestly the feeling I'm having is very similar to the feeling I had after watching the movie “District 9”; basically a combination of “wow, humans can be so shitty but also this is kinda hopeful at the end?” and “this is totally accurate”.
Negatives:
- Violence being stopped from.. I dunno concluding or finishing its objective (like a punch blocked ) is one thing, but why were bullets hanging in the air indefinitely in some places and in others, gravity worked?
- This was less of a cohesive story, more of a smattering of (the same 3) days from the perspective of multiple characters for what they were doing when the world changed. Many of the points of views were related in some kind of way, and that was really neat. I’m not sure I liked how it was divided though. There was a really stark “events surrounding right when this change happened” and then a pretty large jump in time to “and now”.
- The last chapter of Julians’ could have been left out. Felt really unnecessary for advancing the story to the end.
Final Thoughts:
If you are looking for a book that showcases only the good in humanity, this is not the book you are looking for. I found a lot of the chapters in the first ‘part’ of the book to be very uncomfortable and hard to read. There were so many examples of the worst facets of humanity and it’s important to recognize and acknowledge, but it also hurts to read. That being said, I absolutely had to set the book aside at times to have a break; it’s not needlessly gorey and graphic, just blunt. I had 1 large problem with the book that slightly impeded my enjoyment of it. I can’t go into huge details because it's a spoiler but, a cursory skim on the internet cites that there are around 163,000 deaths per day worldwide, that very very very large number, kinda changes a large aspect of the story. I’m not sure if I enjoyed the book or not. I do not, NOT like the story. I suppose it's just not my personal cup of tea.
July 30, 2022
Premise: What if we suddenly couldn't hurt one another through violence? I know the question has been asked before, but I have not seen it played out in detail like this. The details of bullets frozen in mid-air and slaps turned into gentle brushes really brought the scenario to life.
However, as several other readers pointed out (I particularly appreciated Monte Price's review), there isn't a lot of development around what it really means to live in a world without physical violence. For me, two moments stood out that didn't get the development I hoped to see. (Mild spoilers ahead.)
In the first, a bullied child reflects that there are other ways people can hurt one another as students sneakily whisper slurs at him. This child struggles with understanding his sexuality as others bully him, but it seems to be glossed over when we see him living life, dating, and hanging out with friends at the end of the story. I wanted more about what it meant for him to understand the world and his identity under the continued "violence" of harmful words and neglect.
In the second, we see a woman who had fled to the U.S. from El Salvador with her sister years before. As she searches for a man who had traveled with them who may have drowned or may have escaped, she realizes that there are some answers she will never have and lets the search end in peace. I love the idea of embracing uncertainty, but I wish I had seen more of that fleshed out in the tableaus. What we do see is a hint of unanswered problems that abound, self harm and pollution, to name a few, which shows that the world wouldn't be fully perfect without violence.
There are a few other areas of commentary about racial discrimination, domestic violence, human trafficking, media exploitation, and more. I don't represent most of the backgrounds showcased, but I appreciated that in the audiobook, the readers were from the backgrounds of the characters. I really appreciated seeing all the different perspectives, though I felt the first narratives were stronger than the follow ups.
Content-wise, I want to let readers know that there is profanity and some slurs in several accounts. There is also some pretty explicit sexual content: one account around romance between two white supremacists, and the other an attempted rape of a minor. Both accounts were detailed enough that I skipped ahead in my audiobook once the moment began. I see what the author was trying to say, but I am personally not a fan of graphic sexual depiction, even if attempting to bring the reader in to the experience of a child victim.
However, as several other readers pointed out (I particularly appreciated Monte Price's review), there isn't a lot of development around what it really means to live in a world without physical violence. For me, two moments stood out that didn't get the development I hoped to see. (Mild spoilers ahead.)
In the first, a bullied child reflects that there are other ways people can hurt one another as students sneakily whisper slurs at him. This child struggles with understanding his sexuality as others bully him, but it seems to be glossed over when we see him living life, dating, and hanging out with friends at the end of the story. I wanted more about what it meant for him to understand the world and his identity under the continued "violence" of harmful words and neglect.
In the second, we see a woman who had fled to the U.S. from El Salvador with her sister years before. As she searches for a man who had traveled with them who may have drowned or may have escaped, she realizes that there are some answers she will never have and lets the search end in peace. I love the idea of embracing uncertainty, but I wish I had seen more of that fleshed out in the tableaus. What we do see is a hint of unanswered problems that abound, self harm and pollution, to name a few, which shows that the world wouldn't be fully perfect without violence.
