A bestselling dystopian novel that tackles surveillance, privacy and the frightening intrusions of technology in our lives—a “compulsively readable parable for the 21st century” (Vanity Fair). When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime. The Circle, run out of a sprawling California campus, … sprawling California campus, links users’ personal emails, social media, banking, and purchasing with their universal operating system, resulting in one online identity and a new age of civility and transparency.
As Mae tours the open-plan office spaces, the towering glass dining facilities, the cozy dorms for those who spend nights at work, she is thrilled with the company’s modernity and activity. There are parties that last through the night, there are famous musicians playing on the lawn, there are athletic activities and clubs and brunches, and even an aquarium of rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench by the CEO.
Mae can’t believe her luck, her great fortune to work for the most influential company in the world—even as life beyond the campus grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken, even as her role at the Circle becomes increasingly public.
What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge.
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Ever wonder about the internet companies that seem to be overtaking all other businesses. The premise of this book may really scare you! A most interesting and timely read.
Great read ! What the future holds. Modern “Big Brother” story as relates to social media pitfalls. I think of this story more that other books I have read. It’s a cautionary tale and is spot on. Should be required reading far all.
Gives you a vivid picture of a world with no privacy.
I hope there’s a sequel. Otherwise, this book is terrible. It’s another sermon about the dangers of giving up privacy for convenience and security. The only protagonists are minor characters that fade away – although one is quite surprising. The main character just sails along completely oblivious. I really couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a sequel =- that this is the way the author wanted to end the story.
don’t buy it. Waste of time and money
Like I said from the top I was left with mixed feelings. There was many things I liked about the book. For starters I like the fact that Dave Eggers built this whole utopia world of a company that rules the world with their innovation, and ideas. But I also like how he built the company’s community. Another thing I enjoyed about the book was how it makes you think. It asks great questions like what happens if a tech company has way too much power. It also covers how much should we be in eachothers lives. Lastly, the idea of transparency within a company, people, and even those in power.
That said I do have my problems with the book. And this is mostly aimed at the characters. When comes to main character Mae I felt she was the most irritating character in the book. She starts off as a quiet, private shy girl without tech skills and gets hired to a tech company. But towards the end of the book she becomes a self-absorbed person that cares more about gaining an audience and is ok with just being brain-washed. I also did not like the fact she never questions anything about company and just blinding goes along with everything.
I also think the rest of the characters were really flat and felt one dimensional. I think this is due to the fac that everyone disappears a lot throught the book and appears when you least expect it. The book also never explains anything except leaves me with questions. Not sure why this book got more praise than it should have. Beats me.
Overall this book had its great points to it. And even through I am not a fan of the characters I don’t find the book horrible or dislike it. I found the book very fast paced and it held most of my attention and I liked how it made me think. I also like Dave Eggers built a world that was ran by powerful tech comapny and showed us what could happen. This was more of a book before a dystopia happens. So that is it for the review on The Circle. Let me know in the comments below on what you think about the book. And what are your thoughts on transparency in company and do you think there is a point where we draw a line?
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The writer takes a lot of cat walks and leaves loose ends. Perhaps for a sequel. The books concept is in our midst – this book is very close to what our world could become and is already on it’s way. It is not a thriller as far as demons, and ghosts or monsters – it is scary and haunting due to the fact that this is a real situation that could happen in our lifetime. The ending stinks. The author just drops the story quickly, as if tired of writing. A lot of fluff and detail that did not need to be there, just get on with the plot! Thought provoking book.
The characters come to life. You feel like you can follow the story. The book just comes to life. Gives the reader a good look into what the future holds for technology.
Thought provoking and a scary look at what the future could portend.
The Circle is a dystopian, borderline science-fiction novel, I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, but it pulled me right in to the twisted world of the technology company known as “The Circle.” The story is told from Mae’s perspective as she lands a coveted position in this elite company. However, all is not as it appears as surveillance, and consumer tracking become ever increasing interests of “The Circle.”