The Diamond Age

By Neal Stephenson

Reviewed by Kelli Voltz

Neal Stephenson’s, The Diamond Age or, A Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, is a postcyberpunk novel set in twenty-first-century Shanghai.  It tells the life changing story of a young girl named Nell who is given the interactive book, Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer.  The Diamond Age was first published in 1995 by Bantam Books and took the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1996.  It is one of the most honored works of science fiction. 

Being a part of the postcyberpunk genre, which has evolved from cyberpunk, the novel focuses on technological developments and often in near future societies.  You will find that it also examines social effects of computerized information as well as modifications of the human body. 

Nell, who is the main protagonist, was born to Tequila and is a member of the lower working class.  Her brother Harve plays the role of changing her life when he gives her the Primer, which he stole from the creator, John Percival Hackworth.  Once Nell receives the Primer she no longer feels alone and her intelligence grows by the day.  The book teachers her academics by telling the tale of Princess Nell and her special friends, Dinosaur, Duck, Peter rabbit, and Purple.

John Percival Hackworth is another major character in this novel.  He is an upper level engineer at Bespoke.  Lord Finkle-McGraw plants the idea of a new development in his head when he states during their conversation, “This implies, does it not, that in order to raise a generation of children who can teach their full potential, we must find a way to make their lives interesting” (24).  He then created the code for the Primer and opened up gates to a new world of technology.  He first created the Primer for Lord Finkle-McGraw’s daughter, Elizabeth, and then decided to make a copy for his own daughter, Fiona, as well.  His crime is later discovered and he is eventually forced to spend ten years with the “Drummers” to help develop the Seed, which is a new form of technology. 

Within the novel Stephenson brings out cultural relativism when he groups the society in “phyles” which are like tribes.  Some of these “phyles” that are discussed are the Han, Neo-Victorians, and the Nippon.  The Neo-Victorians are portrayed as being technologically, culturally, and economically superior to the other “phyles.”  By creating these “phyles” within the society it causes culture and class issues.  This is shown when Harve states, “Because that’s all we can afford because of the economics,’ Harve said.  ‘Mom’s gotta compete with all kinds of Chinese and stuff that don’t have any self-respect and so they’ll work for nothing” (44). 

This novel is an attention getter and keeps you thinking as well as discovering throughout the text.  I found that Stephenson’s writing style is relatively easy to read and understand thanks to his thorough explanations.  I like how he creates an emotional connection between the reader and the main character, Nell.  Most of the other characters appear to be emotionless and even robotic at times which is shown when he states, “Bud said to the banker, who merely lowered his eyelids one click and jutted his goatee at the piece of paper, which had picked up on his question and already branched into an explanation” (10).  If you’re looking to dive into something that will open your eyes and mind to a whole new world I’d suggest Neal Stephenson’s novel, The Diamond Age.