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More Perfect
'A spectacular exploration of the power of technology...science fiction at its best' Saara El-Arifi, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Final Strife"What does it feel like to wake up in the Panopticon? It’s like waking up for the first time ever. It’s like waking up with a third eye."When Moremi connects her brain to the Panopticon, a network which allows you to see inside the minds and dreams of others, she believes that it will save her from depression, loneliness and, eventually, death. That is until she meets Orpheus. Orpheus was brought up in isolation by a Neo-luddite father. He was raised to question everything, including the government who plan to make the connection procedure compulsory. They promise that connecting everyone to the Panopticon will end human suffering and usher in a more perfect world. But when Orpheus and Moremi uncover the dark side of the technology, they find themselves on opposite sides of a radical divide, between those who believe that the Panopticon will save humanity, and those who will stop at nothing to destroy it.More Perfect is The Circle meets Inception in an immersive and futuristic story that explores love, loneliness and the limits of technology’s ability to save a humanity who might not want to be saved. Praise for More Perfect' A fascinating story that never shies away from the contradictions in human nature' Guardian'An unnervingly believable struggle for the future. The story of Moremi and Orpheus has classical antecedents but with a satisfying eye for the future' Booklist'Tightly crafted, weaving science fiction, mythology, and more to tell a tale that feels pertinent right now' Kirkus Reviews Praise for Do You Dream of Terra Two?'A major new voice. Read Temi Oh today. Everybody will be reading her tomorrow' Stephen Baxter, author of World Engines'An ambitious 500-page coming-of-age blockbuster . . .Oh is excellent at portraying the aching sense of loss on a one-way trip to the stars' Guardian'A tightly wound, emotional epic that asks important questions . . . This novel is a brilliant, beautiful debut. Reading it will change your heart' Christian Kiefer, author of Phantoms
592 pages, Hardcover
First published May 25, 2023
100 people are currently reading
9280 people want to read
About the author
Temi Oh
8 books217 followersTemi Oh was born in 1993 in London, to Nigerian parents. She studied at Bishop Thomas Grant and then Emanuel School, Battersea. In 2015 she graduated from King’s College London with a BSci in Neuroscience. Her degree provided great opportunities to write and learn about topics ranging from ‘Philosophy of the Mind’ to ‘Space Physiology’.
After her final year she decided to pack up and pursue her dreams. She married her high-school boyfriend, and moved to Edinburgh to study for an MA in Creative Writing and finish her book.
After her final year she decided to pack up and pursue her dreams. She married her high-school boyfriend, and moved to Edinburgh to study for an MA in Creative Writing and finish her book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
April 20, 2023
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The story is set in a not-too-distant future, where implants take social media and smartphones to the next level, while the world continues to be affected by climate change and political turbulence. As humans get increasingly online, a symbiotic relationship seems to emerge between the company administering the new virtual universe (Panopticon) and governments, which slowly privatise various services, and evolves authoritarian tendencies. At the centre of the story we find our two protagonists. Moremi, is our young woman struggling with life's tribulations and unable to find her true purpose and meaning (leading her to various failed relationships, unstable jobs, etc). Orpheus is our young man, who grew up in a Luddite-like environment before various upheavals led him to become a hacker specialising in constructing experiences for those entering the virtual reality. He is also deeply troubled, addicted to a particular drug, friend-less, and very much alone in the world. As the story progresses, our two protagonists' lives collide, and lead them to re-evaluate their feelings towards the new virtual reality they are living in, as their affection towards each other grows and changes their values and priorities. There are many more themes in the book - but I'd rather be brief (and I've not enough patience for it).
I really wanted to like the book. The premise is interesting, and the world-building is refreshing (albeit not really new - more about this later). I particularly liked the characterisation of the troubled psychology of the two protagonists - it made me care about them, look forward to how they gained new dimensions in their thinking and worldviews, and root for them as they struggled to survive and thrive as individuals. Their troubled relationships with themselves, each other, and their parents were particularly interesting to read, as the background to their decisions and motivations in this interesting reality the author created.
While I did want to like it, I really didn't. The main reason is that it just felt like an immature piece of literature. I am a firm believer that an author writing something like this needs to realise they stand on the shoulders of giants, and at least educate themselves in how these themes were explored in the past. One would hope that this exploration would cause them to improve upon the past. In this instance it feels like the author didn't actually account for what came before her, made embarrassing mistakes in logic and storyflow (more on this below), and didn't spend enough time to make the "science" part of this book credible and internally consistent.
More specifically, I found the story lacked consistency and was full of logical gaps. At times I was so upset when reading some of these that I almost threw my Kindle away. How did the Panopticon security forces not search the house properly?! How was Moremi able to review the entirety of Orpheus's childhood memories in a short period of time to find the clue to change her mind, given they are stored in real time length?! How come time in the dreamscape for Orpheus passed more slowly than for Moremi when she was there (weeks of real life for a few years inside for the former, vs 8 hours for 6 years for the latter)?! If Panopticon has access to all the implants and their data, why do they have to have the person physically present to read their crystal?! Don't even let me get started on the watch... it's completely incredible.
There were also just too many random tangents in the writing: prolonged scenes of lovemaking between the protagonists (unnecessary for the plot, and not well written), multiple flashbacks to Moremi's childhood (again - no value for the plot), backstories of random characters that had literally no bearing on the story, and many more.
While the two protagonists were rather well characterised, many others were not. They felt one dimensional, shallow, and simplistic. The worst were Zee, the aunt, the older sister, Zen. Their motivations are unclear, and the changes in their behaviours over time are completely unexplained.
Overall, despite moments of greatness, this book is average at best. Recommended perhaps to YAs, who are trying to discover this genre. Anyone with serious experience with post apocalyptic novels, cyberpunk, or dystopias will find this book subpar. Just to mention a few of these works (which are all far superior to this one): The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Reamde, Fall or, Dodge in Hell, Snow Crash and perhaps Neuromancer. The movies that are clearly an inspiration here (or just better executed precursors) are Strange Days (1995), and Minority Report (2002).
