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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
Some thriller violence and danger as the investigation deepens
Language
Some
Adult language in Gibson's literary SF register
Sexual Content
Barely any
Minimal sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
Some drinking in the novel's global settings
Emotional Intensity
Some
The psychological weight of grief — Cayce's response to her father's disappearance on September 11 — and the paranoia of the investigation create the novel's sustained emotional and intellectual tension
What this book is about
William Gibson's literary SF thriller follows Cayce Pollard, a marketing consultant with an unusual allergy to brand imagery, who is hired to find the creator of mysterious film footage that has appeared online in fragments. Gibson writes with his characteristic prescience about technology and culture; the novel captures the early internet with extraordinary accuracy. Some thriller violence; adult content throughout. One of Gibson's most accessible novels.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
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