The Windup Girl
By Paolo Bacigalupi
When I first started this book I was very skeptical. The back of the book sounded very interesting, but the first 50 pages were very confusing and I almost gave up. Mr. Bacigalupi starts out his wonderful novel by telling you multiple stories of seemingly unrelated characters. As the rest of the book unwinds you figure out how all of the characters interact with each other. All of his characters playing very important roles in the future of Thailand.
The book is set in the not so distant future. In a world that was ravaged by plagues and sickness few countries remain independent. Thailand is one of those countries. After various plagues nearly killed off the worlds supply of food scientist have created new sterile, resilient seeds that provide food for the world. Thailand however seems to be making their own new species of plants. They have their own seedbank from which that are reintroducing different types of food. As Thailand struggles to remain isolated from the outside world, many problems unfold in the City of Divine Beings.
Besides the plagues and food shortages, the futuristic world looks largely different from ours. Scientist have the technology to create life. New species of cats, humans, and many other animals exists. On particular new type of human is the reason for the title of the book. The Japanese were in need of a new work force so the made fabricated humans called Windups. The reason for the name Windup is because the new race has a very clock-like way of moving that gives them away. In the book on of the characters you follow is Emiko, a windup girl. At first she seems irrelevant, but as the book goes on and the plot thickens the characters start to interact and Emiko becomes much more important.
There are many many many reasons that I like this book. One I have mentioned before. I love the way Mr. Bacigalupi intertwines characters and there stories. Even the most seemingly unimportant person has a role to play. They mention that many times in the book; everyone has a niche. Every action has a reaction. As the book is set in Thailand many of the characters are Buddhist. There are many mentions of karma in the book. All of the traditions of the country play into how the plot develops and how the characters react to different events.
I found this book to be wonderful and at time scary. The book over all was a magnificent mess of twist and turns that kept me very into the story line. But the content of the book was very chilling. The events could happen. A plague could strike and knock out most of the food supply. Also the actions of the characters where not always the most noble or just, but they are the actions that many of us would do if in those circumstances. Everything about the book resonated with how humanity is today. The setting and time period of the book may have been way off from where we are today, but it was shockingly relatable.
This book was over all fantastic. I got lost into a futuristic world of genes, windup girls, Thais, yellow cards, farangs, and cheshires. While reading I forgot I was reading and was transported to a different world. I was no longer in the middle of a cold Iowa winter; I was smack dab in the middle of hot dry season in Bangkok. I loved this book, and even though it did start out a little slow I would recommend it to anyone.
Happy Reading!!
Lindsey
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