The story is set in a not-too-distant future, where implants take social media and smartphones to the next level, while the world continues to be affected by climate change and political turbulence. As humans get increasingly online, a symbiotic relationship seems to emerge between the company administering the new virtual universe (Panopticon) and governments, which slowly privatise various services, and evolves authoritarian tendencies. At the centre of the story we find our two protagonists. Moremi, is our young woman struggling with life's tribulations and unable to find her true purpose and meaning (leading her to various failed relationships, unstable jobs, etc). Orpheus is our young man, who grew up in a Luddite-like environment before various upheavals led him to become a hacker specialising in constructing experiences for those entering the virtual reality. He is also deeply troubled, addicted to a particular drug, friend-less, and very much alone in the world. As the story progresses, our two protagonists' lives collide, and lead them to re-evaluate their feelings towards the new virtual reality they are living in, as their affection towards each other grows and changes their values and priorities. There are many more themes in the book - but I'd rather be brief (and I've not enough patience for it).
I really wanted to like the book. The premise is interesting, and the world-building is refreshing (albeit not really new - more about this later). I particularly liked the characterisation of the troubled psychology of the two protagonists - it made me care about them, look forward to how they gained new dimensions in their thinking and worldviews, and root for them as they struggled to survive and thrive as individuals. Their troubled relationships with themselves, each other, and their parents were particularly interesting to read, as the background to their decisions and motivations in this interesting reality the author created.
While I did want to like it, I really didn't. The main reason is that it just felt like an immature piece of literature. I am a firm believer that an author writing something like this needs to realise they stand on the shoulders of giants, and at least educate themselves in how these themes were explored in the past. One would hope that this exploration would cause them to improve upon the past. In this instance it feels like the author didn't actually account for what came before her, made embarrassing mistakes in logic and storyflow (more on this below), and didn't spend enough time to make the "science" part of this book credible and internally consistent.
More specifically, I found the story lacked consistency and was full of logical gaps. At times I was so upset when reading some of these that I almost threw my Kindle away. How did the Panopticon security forces not search the house properly?! How was Moremi able to review the entirety of Orpheus's childhood memories in a short period of time to find the clue to change her mind, given they are stored in real time length?! How come time in the dreamscape for Orpheus passed more slowly than for Moremi when she was there (weeks of real life for a few years inside for the former, vs 8 hours for 6 years for the latter)?! If Panopticon has access to all the implants and their data, why do they have to have the person physically present to read their crystal?! Don't even let me get started on the watch... it's completely incredible.
There were also just too many random tangents in the writing: prolonged scenes of lovemaking between the protagonists (unnecessary for the plot, and not well written), multiple flashbacks to Moremi's childhood (again - no value for the plot), backstories of random characters that had literally no bearing on the story, and many more.
While the two protagonists were rather well characterised, many others were not. They felt one dimensional, shallow, and simplistic. The worst were Zee, the aunt, the older sister, Zen. Their motivations are unclear, and the changes in their behaviours over time are completely unexplained.
Overall, despite moments of greatness, this book is average at best. Recommended perhaps to YAs, who are trying to discover this genre. Anyone with serious experience with post apocalyptic novels, cyberpunk, or dystopias will find this book subpar. Just to mention a few of these works (which are all far superior to this one): The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Reamde, Fall or, Dodge in Hell, Snow Crash and perhaps Neuromancer. The movies that are clearly an inspiration here (or just better executed precursors) are Strange Days (1995), and Minority Report (2002).
June 15, 2023
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the readalong hosted by Tandem Collective UK.
More Perfect is a sci-fi thriller for fans of the Matrix, Vanilla Sky, and Inception. This fast-paced read changed my views of the differing sides several times throughout this read, which I didn't expect it to do at all. Temi Oh has done an amazing job with this book, and I can see it being made into a film for sure! Set in the near future in London, UK, we follow the POV of two characters; Moremi and Orpheus. Orpheus has lived his life isolated on an island with his father, Pulseless (see below), and hidden from the Panopticon until one terrifying night that all changes. Moremi is one of three siblings being raised by her single mum and dreams of becoming a famous ballet dancer. Moremi is desperate to get a Pulse (a network that connects to your brain and allows you to access technology online as well as being able to see inside others minds and much more) but her mother is against it. After a terrorist attack, the pairs' lives differ dramatically. This book has amazingly vivid characters and wasn't overdone with the technology aspect. I could actually believe something like this occurring one day, which is scary. The word-building is fantastic, and I was happy with the ending, if not sad at the same time.
More Perfect is a sci-fi thriller for fans of the Matrix, Vanilla Sky, and Inception. This fast-paced read changed my views of the differing sides several times throughout this read, which I didn't expect it to do at all. Temi Oh has done an amazing job with this book, and I can see it being made into a film for sure! Set in the near future in London, UK, we follow the POV of two characters; Moremi and Orpheus. Orpheus has lived his life isolated on an island with his father, Pulseless (see below), and hidden from the Panopticon until one terrifying night that all changes. Moremi is one of three siblings being raised by her single mum and dreams of becoming a famous ballet dancer. Moremi is desperate to get a Pulse (a network that connects to your brain and allows you to access technology online as well as being able to see inside others minds and much more) but her mother is against it. After a terrorist attack, the pairs' lives differ dramatically. This book has amazingly vivid characters and wasn't overdone with the technology aspect. I could actually believe something like this occurring one day, which is scary. The word-building is fantastic, and I was happy with the ending, if not sad at the same time.
September 14, 2023
I have such mixed feelings about this one: if Goodreads only introduced one half-star rating, I’d take a 3.5-star slot in a heartbeat. It’s so much more thoughtful than a lot of near-future sections, but it also feels a bit cluttered in the back half as it tries to tell too many styles of stories at once. Ultimately, I’m rounding up because it’s ambitious and interesting, the type of world that I’d be happy to see again.
First, the good: the author's neuroscience interest really shows. A lot of the early chapters dig into the implications of people having the ability to perfectly record and recall their memories. Most of the population has implants connecting them to the Panopticon, a shared network that lets you constantly access information and thoughts from others. For some, it's a promise of perfect connection and safety; for others, it's a nightmare of erasing autonomy and freedom. Many near-future dystopias stop at "the technology/ system is Bad or Too Much", but this one adds layers: what if this system conquered Alzheimer's by keeping memories sharp? What if people could keep perfect, unfading memories of past loved ones? Right away, it's easy to see why people love the Panopticon, even with the chattery connectivity and ads projected into their vision.
