Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - To Be Taught, If Fortunate

Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

6 reviews

_david_'s review

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adventurous inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book is exactly the type of story and focus I want from a sci-fi space exploration book.

The book and its descriptions of their discoveries sparked a magical feeling in me that I haven't felt since I was a child: Of looking up to the sky and wondering what's out there.

The focus is on the characters and their mindset. It shows the curiosity of scientists and how different a stressful situation can influence people. I loved the diversity of planets and what was on them. A planet doesn't have to be an oasis bursting with flora and fauna to be mesmerizing.

I loved the mindset of the crew, that they were observers, not colonizers. I wish OCA was real. I don't think there's a book with a more fitting title than this one.

The story felt a lot longer than it was, in a good way. It felt very full without feeling rushed or too fast paced. There was a moment just before the ending that I can imagine to be dull to someone without a (bio)chemistry background, but the narrator acknowledges that and it makes use of its dullness to make the ending even stronger. I really liked the ending.

The reason that I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 is that the characters did not all feel feel fully rounded. The quirks and parts of the personalities which were described were strong and interesting. I think what I would've liked to see was a little less predictability in the three side-characters personalities.

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purplepenning's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Hope isn’t about predicting the future; it’s about how you approach it.

A blend of hard science fiction, philosophy, and ethics that can be read as either hopepunk or horror — much like the great classic science fiction stories.

Chambers is one of my favorite authors, but this is probably my least favorite of their writings. It has the well-written, quietly thoughtful characters and situations that I love, but there's also some sort of vaguely melancholy and threatening personal academic association with it that kept me from really connecting. Obviously, authors can't account for a reader's vague, personal associations, so that's entirely on me.

It is difficult to give thought to the stars when the ground is swallowing you up.

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wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Listened to this as an audiobook during a road trip and it kept me engaged the entire time. I don't think that this will be enjoyed by all since for a sci-fi it focuses more on the crew and slice-of-life moments, rather than the planets they explore, and the discoveries they make.

It does bring up the topic that there is a lot to be said about the ethics of science and experimentation. I think it all can be boiled down into something along the lines of having good intentions does not inherently guarantee that anyone/thing remains unharmed in the end or even in the midst of the process. This is true for the scientists themselves and/or their subjects.

Becky Chambers has done an excellent job of making distinct and memorable characters that feel real because the book runs the gamut of human emotions. There's quite a bit of existential dread, and it can be rather heavy at times, but it also has it's moments of fun, enchantment, excitement, joy, and happiness.

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fancymcgee's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

this was fantastic. start to finish. chambers has outdone herself once again. i was sceptical to read outside of the wayfarers but this book was so physiologically powerful. the ending brought me to my knees. the characters where so close to my heart and i barely knew them. jack especially. the joy and the anguish i felt with them. chambers can fucking right, and i am left here thinking,
how as a society do we live with this information? with these questions? what is it worth? nothing short of everything.

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beccaruthe's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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v171's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I really enjoyed every part of this book, cover to cover. It's impressive how the author was able to fit an excellent story, excellent setting, and excellent characters with excellent arcs in such a short book. While I wouldn't necessarily consider it "feel good" sci fi as I've seen some other reviewers call it, I thought the message was very poignant as a realistic near-future scenario.

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