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belsbookramblings's review against another edition
emotional
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
jb_slasher's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jd_miller's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death
foxwish's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The first half was almost painfully slow, but the second half was a better read with a heavier focus on loss that really touched me.
The ideas set up were compelling, but with this mystery story the ending needs to be worthwhile and it wasn't for me.
Lumi definitely is in a toxic relationship, Sol cares far more about the "greater good" than Lumi, going so far as to deny Lumi's autonomy and completely disbelieve Lumi's entire line of work. These two are so incompatible it hurt to read about.
I haven't yet processed my feelings on the portrayal of eco-terrorism in this book as necessary despite the harm caused to many individuals.
I still think it's a brilliant book that makes me think and made me emotional, I'm just not sure about the messaging. Also please don't read this for plot, it's very character focused.
The ideas set up were compelling, but with this mystery story the ending needs to be worthwhile and it wasn't for me.
Lumi definitely is in a toxic relationship, Sol cares far more about the "greater good" than Lumi, going so far as to deny Lumi's autonomy and completely disbelieve Lumi's entire line of work. These two are so incompatible it hurt to read about.
I haven't yet processed my feelings on the portrayal of eco-terrorism in this book as necessary despite the harm caused to many individuals.
I still think it's a brilliant book that makes me think and made me emotional, I'm just not sure about the messaging. Also please don't read this for plot, it's very character focused.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness
Minor: Religious bigotry
theaurochs's review against another edition
5.0
Emmi Itäranta’s prose is nothing short of poetry. That’s the first and major thing I’d like to get across about this book; the moment-to-moment experience of reading it is a sheer joy thanks to the superbly constructed sentences and paragraphs that feel like every world has been carefully selected to bring about the desired emotion at the right time, as well as just sounding lovely when read. A truly remarkable achievement, especially as a translation; I can only imagine how the original sounds in Finnish. This overarching wordy beauty combines with the themes and the story to create a feeling of melancholy that suffuses the entire book and creates a delicious flavour of constant heartbreak, with that central tiny nugget of hope that makes it all bearable. I would describe this largely as a vibes-centred book and wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to everyone as I’m well aware that if you don’t catch those vibes, this one could fall flat for you. For me though, at this point in time, I was absolutely resonating and loved the whole experience.
The plot follows Lumi, born on Earth in the late 22nd century, as they search for their spouse in the wake of strange and potentially disastrous occurrences on various space stations. In the course of this search, we get to visit many of the diverse locations around the solar system which have been colonised in the past hundred years or so; exploring their varied social, political and environmental setups and how these affect and are affected by the people living there. It is a bleak but still very optimistic view of the future; humans spread out beyond the single cradle of Earth, making tenuous footholds on the moon, Mars, and Jovian and Saturnian moons, as well as autonomous orbiting artificial satellites. Earth itself has seen better days- seriously ravaged by climate change in the 21st century, there are now precious few habitable areas left. These are primarily used as tourist destinations; showing off elements of the world-that-was to the rich elites from Mars. Anyone unlucky enough to be born on this dying world is born into effective bonded servitude in worsening planetary conditions.
Lumi manifests the gift of spiritual healing, and as such manages to secure one of the rare visas needed to emigrate from Earth. We learn this over several reminiscences throughout the book, which is written in epistolary style. This would be another point that may cause some to strain in disbelief; the story is written as extended letters or a journalling sort of style and it’s not always entirely believable. But, personally I’m willing to accept it on several grounds- first, the great focus on self-reflection present in the book; I absolutely buy that Lumi is the type of person who would write these long, rambling, self-indulgent letters; overexpressing detail and emotion and trying to get everything on the page. Secondly, in-universe, these letters are presented as extraordinary. There is a lovely and subtle frame narrative that presents them as museum pieces some several centuries later in time, primary sources for the events happened around the time of the letters being written. This extra bit of context really lifts the whole experience; we have a hopeful expectation of how things will end. We don’t know how, but we do at least know that people, and culture, will survive. Lumi’s profession also allows for a strong dose of spirituality, that is often missing from many sci-fi novels, for better or worse. It is a spirituality that feels very grounded in modern “Gaiaism”, for want of a better world- deeply rooted spiritual connections with the earth, wanting to find a balance with nature and within yourself, and that the two are ultimately elements of the same thing. An eco-philosophy that I can deeply relate to.
Lumi’s spouse Sol is a geneticist, working on rare funguses and those sort of fun things. At the start, there is a small incident at one of their labs that looks like sabotage. Soon afterwards, there is a break-in at the lab, several samples are stolen, and they go missing. Kidnapped? Or worse? Lumi follows their trail, visits their parents, and increasingly tries to unravel what exactly is going on. The plot is far from action-packed. By nature, we are following someone who is only tangential to the "action"; in a more traditional sci-fi, Sol would almost definitely have been the protagonist. I mean, their name is "Sol", obviously the narrative revolves around them! But this sidelined view allows us to explore the impact that such actions have on those around us, and for some deeply moving examinations of family. How many thrillers or revolutionary narratives do you read where you honestly wonder what the "hero"'s family would think of their actions? How "saving the world" might impact their relationships? This thorough humanising grounding gives the book heavy emotional impact, and the intimate diary-style lets us really feel what Lumi is feeling.