I also appreciated the rich characterization and mental health struggles that we see from Moremi, our lead character. Moremi, has leaned on the Panopticon's connections and distractions to (badly) cope with losing her mother, among other trauma, and she’s struggling with a family history of mental health problems that aren’t easy to resolve, even in such a technologically advanced future.
Orephus, the other lead, is not quite as captivating, but his experiences focus more on finding the reality in artificial dreams: it’s the most quasi-mystical part of the book. He was raised in complete isolation from technology by a father who’s disgusted with the Panopticon but then finds himself fascinated by the world of Dreamtime, even at the cost of his health.
The plot is interesting enough (and becomes more so with the approach of a vote on whether to make Panopticon connections mandatory for all), but for me the character work, especially in the middle third, really elevates it. If anything, I would have liked to see more point-of-view segments, especially from Moremi's sisters (she's a middle child). The oldest, Halima, is the practical mother-like sister, comfortable with the Panopticon for its usefulness. The youngest, Zeeba, refuses to get a Pulse connecting her to the Panopticon at all and slowly becomes involves in the movement to resist it. Moremi's views shift over time, growing closer to each sister in turn, and seeing their lives (and worries about her) would have been great. Big social-movement stories like this often benefit from a broader mosaic of POV characters.
The back half didn't work for me quite as well because it veers more into a traditional thriller structure with a lot of cross-country chase scenes and talk of hidden computer viruses: not bad, but it’s less less interesting than what hooked me initially. There are still some memorable scenes, though, and the inner Dreamtime sequences would be great for Inception fans. Some blurbs pitch this as an Orpheus and Eurydice retelling, but I found that to be more a subtle background element than anything and plays well with the other Greek mythos references (like the predictive crime system being named Tiresias after the blind seer).
Overall, I’m glad I read this. The dialogue is stiff at times and the plot goes in perhaps too many directions, but the author excels at using small details to build characters who feel like real, messy people.
Other recommendations:
-If you’re looking for more near-future stories that project a strange world from current trends, try Machinehood. Like this story, I think it gets a little lost near the end, but the infrastructure details are fantastic.
Content warnings: severe;
First, the good: the author's neuroscience interest really shows. A lot of the early chapters dig into the implications of people having the ability to perfectly record and recall their memories. Most of the population has implants connecting them to the Panopticon, a shared network that lets you constantly access information and thoughts from others. For some, it's a promise of perfect connection and safety; for others, it's a nightmare of erasing autonomy and freedom. Many near-future dystopias stop at "the technology/ system is Bad or Too Much", but this one adds layers: what if this system conquered Alzheimer's by keeping memories sharp? What if people could keep perfect, unfading memories of past loved ones? Right away, it's easy to see why people love the Panopticon, even with the chattery connectivity and ads projected into their vision.
I also appreciated the rich characterization and mental health struggles that we see from Moremi, our lead character. Moremi, has leaned on the Panopticon's connections and distractions to (badly) cope with losing her mother, among other trauma, and she’s struggling with a family history of mental health problems that aren’t easy to resolve, even in such a technologically advanced future.
Orephus, the other lead, is not quite as captivating, but his experiences focus more on finding the reality in artificial dreams: it’s the most quasi-mystical part of the book. He was raised in complete isolation from technology by a father who’s disgusted with the Panopticon but then finds himself fascinated by the world of Dreamtime, even at the cost of his health.
The plot is interesting enough (and becomes more so with the approach of a vote on whether to make Panopticon connections mandatory for all), but for me the character work, especially in the middle third, really elevates it. If anything, I would have liked to see more point-of-view segments, especially from Moremi's sisters (she's a middle child). The oldest, Halima, is the practical mother-like sister, comfortable with the Panopticon for its usefulness. The youngest, Zeeba, refuses to get a Pulse connecting her to the Panopticon at all and slowly becomes involves in the movement to resist it. Moremi's views shift over time, growing closer to each sister in turn, and seeing their lives (and worries about her) would have been great. Big social-movement stories like this often benefit from a broader mosaic of POV characters.
The back half didn't work for me quite as well because it veers more into a traditional thriller structure with a lot of cross-country chase scenes and talk of hidden computer viruses: not bad, but it’s less less interesting than what hooked me initially. There are still some memorable scenes, though, and the inner Dreamtime sequences would be great for Inception fans. Some blurbs pitch this as an Orpheus and Eurydice retelling, but I found that to be more a subtle background element than anything and plays well with the other Greek mythos references (like the predictive crime system being named Tiresias after the blind seer).
Overall, I’m glad I read this. The dialogue is stiff at times and the plot goes in perhaps too many directions, but the author excels at using small details to build characters who feel like real, messy people.
Other recommendations:
-If you’re looking for more near-future stories that project a strange world from current trends, try Machinehood. Like this story, I think it gets a little lost near the end, but the infrastructure details are fantastic.
Content warnings: severe;
no-thank-you
August 18, 2023I was super interested in this until I hit a casual Harry Potter reference. It's 2023. We've known who JKR is for so long. Why is this still happening?
July 18, 2023
Temi's degree in neuroscience feeds into this book so much as it explores the implications, good and bad, of a chip in our brains. How it can be used for helping mental health, connecting people, but also the chance for exploitation, the risks of using prediction algorithms on our private thoughts. What happens when someone decides your guilty before you've even thought about committing a crime? The space taken up by this means the plot can be a little slow but overall I enjoyed this thoughtful story.
November 14, 2023
A truly tragic love story dressed up in a dystopian sci-fi thriller suit... and it works so well!!
Using the Orpheus & Eurydice myth as the vague blueprint for this story was such an interesting concept to me, and I think it was executed to perfection. Also really appreciated the themes of memory, identity, grief, mental health, bodily autonomy, and the risks and costs of progress. As well as the nuaned and complex exploration of some heartachingly difficult familial relationships.
