Scan barcode
maeverose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
TL;DR — Themes/Features:
-s c i e n c e
-planet exploration
-little alien creatures
-discussions on humanity
-lgbtq rep (ace, bi/pan, trans)
-non monogamous relationship
This is a book about humanity, our relationship to science, and as always with Becky Chamber’s books it touches a bit on politics and ethics, which I love.
It’s also a book about a group of astronauts looking for and studying life on other planets. Lots of descriptions of different kinds of environments and the creatures that live there.
If you’re a space or biology nerd I think you’d love this book. It has a decent focus on the science, definitely more than Becky Chamber’s other books. On the other hand it’s not inaccessible on that front either. I’m fascinated by science but not very knowledgeable on it and I understood everything perfectly fine. It’s explained in a very accessible way.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We walked for a time, our footsteps echoing in all directions. Had there been such echoes in this canyon before? I wondered. Was the air here accustomed to carrying sounds beyond those it created on it’s own?”
(On leaving no trace:)
“What if the exact place where your craft landed is where two bacteria of separate species met for the first time, and what if their meeting would have resulted in a symbiosis that would have led to the emergence of a new species, and you, you bastard, just wiped out that entire reality?”
(Followed a moment later by:)
“At some point, you have to accept the fact that any movement creates waves, and the only other option is to lie still and learn nothing.”
“The walls were made of thick glass, and behind it was the dense network you find below every forest. Roots interlocking like fingers, with gossamer fungus sprawled symbiotically between, allowing for the peaceful exchange of carbon and nutrients. Worms traversed roads of their own making. Pockets of water and pebbles decorated the scene. This is what a forest is, after all. Don’t believe the lie of individual trees, each a monument to it’s own self-made success. A forest is an interdependent community. Resources are shared, and life in isolation is a death sentence.”
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Confinement
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Cursing, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Alcohol, Sexual content, Blood, and Medical content
Detailed descriptions of moth metamorphosis, descriptions of animal and human internal anatomy in a scientific way (I didn’t find it to be gory, and I really don’t like gore so it’s probably fine but it’s there jsyk)poppyersej's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty
silviaaa's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
nikenacs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Read #2 (March 2023): Loved it even more when consciously reading by myself, if that was even possible. This book is everything. It legit changed how I look at humanity, science and space exploration. I will be recommending this to absolutely anybody with even a passing interest in scifi.
Moderate: Confinement, Abandonment, and Medical content
Minor: Animal death, Vomit, Animal cruelty, and Suicidal thoughts
gamja's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
kris386's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Suicide attempt, and Confinement
eloiseisreading's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Cursing
horizonous's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Confinement
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cancer and Sexual content
nocilantroextraolives's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
There is a brief scene of trying to kill an animal that won't die easily and it's pretty graphic, but less than a minute long. If you just skip, you won't be losing anything.