Idoru
Idoru is a 1996 science fiction novel by William Gibson, first published in the United States by G.P. Putnam's Sons. Gibson has described the book as set in the same universe as Virtual Light but not a sequel, with only a small number of shared characters. Critics and scholars have frequently discussed Idoru alongside Virtual Light (1993) and All Tomorrow's Parties (1999), which Tama Leaver describes as Gibson's "post-cyberpunk" "Interstitial trilogy", and which a later profile in The New Yorker characterized as a connected phase of his 1990s work set largely in California and Tokyo in the early 21st century.
The novel follows two intersecting storylines, including the data analyst Colin Laney and a teenage fan, Chia Pet McKenzie, as they are drawn into events surrounding Rez's announced plan to marry Rei Toei, an "idoru" who exists as a virtual media star. Academic readings of Idoru have emphasized its treatment of mediated celebrity and identity, the role of information systems and built environments, and the novel's engagement with posthuman themes while maintaining an interest in embodiment and materiality.
On publication, reviews often described the novel as a shift in tone from Gibson's earlier fiction while praising its style and its focus on contemporary pop culture and celebrity; The New York Times called it Gibson's "most approachable" book since Neuromancer, while Kirkus Reviews and Locus offered favorable comparisons emphasizing its changed texture and approach.
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