I've now thoroughly enjoyed 2 books by Temi Oh and will 100% pick up anything she writes next. Highly recommend!
Using the Orpheus & Eurydice myth as the vague blueprint for this story was such an interesting concept to me, and I think it was executed to perfection. Also really appreciated the themes of memory, identity, grief, mental health, bodily autonomy, and the risks and costs of progress. As well as the nuaned and complex exploration of some heartachingly difficult familial relationships.
I've now thoroughly enjoyed 2 books by Temi Oh and will 100% pick up anything she writes next. Highly recommend!
September 5, 2023
don’t know why i thought i could read a book where one of the main characters is named orpheus and make it out alive. too sad for me but undeniably a five star
May 17, 2024
The first hundred pages of this book read YA but don’t be fooled. This is a difficult book to summarise as there are so many layers and themes explored.
A stand-alone, dual POV speculative/sci-fi novel, this tale focuses heavily on the future of AR technology and the power and fragility of human consciousness. The writing style of Oh really blooms in the last third of this book. There’s lots of little quiet sacred moments and a heavy philosophical undertone, lots of resurrections if you feel me.
Anyway, definitely entertaining and expressive. 4.5 stars?
A stand-alone, dual POV speculative/sci-fi novel, this tale focuses heavily on the future of AR technology and the power and fragility of human consciousness. The writing style of Oh really blooms in the last third of this book. There’s lots of little quiet sacred moments and a heavy philosophical undertone, lots of resurrections if you feel me.
Anyway, definitely entertaining and expressive. 4.5 stars?
December 22, 2023
Most depressing sh*t I read in a long time.
September 4, 2023
This book is set in a future where people can get an implant that provides a convenient, vast array of social media. Of course, some people don't want it, but most think of it as not only convenient, but a great improvement.
Moremi is a ballet dancer, close to her sisters. She struggles with depression and self-worth issues. Orpheus grew up on an island, isolated from any tech. Both characters experience tragedy, and when their paths cross, they also experience overwhelming love.
This story didn't go the direction I expected, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It was hard to tell what was right and wrong - is the implant really helpful, or evil? Temi Oh did a great job showing both sides.
Moremi is a ballet dancer, close to her sisters. She struggles with depression and self-worth issues. Orpheus grew up on an island, isolated from any tech. Both characters experience tragedy, and when their paths cross, they also experience overwhelming love.
This story didn't go the direction I expected, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It was hard to tell what was right and wrong - is the implant really helpful, or evil? Temi Oh did a great job showing both sides.
October 8, 2024
3.5/5 Enjoyable, a bit predictable. I couldn't get over the network being called the penopticon and no one catching on to the implications of it. Had a bit of a hard time initially getting into it. Probably because the characters didn't not feel all that fleshed out to me.
September 6, 2023
Set in a futuristic Britain where most people have their brains connected the a network called, Panopticon. MORE PERFECT is one of those sci-fi thriller novels that will have you double-thinking your technology/social media use and the moral implications of data privacy and government controls.
Temi Oh does such a great job of getting into the minds of our two protagonists, Moremi and Orpheus. While Moremi dreams of becoming a ballet dancer, Orpheus grew up off the grid in isolation away from the network. As the story unfolds we see their lives collide and how they both struggle with their mental health in a society that’s obsessed with the connectivity of technology, AI dream worlds and those who fight against it.
3.5⭐
Temi Oh does such a great job of getting into the minds of our two protagonists, Moremi and Orpheus. While Moremi dreams of becoming a ballet dancer, Orpheus grew up off the grid in isolation away from the network. As the story unfolds we see their lives collide and how they both struggle with their mental health in a society that’s obsessed with the connectivity of technology, AI dream worlds and those who fight against it.
3.5⭐
June 29, 2023
This book had so much promise, and for the first few hundred pages I raved about it for everyone because I loved the ethical dilemma she painted with the Pulse and how far technology has come and Oh did a great job of portraying both sides of the argument.
However, I have more negative than positive things to say about this novel. I felt as though there were many aspects which felt disconnected; for example, I couldn’t understand what Dreamtime was doing in the novel. It was a fascinating concept but it really felt as though it belonged in another novel. She tries to tackle Nox addiction, but it’s so thrown away that I couldn’t really understand why it was so important or why we had to care so deeply about it. When so much of the novel hinges on Dreamtime, I wish she had spent more time trying to elaborate on how it truly affects people, but even then, the novel feels more about Dreamtime than it does about anything else.
I also felt that a little over halfway through, once Orpheus is imprisoned, the story felt a little woolly and meandering, which made the novel drag, especially when it’s not a short read to begin with. I also felt when she introduced Silo Six, she forgot all of her important ethical questions and portrayed Silo Six as all good and the Panopticon as all bad and it felt like quite a juvenile attempt to explore meaningful issues.
Perhaps my biggest problem with the novel was the characters. They all felt so flat, and Moremi and Orpheus unfortunately don’t escape this fate. I didn’t care about either of them, and didn’t feel as though they had their own agency and the story just happened to them. I wished we had explored Moremi’s mental illness better and more thoroughly as it felt, again, disjointed from the story and the novel felt as though it was saying that she was fixed as soon as she found Orpheus.
I found the love story so forced and couldn’t really believe how they’d discovered such a strong bond over a month. We rarely get to see them interact with each other and we get told many things about them rather than seeing them for ourselves.
The side characters offer so little to the plot, and have almost 0 personality that I think the novel could have been fine without them. Zeba adds nothing, Halima even less so. And Moremi’s mother? I couldn’t tell you the first thing about her because she barely even in the novel and her death is a huge catalyst moving forward. I felt as though Oh tried so hard to build up this horrific world that her characters fell by the wayside and ultimately her entire story suffered for it.
The world, overall, I thought was interesting. It isn’t too disimilar to our own and there are haunting moments where it feels like looking into a mirror because you can see that the way society is going, we might very well make those same decisions.
