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maeverose's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This was so fun. Now I just wanna go visit other planets… science can you advance a little faster pls?
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.”
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.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Confinement
Moderate: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, and Alcohol
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)iaraya's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Body horror, Death, Death of parent, and War
The space exploration mission lasts for 80 years. The characters deal with the fact that when they return, most people they know will be dead.martinatan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Suicide attempt
Minor: Confinement, Sexual content, Grief, and Abandonment
lilly_anne's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Death and Grief
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
TO BE TAUGHT, IF FORTUNATE presents a delightful and intimate portrait of long-term space travel with a small team of scientists who undertake this journey knowing that it means saying goodbye to everyone they knew and loved.
Ariadne has strong bonds with her other three crewmates, singly and collectively. Their personalities come through very well and her interactions with them are a delight. They're all affected differently by certain plot events, despite being generally in the same situation as each other, and by the time things get stressful I had a enough of a sense of them to resonate with their reactions. The science explanations are just a much a part of the narrative as Ariadne's conversations with her team. Everyone's enthusiasm for their work makes this a delight to read.
Ariadne has strong bonds with her other three crewmates, singly and collectively. Their personalities come through very well and her interactions with them are a delight. They're all affected differently by certain plot events, despite being generally in the same situation as each other, and by the time things get stressful I had a enough of a sense of them to resonate with their reactions. The science explanations are just a much a part of the narrative as Ariadne's conversations with her team. Everyone's enthusiasm for their work makes this a delight to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Grief
Moderate: Death and Medical content
Minor: Ableism and Suicidal thoughts
readingsofaslinky's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, Abandonment, and Dysphoria
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Suicide attempt, and War
strange_little_ranger's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Minor: Cancer, Death, Blood, Medical content, and Grief
cgn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.75
Wow, my heart. I felt so immersed. As I was reading I just had the feeling of “this is what reading is meant to feel like.” This book transported me to another world. Exactly what I wanted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Grief
Minor: War
whylal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Confinement, Medical content, and War
troisha's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Confinement
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Death and Vomit