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Of Monsters and Mainframes
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"Of Monsters and Mainframes" First Impressions *No Spoilers*
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I started early reading the audiobook, and I really like it so far! Although the very beginning on audio is a lot of zeroes and ones to listen to. It's kind of hypnotic after a while. Though it also got me weird looks from a girl on a bicycle when I was listening in my car with the windows down and stopped at a light.
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Melanie, the neutral party
(last edited Sep 01, 2025 05:22PM)
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rated it 4 stars
LOL.
The spoiler thread has a link to what the ones and zeroes mean.
small story: I downloaded the book sample to help me decide if I wanted to buy the audio, and the sample consisted entirely and only of chapter 1, which is just ones and zeroes. It was not even remotely helpful.
That being said, the narrator managed to make it somehow interesting.
The spoiler thread has a link to what the ones and zeroes mean.
small story: I downloaded the book sample to help me decide if I wanted to buy the audio, and the sample consisted entirely and only of chapter 1, which is just ones and zeroes. It was not even remotely helpful.
That being said, the narrator managed to make it somehow interesting.
Melanie wrote: "LOL.The spoiler thread has a link to what the ones and zeroes mean.
small story: I downloaded the book sample to help me decide if I wanted to buy the audio, and the sample consisted entirely and only of chapter 1, which is just ones and zeroes. It was not even remotely helpful."
Thanks! I saw that in the spoiler thread, and I was happy to learn that the ones and zeroes actually meant something. I was hoping they did.
That is funny about the audiobook sample - definitely not much to go on to make a decision. But it's true, the narrator somehow does make it interesting. I will say, I have been enjoying the narration overall, in case anyone is on the fence about trying the audiobook.
I started reading this a few days ago an have really enjoyed it. It's a fun read with lots going on.
I'm 20% in and struggling to connect. I get that the binary is meaningful, which is cool, but the story as a whole so far seems to be a lot of mundanity. How much longer before something happens?
Allison wrote: "I'm 20% in and struggling to connect. I get that the binary is meaningful, which is cool, but the story as a whole so far seems to be a lot of mundanity. How much longer before something happens?"About page 250 is where I noted it to have started. 😂
Allison wrote: "That is...so far into a book XD"Yeah, at least if you are like me and looking for the premise that was on the back of the book. I totally get why people are enjoying this! It’s fun and the banter’s kinda cute.
I was just really looking forward to getting to the part of it that I signed up for that the blurb sold me on and for me it took too long to get there is all.
I think they way to look at this is as interconnected short stories rather than a full novel. The stories do all come together at the end to complete the arc, but for the first half or more, it's a lot more disjointed and reads better if you take them on their own.
Melani wrote: "I think they way to look at this is as interconnected short stories rather than a full novel. The stories do all come together at the end to complete the arc, but for the first half or more, it's a..."I meant to come back and say this probably would have helped me and I think if they had marketed it this way it would have made a world of difference. I don’t know why I struggle like that- I totally get why people are enjoying this but I just spent so much time wanting to get to the story that was “sold” to me on the back that it was really really hard to appreciate what was in front of me. (And for what it’s worth, I did like that part.)






Please save all discussion of particulars, details from the story, character choices, plot questions, etc. for the full spoiler thread.
Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[ Death, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement (hide spoiler)]
User-submitted content warnings on Storygraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/5...
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