📖 Overview
In a dystopian future society, gender can be chosen and changed at will through medical technology. Nine, a young teen, prepares for the upcoming Remake Day when citizens can select their permanent gender identity and physical appearance.
The story follows Nine's interactions with family members and friends who have differing views on this pivotal life choice. As the deadline approaches, Nine faces increasing pressure from the community's expectations and strict social rules about gender expression.
Through Nine's personal journey, the narrative explores questions of identity, conformity, and self-determination in a world of technological control. The book tackles complex themes about the relationship between individual choice and societal constraints.
👀 Reviews
Readers found Remake to be a thoughtful exploration of intellectual property and artistic expression in future entertainment. Reviews noted the book's brevity helped maintain focus on core themes.
Liked:
- Fast-paced plot
- Commentary on film industry and creative control
- Character development of protagonist Tom
- Examination of what makes art authentic
- Discussion of technology's impact on creativity
Disliked:
- Romance subplot felt underdeveloped
- Ending left some plot threads unresolved
- Some found the technology concepts dated
- Limited world-building beyond Hollywood setting
Ratings:
Goodreads: 3.7/5 (250+ ratings)
Amazon: 3.8/5 (30+ reviews)
Reader comments:
"Makes you think about ownership of art and creative control" - Goodreads reviewer
"Strong concepts but weak execution in places" - Amazon review
"Short but impactful look at Hollywood's future" - LibraryThing user
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Feed by M. T. Anderson The narrative explores a future where people connect directly to a digital network that controls their consumption, entertainment, and social interactions.
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson The plot centers on a virtual reality-based internet where users navigate as avatars and face threats that cross between the digital and physical worlds.
Epic by Conor Kostick The tale unfolds in a society where a virtual reality game determines social status, wealth, and opportunities in the real world.
For the Win by Cory Doctorow The book follows young gamers who work in virtual economies and unite to fight for rights in both digital and physical realms.
🤔 Interesting facts
🎬 The novel explores a future where digital technology has replaced traditional filmmaking, and classic movies are "remade" by manipulating pixels rather than filming new scenes.
🌟 Author Connie Willis won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for her science fiction works, and is one of the most decorated authors in the genre.
🎭 The protagonist's job as a "film doctor" was inspired by real-world colorization debates of the 1980s, when classic black-and-white films were controversially being digitally colored.
💃 The book weaves in numerous references to classic Hollywood musicals, particularly those featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
🎞️ Published in 1995, many of the book's predictions about digital manipulation of footage and actors have become reality, with "deepfake" technology and digital resurrection of deceased actors now possible.