Overall, this novel is not bad, but unfortunately, it’s not very good either. It has good moments, and the ethical conundrums Oh presents do leave you scratching your head and if someone you know reads the book, I’m sure it’ll spark a lively debate. However, I didn’t feel as though it came nearly as close to the magnitude and intricate story telling as her first novel, “Do You Dream of Terra Two?” did.
However, I have more negative than positive things to say about this novel. I felt as though there were many aspects which felt disconnected; for example, I couldn’t understand what Dreamtime was doing in the novel. It was a fascinating concept but it really felt as though it belonged in another novel. She tries to tackle Nox addiction, but it’s so thrown away that I couldn’t really understand why it was so important or why we had to care so deeply about it. When so much of the novel hinges on Dreamtime, I wish she had spent more time trying to elaborate on how it truly affects people, but even then, the novel feels more about Dreamtime than it does about anything else.
I also felt that a little over halfway through, once Orpheus is imprisoned, the story felt a little woolly and meandering, which made the novel drag, especially when it’s not a short read to begin with. I also felt when she introduced Silo Six, she forgot all of her important ethical questions and portrayed Silo Six as all good and the Panopticon as all bad and it felt like quite a juvenile attempt to explore meaningful issues.
Perhaps my biggest problem with the novel was the characters. They all felt so flat, and Moremi and Orpheus unfortunately don’t escape this fate. I didn’t care about either of them, and didn’t feel as though they had their own agency and the story just happened to them. I wished we had explored Moremi’s mental illness better and more thoroughly as it felt, again, disjointed from the story and the novel felt as though it was saying that she was fixed as soon as she found Orpheus.
I found the love story so forced and couldn’t really believe how they’d discovered such a strong bond over a month. We rarely get to see them interact with each other and we get told many things about them rather than seeing them for ourselves.
The side characters offer so little to the plot, and have almost 0 personality that I think the novel could have been fine without them. Zeba adds nothing, Halima even less so. And Moremi’s mother? I couldn’t tell you the first thing about her because she barely even in the novel and her death is a huge catalyst moving forward. I felt as though Oh tried so hard to build up this horrific world that her characters fell by the wayside and ultimately her entire story suffered for it.
The world, overall, I thought was interesting. It isn’t too disimilar to our own and there are haunting moments where it feels like looking into a mirror because you can see that the way society is going, we might very well make those same decisions.
Overall, this novel is not bad, but unfortunately, it’s not very good either. It has good moments, and the ethical conundrums Oh presents do leave you scratching your head and if someone you know reads the book, I’m sure it’ll spark a lively debate. However, I didn’t feel as though it came nearly as close to the magnitude and intricate story telling as her first novel, “Do You Dream of Terra Two?” did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2023
In a dystopian world that somehow does not feel far off from the future, technology is an intrinsic part of everyday life. The Pulse is an implant that allows people to have constant social media access: filters over vision, messaging, news, and tracking etc. Technology has even started to creep into dreams- all in the name of helping people, of course! Moremi is a young girl when her life is changed by a horrific tragedy. As she and her sisters are forced to grow up too fast, Moremi clings to the feeling of wholeness and distraction offered by technology, but is unable to entirely conquer her darkest thoughts. When she meets a dreamer named Orpheus, the two of them must decide how far they will go to escape the manipulations of a technological society built to give power and control to the elite.
Temi Oh’s writing is clever and thought-provoking. Moremi (Eurydice) is a very complex and original character. Oh follows Moremi’s journey as a young girl and her life before tragedy, to Moremi’s insistence on getting the implant, and how these experiences affect her as an adult. Moremi is relatable as she struggles with mental health and wishes for any way, no matter how improbable, to undo the grief that she feels. Orpheus has a similarly nuanced childhood and is impacted by grief at a young age. The retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice is woven throughout the story and creates a sense of anticipation and dread, as most readers will likely be familiar with how that story ends. Readers will be unable to look away as Moremi and Orpheus attempt to keep themselves above water in a society built to work against them. I also particularly loved the relationship between Moremi and her sisters. Even though they all held different levels of comfort with technology and had very different opinions, they were always there to protect each other.
More Perfect is reminiscent of the movie Minority Report, where technology is used for dubious purposes in the name of safety for all. Oh raises compelling ethical questions and examines the way technology intersects with humanity and mental health. I really enjoyed how dreams were impacted by technology in this re-imagining of Eurydice. The way that Orpheus was able to design dreams and delve into the magic of others’ dreams was fascinating. Oh is clearly a sci-fi writer to watch as she creates vivid characters, complicated ethics, and unputdownable stories. I’m excited to see what she writes next!
Thank you so much to Temi Oh, Gallery Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Temi Oh’s writing is clever and thought-provoking. Moremi (Eurydice) is a very complex and original character. Oh follows Moremi’s journey as a young girl and her life before tragedy, to Moremi’s insistence on getting the implant, and how these experiences affect her as an adult. Moremi is relatable as she struggles with mental health and wishes for any way, no matter how improbable, to undo the grief that she feels. Orpheus has a similarly nuanced childhood and is impacted by grief at a young age. The retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice is woven throughout the story and creates a sense of anticipation and dread, as most readers will likely be familiar with how that story ends. Readers will be unable to look away as Moremi and Orpheus attempt to keep themselves above water in a society built to work against them. I also particularly loved the relationship between Moremi and her sisters. Even though they all held different levels of comfort with technology and had very different opinions, they were always there to protect each other.
More Perfect is reminiscent of the movie Minority Report, where technology is used for dubious purposes in the name of safety for all. Oh raises compelling ethical questions and examines the way technology intersects with humanity and mental health. I really enjoyed how dreams were impacted by technology in this re-imagining of Eurydice. The way that Orpheus was able to design dreams and delve into the magic of others’ dreams was fascinating. Oh is clearly a sci-fi writer to watch as she creates vivid characters, complicated ethics, and unputdownable stories. I’m excited to see what she writes next!
Thank you so much to Temi Oh, Gallery Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2023
3.5 stars
More Perfect reminded of Black Mirror’s The Entire History of You, Minority Report, and several other science fiction media I’ve seen or read over the years. It deals with technology and whether more technology in our lives is a good thing or bad thing. A lot of this book also revolves around dreams and dream hacking and the implications around that. This book covers a lot of territory but I wish it had a bit more nuance. The two major factions in this story were painted with broad strokes and I don’t think we got enough backstory of either group.
