[Book Review] Lexicon

Lexicon / Max Barry

Lexicon is a book about words, about using them to manipulate and control the world around you.  About power, balances, and relationships.

In some ways Lexicon is a light thriller with a unique premise.  In other ways it is a very complex and multilayered story.  Part of my reason for picking it as a book club read was that I knew I would be able to read this quickly, something I generally need in July, and it delivered.

My discussion questions are limited, but ones that are tied deeply to the narrative itself, and questions that are not necessarily insubstantial on their own.

Discussion Fodder
  • What issues does Lexicon bring up in regards to privacy and personal data?  "But what bothers me is how HARD they're all working for that data, how much money they're spending, and how they never admit that's what they want."
  • Words have power, what are the different ways this story explores it?  What ways do they have power in your life and the world at large?
  • How do words shape our conceptions and understanding?
  • Is there a hero of the story?

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