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vipersinapit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed this short story a lot, it was an interesting combination between sci-fi and fantasy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Body horror
kirtreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I really enjoyed this book! I loved the “fantasy sci-fi” with both genres captured in one book. I thought the two povs actually worked well and I think this author really excels at it. I loved it in Children of Time and he has it really honed in.
I thought the characters were interesting, but the fantasy side was a little flat and none of the characters super memorable.
The plot was fun, and I enjoyed the way he blended the two genres. It was a fun car read. I would recommend for a long drive to feel immersed and have something that you can finish in one day of travel but I don’t know if I would have liked it as much if it wasn’t in audio form.
I thought the characters were interesting, but the fantasy side was a little flat and none of the characters super memorable.
The plot was fun, and I enjoyed the way he blended the two genres. It was a fun car read. I would recommend for a long drive to feel immersed and have something that you can finish in one day of travel but I don’t know if I would have liked it as much if it wasn’t in audio form.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Mental illness
aurical's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
aggressive_nostalgia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Mental illness
Moderate: Gore
bergha1998's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I really liked the idea. A technologically advanced human group studies a less advanced one & the less advanced one sees them as wizards even though it’s actually sci-fi stuff. That dynamic was very interesting. I didn’t love the writing, though, I kept almost falling asleep while reading. I think it was the pacing and so much exposition.
“Know thyself, the wise man wrote, and yet I know myself, none better, and the knowledge gives me no power.”
“In my blackest pits of despair I always find God and call out for help, because only an omnipotent outside force could possibly move the stone that is pressing me down. And God walks away, single footsteps off into the collective unconscious. He doesn’t care.”
“Know thyself, the wise man wrote, and yet I know myself, none better, and the knowledge gives me no power.”
“In my blackest pits of despair I always find God and call out for help, because only an omnipotent outside force could possibly move the stone that is pressing me down. And God walks away, single footsteps off into the collective unconscious. He doesn’t care.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
dottiewankenobi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
a quote from my live reading notes: "the demon was extremely freaky but the heart and soul and emotion of this book. holy fuck."
elder race made me bawl. this book features two main characters who struggle deeply with their personal feelings and how others see them, and the author did an amazing job of infusing human life in them. the world building was very interesting and there were so many lines that stood out to me as I read that I want to come back to again. I honestly would love to talk to the author and just listen to him speak about this world, any bit of it -- there's so many questions I have, so many things I would love to know
there were a few tiny things that felt shaky I guess but overall my feelings for this book are extremely positive and I'm so glad I added it to my TBR and that my friend decided for us to read it during our book club
elder race made me bawl. this book features two main characters who struggle deeply with their personal feelings and how others see them, and the author did an amazing job of infusing human life in them. the world building was very interesting and there were so many lines that stood out to me as I read that I want to come back to again. I honestly would love to talk to the author and just listen to him speak about this world, any bit of it -- there's so many questions I have, so many things I would love to know
there were a few tiny things that felt shaky I guess but overall my feelings for this book are extremely positive and I'm so glad I added it to my TBR and that my friend decided for us to read it during our book club
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment and Mental illness
hanz's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts
sarahweyand's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I read this book at the recommendation of my husband as a shorter book to get close to passing my 2023 reading goal. I was skeptical at first but ended up really enjoying myself! I liked the writing style and thought the story was well-suited to a novella. There was a good amount of character development and I found myself caring about our protagonist(s), which is something that's hard for me to do with shorter texts.
Sometimes the pacing felt a little all over the place, and I wish the ending had provided more catharsis than it did. Don't get me wrong, I really liked the ending. I predicted the climax and enjoyed how it played out, and I understand that not every story has to have a happy ending, but I was hoping for a little more relief for our protagonists.
I'm glad I picked this one up and I would be interested in reading more from Tchaikovsky in the future.
Sometimes the pacing felt a little all over the place, and I wish the ending had provided more catharsis than it did. Don't get me wrong, I really liked the ending. I predicted the climax and enjoyed how it played out, and I understand that not every story has to have a happy ending, but I was hoping for a little more relief for our protagonists.
I'm glad I picked this one up and I would be interested in reading more from Tchaikovsky in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, and Gore
Moderate: Death and Suicidal thoughts
surdiablo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It's a solid, entertaining novella with the right amount of everything, which you might appreciate more if you go in completely blind ( So don't click my spoiler tags unless you are absolutely sure ). Tchaikovsky blends fantasy and sci-fi in such a clever, humorous way, and I really liked how seamless the POV switch was. It never felt jarring at any point, which could easily happen in a book trying to execute an idea like this. The realistic portrayal of mental anguish of the characters, alongside the constant miscommunication due to language or cultural barriers was quite interesting to read. Overall it was quite fun, can't think of any major flaws whatsoever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, and Mental illness
Moderate: Mental illness
lbelow's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
There are things I really enjoyed about this and things I did not. The negatives are almost entirely in the "style" column. Mixed third person and first person point of view only works if there's a good reason for it and in this, there was not. So the style was jarring.
As for the things I did enjoy: the depiction of depression and how it isn't automatically cured by advanced technology, the alienness of the villainous alien, the intricacies of culture and language that even an anthropologist can't bypass.
Overall, this novella was fascinating but a bit shallow. I understand why it's gotten so many accolades, but I don't think it hit home for me in the same way it did for many others.
As for the things I did enjoy: the depiction of depression and how it isn't automatically cured by advanced technology, the alienness of the villainous alien, the intricacies of culture and language that even an anthropologist can't bypass.
Overall, this novella was fascinating but a bit shallow. I understand why it's gotten so many accolades, but I don't think it hit home for me in the same way it did for many others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Mental illness
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Suicidal thoughts