Our two protagonists are quite broken people but their trauma becomes instrumental in the ensuing battle between the two factions. I appreciated the depth of the two main characters and their motivations were clear throughout. In terms of the pacing, I struggled a bit at times. I feel this book was a little too long and with the length the plot lost some of its urgency. The Orpheus and Eurydice re-telling wasn’t a huge element and didn’t really factor into the book until later on. Overall, this book is an entertaining sci-fi story but not as provocative and nuanced as I was hoping.
More Perfect reminded of Black Mirror’s The Entire History of You, Minority Report, and several other science fiction media I’ve seen or read over the years. It deals with technology and whether more technology in our lives is a good thing or bad thing. A lot of this book also revolves around dreams and dream hacking and the implications around that. This book covers a lot of territory but I wish it had a bit more nuance. The two major factions in this story were painted with broad strokes and I don’t think we got enough backstory of either group.
Our two protagonists are quite broken people but their trauma becomes instrumental in the ensuing battle between the two factions. I appreciated the depth of the two main characters and their motivations were clear throughout. In terms of the pacing, I struggled a bit at times. I feel this book was a little too long and with the length the plot lost some of its urgency. The Orpheus and Eurydice re-telling wasn’t a huge element and didn’t really factor into the book until later on. Overall, this book is an entertaining sci-fi story but not as provocative and nuanced as I was hoping.
October 6, 2023
More Perfect is described as ‘‘a reimagining of the Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus.’’ This is true, given its plot, structure, numerous references, and the name of one of the main protagonists (Orpheus). I think it also references the Yoruba legend of Queen Moremi, who allowed herself to be captured by the enemy to discover their secrets and help her husband and her people win a war at great personal cost. But More Perfect is much more than just a reimagining of myths and legends. Temi Oh’s second novel has a great premise and is full of big ideas about connection and consciousness.
Set in a near-future London where direct-neural implants called ‘‘Pulses’’ allow people to access the web directly as augmented reality, Oh imagines a world with more connection than ever before. Pulses also give companies and governments access to more data than ever – directly from people’s minds. Habits, experiences, emotions, memories, even dreams, all are accessible and can be influenced. This technology holds potential. But of course, not everyone believes that potential is good. Some believe dystopia is imminent, if not already present. That debate forms the central tension of the story.
Like every good myth, legend, fable (and often their reimagining) not everything in More Perfect is neatly resolved. But the core story, a beautifully written tale of two people whose love is caught in a battle for the minds of humankind is moving, powerful, and deeply human.
Full Review in Locus Magazine:
https://locusmag.com/2023/08/wole-tal...
Set in a near-future London where direct-neural implants called ‘‘Pulses’’ allow people to access the web directly as augmented reality, Oh imagines a world with more connection than ever before. Pulses also give companies and governments access to more data than ever – directly from people’s minds. Habits, experiences, emotions, memories, even dreams, all are accessible and can be influenced. This technology holds potential. But of course, not everyone believes that potential is good. Some believe dystopia is imminent, if not already present. That debate forms the central tension of the story.
Like every good myth, legend, fable (and often their reimagining) not everything in More Perfect is neatly resolved. But the core story, a beautifully written tale of two people whose love is caught in a battle for the minds of humankind is moving, powerful, and deeply human.
Full Review in Locus Magazine:
https://locusmag.com/2023/08/wole-tal...
February 13, 2023
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from S&S!
This is the first book by Temi Oh I've read, but I am certain it will not be the last. I really thoroughly enjoyed her voice, this story and the characters she created.
The moral ambiguity of the characters, the world and the science within it was fascinating, and honestly didn't feel too far off from the world we're in right now. The world building was incredible and terrifying and incredibly written.
I didn't give it a full five stars simply because there were a few inconsistencies that bothered me (nothing to do with the science or any major plot points, but still bothered me nonetheless). However, because this is an ARC, they very well might be fixed and changed by its publication date!
Read this book when its officially released!
This is the first book by Temi Oh I've read, but I am certain it will not be the last. I really thoroughly enjoyed her voice, this story and the characters she created.
The moral ambiguity of the characters, the world and the science within it was fascinating, and honestly didn't feel too far off from the world we're in right now. The world building was incredible and terrifying and incredibly written.
I didn't give it a full five stars simply because there were a few inconsistencies that bothered me (nothing to do with the science or any major plot points, but still bothered me nonetheless). However, because this is an ARC, they very well might be fixed and changed by its publication date!
Read this book when its officially released!
August 20, 2023
2.5 DNF. I got 25% of the way through. The concept is really interesting, but there is very little plot and the characters were not engaging enough to keep me interested. There's an odd absence of conflict and drama: Moremi doesn't want the Pulse, but gets it and loves it; Orpheus doesn't want it and doesn't get it. It's not good when you get this far into a book and still don't have a central conflict. Granted, not every book has that but those tend to rely on character study and psychology instead. That's also pretty much absent, or at least not well executed. It's not poorly written, just dull.
June 1, 2024
Come for the Greek mythology Easter eggs and stay for the “Minority Report, “Dollhouse,” and “Upload” vibes. I loved this story of the search for eternal community in a world obsessed with connectivity but lost to the pulse of technological overreach. I was rooting for Orpheus and Moremi, moved by their struggles and triumphs. I highly recommend this new sci-fi novel from Temi Oh.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my opinion. “More Perfect” releases on August 15th.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my opinion. “More Perfect” releases on August 15th.
August 18, 2023
After falling wholly in love with Temi Oh's first novel,
Do You Dream of Terra-Two?
, I was so excited to see that she had a new novel coming out! This one is definitely thought-provoking, and asks some really intriguing questions. I enjoyed quite a bit about this one, but also had a couple minor problems, so let's break that down! (Oh, and a disclaimer, the synopsis sells this as "Using the myth of Eurydice as a structure" and friends, that means nothing to me, so I can't comment on it.)