There are a few other areas of commentary about racial discrimination, domestic violence, human trafficking, media exploitation, and more. I don't represent most of the backgrounds showcased, but I appreciated that in the audiobook, the readers were from the backgrounds of the characters. I really appreciated seeing all the different perspectives, though I felt the first narratives were stronger than the follow ups.
Content-wise, I want to let readers know that there is profanity and some slurs in several accounts. There is also some pretty explicit sexual content: one account around romance between two white supremacists, and the other an attempted rape of a minor. Both accounts were detailed enough that I skipped ahead in my audiobook once the moment began. I see what the author was trying to say, but I am personally not a fan of graphic sexual depiction, even if attempting to bring the reader in to the experience of a child victim.
March 8, 2022
The Damage Done is the most logical, ridiculous extrapolation of the high concept/magical realist apocalypse genre. You know the drill. "In a world where people can no longer (blank), society as we know it falls apart." Except in this case instead of falling apart, the world comes together?
Well, eventually.
Though at times the author seems to acknowledge the absurdity of his premise, the majority of the narrative is focused on how miserable people are both before and after they can no longer physically inflict harm on one another. Rather than imagine how this would alter day to day life (or for that matter, even allow the characters to imagine why this is happening), Landweber sidesteps the implications of such a phenomenon and instead retells the story of the day things changed over and over again through the perspectives of different characters whose lives will eventually intersect.
It's not badly written, but the scenarios lack originality, and each new ripped from the headlines cruelty is resolved in such an arbitrary fashion that it's clear this premise was never entirely thought through. Sometimes people trip over themselves instead of hitting someone, sometimes their blows turn into soft pats. Sometimes bullets slow and stop in mid-air, and sometimes guns just won't fire at all. In one instance, a missile is allowed to launch and destroy an entire house, but stops just short of killing the people inside. Just what are the rules here?
But the most glaring issue is that all of this is hardly discussed. There are descriptions of people watching the news, but not what they're seeing or how they feel about it. Everyone's too busy being sad to have a conversation about this totally crazy thing that is happening all around them. You could argue that that's not the point, that the message of the book is how we're all connected in a Crash-like manner. But in execution, this is a magical realism apocalypse that deserves an extra descriptor: "In a world where people can no longer (blank) and no one wants to talk about it... eh, we're going to skip over the part of what happens next."
What's the point of a high concept elevator pitch if you don't want to get your hands dirty playing with it? Like most literary speculative fiction, The Damage Done comes with a perhaps inadvertent, but nevertheless scolding aftertaste. How dare you enjoy this science fiction dystopia/utopia? This book is serious business!
Well, eventually.
Though at times the author seems to acknowledge the absurdity of his premise, the majority of the narrative is focused on how miserable people are both before and after they can no longer physically inflict harm on one another. Rather than imagine how this would alter day to day life (or for that matter, even allow the characters to imagine why this is happening), Landweber sidesteps the implications of such a phenomenon and instead retells the story of the day things changed over and over again through the perspectives of different characters whose lives will eventually intersect.
It's not badly written, but the scenarios lack originality, and each new ripped from the headlines cruelty is resolved in such an arbitrary fashion that it's clear this premise was never entirely thought through. Sometimes people trip over themselves instead of hitting someone, sometimes their blows turn into soft pats. Sometimes bullets slow and stop in mid-air, and sometimes guns just won't fire at all. In one instance, a missile is allowed to launch and destroy an entire house, but stops just short of killing the people inside. Just what are the rules here?
But the most glaring issue is that all of this is hardly discussed. There are descriptions of people watching the news, but not what they're seeing or how they feel about it. Everyone's too busy being sad to have a conversation about this totally crazy thing that is happening all around them. You could argue that that's not the point, that the message of the book is how we're all connected in a Crash-like manner. But in execution, this is a magical realism apocalypse that deserves an extra descriptor: "In a world where people can no longer (blank) and no one wants to talk about it... eh, we're going to skip over the part of what happens next."
What's the point of a high concept elevator pitch if you don't want to get your hands dirty playing with it? Like most literary speculative fiction, The Damage Done comes with a perhaps inadvertent, but nevertheless scolding aftertaste. How dare you enjoy this science fiction dystopia/utopia? This book is serious business!
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