What I Enjoyed:
►The concept is so thought-provoking, and absolutely relevant. As we get closer and closer to having some junk implanted in our skulls, this sort of topic just seems to get more and more plausible, if not downright probable. Look, I don't want you in my head. I don't care what you ate for lunch, or whether your back hurts, or really anything about any of you enough to be in my actual brain. And you are lovely humans, and I am an extrovert and still I want your brains and my brain to be separate entities. Let's just say, I understand why there are large groups of people who find this unappealing.
►The characters are really well developed. We are given the chance to start the story in their younger years, so we understand what was motivating to them in the years prior to when the story takes place, understand their familial struggles, and how the ended up where they are in the present. That was really helpful in explaining their motivations going forward, and I definitely did come to care about them as characters.
►The story itself went some pretty cool places. Obviously, there is a lot of commentary one can explore when discussing things like brain implants. There's the very basic morality of it of course, but beyond that there are the rebels and the twists and turns and the billionaires involved, and the political component, and so yeah, there is a lot that can happen! I don't really want to tell you too much, because all of those things are the fun parts, the action parts.
►Writing was great. Just like her last book, I loved the writing in this one too. It just flowed well, and I like it, and I am looking forward to whatever the author does next.
What I Struggled With:
►It just didn't have to be 600 pages IMO. It didn't feel super long, which is a plus, but I often thought that some of the story could have been pared down a bit? It isn't overwhelming, so don't let the page count scare you off, but it is worth noting. I think if just a bit of extraneous stuff had been cut out (especially the dream stuff, I always have trouble getting invested in dream bits), it would have flowed better. And if I am being totally honest, I was a little underwhelmed with the ending? Maybe it was intentional to end it this way but .
►Holy instalove, Batman. I just didn't quite buy it, honestly. I get that it was especially in Moremi's personality to fall hard and fast, but I just didn't feel the chemistry. I think I would have believed it more that way, but it just didn't work for me. And since a lot of the book is built around the relationship between Moremi and Orpheus, it was kind of hard to overlook.
Bottom Line: Amazing concept and great characters, just a little long-winded at times.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
What I Enjoyed:
►The concept is so thought-provoking, and absolutely relevant. As we get closer and closer to having some junk implanted in our skulls, this sort of topic just seems to get more and more plausible, if not downright probable. Look, I don't want you in my head. I don't care what you ate for lunch, or whether your back hurts, or really anything about any of you enough to be in my actual brain. And you are lovely humans, and I am an extrovert and still I want your brains and my brain to be separate entities. Let's just say, I understand why there are large groups of people who find this unappealing.
►The characters are really well developed. We are given the chance to start the story in their younger years, so we understand what was motivating to them in the years prior to when the story takes place, understand their familial struggles, and how the ended up where they are in the present. That was really helpful in explaining their motivations going forward, and I definitely did come to care about them as characters.
►The story itself went some pretty cool places. Obviously, there is a lot of commentary one can explore when discussing things like brain implants. There's the very basic morality of it of course, but beyond that there are the rebels and the twists and turns and the billionaires involved, and the political component, and so yeah, there is a lot that can happen! I don't really want to tell you too much, because all of those things are the fun parts, the action parts.
►Writing was great. Just like her last book, I loved the writing in this one too. It just flowed well, and I like it, and I am looking forward to whatever the author does next.
What I Struggled With:
►It just didn't have to be 600 pages IMO. It didn't feel super long, which is a plus, but I often thought that some of the story could have been pared down a bit? It isn't overwhelming, so don't let the page count scare you off, but it is worth noting. I think if just a bit of extraneous stuff had been cut out (especially the dream stuff, I always have trouble getting invested in dream bits), it would have flowed better. And if I am being totally honest, I was a little underwhelmed with the ending? Maybe it was intentional to end it this way but .
►Holy instalove, Batman. I just didn't quite buy it, honestly. I get that it was especially in Moremi's personality to fall hard and fast, but I just didn't feel the chemistry. I think I would have believed it more that way, but it just didn't work for me. And since a lot of the book is built around the relationship between Moremi and Orpheus, it was kind of hard to overlook.
Bottom Line: Amazing concept and great characters, just a little long-winded at times.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
March 31, 2024
Read for book club and prompted some good chats! Interesting concepts, but not terribly well developed. I wish the myth retelling elements had been a bit more woven into the storyline, they seemed a bit forced at times. Also it was a bit too long. Overall liked but didn't love!
dnf
September 10, 2023DNF 37% Not bad just lost interest.
March 15, 2024
The love story is a central part of this book, and it was farcical, with the two of them getting married after a week of being together and a month of knowing each other. The plot had potential, but the plotholes stacked up fast, such as a failure of security clearance at an event that should have the most vetted people ever. It was unrealism for plot purposes, and I wasn't a fan.
January 3, 2024
Meh.
Nothing original. Not very engaging.
Cliche characters.
Nothing original. Not very engaging.
Cliche characters.
August 15, 2023
This near future sci-fi novel is stunning, immersive, believable, and wonderful. I love technology sci-fi with a big corporation, total adoption looming, some resistance to the tech, and a fight for humanity. More Perfect delivers all that and more.
The Pulse is a tech implant that changes the way people interact with their world and with others. It is social media, it is augmented reality, and it is how almost everyone communicates with their loved ones. Allowing you to stay in contact and share experiences. Without it, you’re not living the same life as everyone else. The novel begins with Moremi eagerly awaiting receiving her Pulse. Orpheus’s narrative begins on a remote island separated from all technology. How these stories unfold and entwine is told expertly by Oh.
Many sci-fi novels make up tech and immerse you more completely in a far off world, but More Perfect does a realistic job with modern references. It’s silly to believe all our modern things would disappear in the next 30 years, replaced by new brand labels. I get that the immersive spell of the novel is more complete without these references. It is like a record scratch reading about Polaroids, Ray Bans, and Beyonce songs. But it is more realistic for London 2050 to acknowledge that culture will still exist.
I loved this novel and Temi Oh does a beautiful job reimagining the Eurydice and Orpheus myth. This is a novel about love and family, home, and the future of society.
The Pulse is a tech implant that changes the way people interact with their world and with others. It is social media, it is augmented reality, and it is how almost everyone communicates with their loved ones. Allowing you to stay in contact and share experiences. Without it, you’re not living the same life as everyone else. The novel begins with Moremi eagerly awaiting receiving her Pulse. Orpheus’s narrative begins on a remote island separated from all technology. How these stories unfold and entwine is told expertly by Oh.
Many sci-fi novels make up tech and immerse you more completely in a far off world, but More Perfect does a realistic job with modern references. It’s silly to believe all our modern things would disappear in the next 30 years, replaced by new brand labels. I get that the immersive spell of the novel is more complete without these references. It is like a record scratch reading about Polaroids, Ray Bans, and Beyonce songs. But it is more realistic for London 2050 to acknowledge that culture will still exist.
I loved this novel and Temi Oh does a beautiful job reimagining the Eurydice and Orpheus myth. This is a novel about love and family, home, and the future of society.
January 29, 2024
Temi Oh is a master world builder in my opinion. The technology and “dystopia” in this book would feel cheesy and stale in many other’s hands but Oh has a grasp of society and technology that makes all of her worlds seems believable. Yes technology and the corporations behind them shape human behavior and society, but also technology is a tool and humans, the funny monkeys we are, use them in a myriad of ways both intended and unintended. That is the sort of nuance and character growth that lives in the pages of this novel and Oh’s previous work Do You Dream of Terra-Two?.
As for the adaptation of Orpheus and Eurydice, I think that Oh takes the tale and spins it in a way that feels fresh for the majority of the novel by pulling on threads of lesser known elements of the story. It intersects with many other myths in small and sometimes large ways in a way that feels thoughtful and informed by the way myth itself is full of intersecting characters and stories.
As for the adaptation of Orpheus and Eurydice, I think that Oh takes the tale and spins it in a way that feels fresh for the majority of the novel by pulling on threads of lesser known elements of the story. It intersects with many other myths in small and sometimes large ways in a way that feels thoughtful and informed by the way myth itself is full of intersecting characters and stories.
April 20, 2023
Temi Oh is the author of "Do You Dream of Terra Two?" More Perfect is described as a reimagining of the Greek myth of Eurydice and Orpheus,
It's a near future London wear most of the population has a small brain implant called the Pulse. that allows unfettered access to social media and integrated AI. Future crimes can be predicted and the British government begins to lock down in the name of safety. Orpheus and Moremi are two very different people who become orphaned and join to fight against the government. Fun dystopia, great take on Eurydice. #MorePerfect #TemiOh
.#Gallerybooks
It's a near future London wear most of the population has a small brain implant called the Pulse. that allows unfettered access to social media and integrated AI. Future crimes can be predicted and the British government begins to lock down in the name of safety. Orpheus and Moremi are two very different people who become orphaned and join to fight against the government. Fun dystopia, great take on Eurydice. #MorePerfect #TemiOh
.#Gallerybooks
September 25, 2023
She’s only written two novels so far, but Temi Oh is undeniably a must-read for me. This had shades of a lot of my favorites — Minority Report, The Peripheral, The Matrix, Inception — but it still remains original.
Read
January 23, 2025I am a little conflicted about this book, theres a lot here I found really fascinating, I really enjoyed some of the family dynamics we got to see, the ending had some very impactful moments. Theres some really interesting symbolism in the book, the chess matches and what that says about Orpheus's life, theres allusions to greek myths here that were interesting and not too overbearing. I will say that the world didnt feel completely lived in for me, like it dont think there was enough done to really set the scene for what life looks like in this version of the UK.
I almost wish this book had a stronger focus when it came to how it explored the ideas around dreaming, mind control and free will, it seemed like it took the book a minute to find its focus with dreams and dreamtime, the whole concept of the maze felt like it got dropped at a certain stage which felt strange after so much build up. I think these loose threads happen with other parts of the story too, such as the relationships between the sisters we never get much closure with them . The book felt mainly to be a story about loss and how that pain drives people, with the technology present in the book accentuating that in compelling ways but there were other themes that were brought up in the novel that didnt feel as fleshed out for me, specifically surrounding personhood / individuality given that the end goal of the panopticon is mass pairing.
Altogether the ending could have used a stronger falling action for me, everything we get with moremi and orpheus felt very strong but everything outside of it, the fall out and the speed run wrap up was a little disappointing . Also minor gripe, there were a couple of different inconsistencies when i read this book relating to the age of characters (its confirmed Moremi is 20 and then later in conversation she refers to herself as "still being a teenager" for a while yet) and similar with the technology e.g. how much time passes in dreamworld versus "meat space". To be fair, this book didnt seem super interested in verisimilitude when it came to the technical aspects but I appreciate the things that the author used the sci fi elements as tools to explore, even if i do wish there was more attention / consistency to how the technology is written.
Overall, I am glad I read this.
I almost wish this book had a stronger focus when it came to how it explored the ideas around dreaming, mind control and free will, it seemed like it took the book a minute to find its focus with dreams and dreamtime, the whole concept of the maze felt like it got dropped at a certain stage which felt strange after so much build up. I think these loose threads happen with other parts of the story too, such as the relationships between the sisters we never get much closure with them . The book felt mainly to be a story about loss and how that pain drives people, with the technology present in the book accentuating that in compelling ways but there were other themes that were brought up in the novel that didnt feel as fleshed out for me, specifically surrounding personhood / individuality given that the end goal of the panopticon is mass pairing.
Altogether the ending could have used a stronger falling action for me, everything we get with moremi and orpheus felt very strong but everything outside of it, the fall out and the speed run wrap up was a little disappointing . Also minor gripe, there were a couple of different inconsistencies when i read this book relating to the age of characters (its confirmed Moremi is 20 and then later in conversation she refers to herself as "still being a teenager" for a while yet) and similar with the technology e.g. how much time passes in dreamworld versus "meat space". To be fair, this book didnt seem super interested in verisimilitude when it came to the technical aspects but I appreciate the things that the author used the sci fi elements as tools to explore, even if i do wish there was more attention / consistency to how the technology is written.
Overall, I am glad I read this.
April 10, 2024
I read this book with my book club and here are thoughts:
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