And I really feel Lumi's heart break, so many times in this novel. They are so in love with Sol, or at the very least with their idea of Sol, that they are blind to the fact that Sol doesn't love them the same way. For the reader, this is excruciatingly obvious, but dawns only slowly on Lumi, as they start to question why they have been excluded or outright lied to on so many occasions. And not just by Sol, either. The number of betrayals from those Lumi loved, even if the other people were acting in what they thought was Lumi’s best interest, is enough to break anyone. But you still feel the deep love they have; the shared history, the intimate moments, the imaginary house that they have built together over the years, describing their ideal rooms to each other and building it piece by piece. Adorable and heartwarming.
It also ties into a major theme of the book which is homesickness- the longing for a home, even if that’s not something you’ve ever had. Itäranta explores the different ways in which people try to make homes for themselves and make themselves comfortable; whether through a physical place and objects, by creating groups of family and friends, throwing yourself into work or something else entirely. In a solar system where humans have been displaced by their own destruction of planet earth, its easy to see why this might be a widespread issue. There really are some lovely explorations of the idea.
A deeply moving tale of eco-philosophy, cli-fi and sci-fi with a very human heart, and sumptuous prose. Is it perfect? Of course not, and I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Does it appear to support eco-terrorism? Kind of, yes, in an ends-justifying-the-means sort of way. Is this a problem? Well, it's 2022 and... *gestures vaguely at the state of the world*. But I think those who will enjoy it will be enchanted, wrapped up in the mournful yet strangely hopeful tale and left with a lot to meditate on. Lovely stuff.
The plot follows Lumi, born on Earth in the late 22nd century, as they search for their spouse in the wake of strange and potentially disastrous occurrences on various space stations. In the course of this search, we get to visit many of the diverse locations around the solar system which have been colonised in the past hundred years or so; exploring their varied social, political and environmental setups and how these affect and are affected by the people living there. It is a bleak but still very optimistic view of the future; humans spread out beyond the single cradle of Earth, making tenuous footholds on the moon, Mars, and Jovian and Saturnian moons, as well as autonomous orbiting artificial satellites. Earth itself has seen better days- seriously ravaged by climate change in the 21st century, there are now precious few habitable areas left. These are primarily used as tourist destinations; showing off elements of the world-that-was to the rich elites from Mars. Anyone unlucky enough to be born on this dying world is born into effective bonded servitude in worsening planetary conditions.
Lumi manifests the gift of spiritual healing, and as such manages to secure one of the rare visas needed to emigrate from Earth. We learn this over several reminiscences throughout the book, which is written in epistolary style. This would be another point that may cause some to strain in disbelief; the story is written as extended letters or a journalling sort of style and it’s not always entirely believable. But, personally I’m willing to accept it on several grounds- first, the great focus on self-reflection present in the book; I absolutely buy that Lumi is the type of person who would write these long, rambling, self-indulgent letters; overexpressing detail and emotion and trying to get everything on the page. Secondly, in-universe, these letters are presented as extraordinary. There is a lovely and subtle frame narrative that presents them as museum pieces some several centuries later in time, primary sources for the events happened around the time of the letters being written. This extra bit of context really lifts the whole experience; we have a hopeful expectation of how things will end. We don’t know how, but we do at least know that people, and culture, will survive. Lumi’s profession also allows for a strong dose of spirituality, that is often missing from many sci-fi novels, for better or worse. It is a spirituality that feels very grounded in modern “Gaiaism”, for want of a better world- deeply rooted spiritual connections with the earth, wanting to find a balance with nature and within yourself, and that the two are ultimately elements of the same thing. An eco-philosophy that I can deeply relate to.
Lumi’s spouse Sol is a geneticist, working on rare funguses and those sort of fun things. At the start, there is a small incident at one of their labs that looks like sabotage. Soon afterwards, there is a break-in at the lab, several samples are stolen, and they go missing. Kidnapped? Or worse? Lumi follows their trail, visits their parents, and increasingly tries to unravel what exactly is going on. The plot is far from action-packed. By nature, we are following someone who is only tangential to the "action"; in a more traditional sci-fi, Sol would almost definitely have been the protagonist. I mean, their name is "Sol", obviously the narrative revolves around them! But this sidelined view allows us to explore the impact that such actions have on those around us, and for some deeply moving examinations of family. How many thrillers or revolutionary narratives do you read where you honestly wonder what the "hero"'s family would think of their actions? How "saving the world" might impact their relationships? This thorough humanising grounding gives the book heavy emotional impact, and the intimate diary-style lets us really feel what Lumi is feeling.
And I really feel Lumi's heart break, so many times in this novel. They are so in love with Sol, or at the very least with their idea of Sol, that they are blind to the fact that Sol doesn't love them the same way. For the reader, this is excruciatingly obvious, but dawns only slowly on Lumi, as they start to question why they have been excluded or outright lied to on so many occasions. And not just by Sol, either. The number of betrayals from those Lumi loved, even if the other people were acting in what they thought was Lumi’s best interest, is enough to break anyone. But you still feel the deep love they have; the shared history, the intimate moments, the imaginary house that they have built together over the years, describing their ideal rooms to each other and building it piece by piece. Adorable and heartwarming.
It also ties into a major theme of the book which is homesickness- the longing for a home, even if that’s not something you’ve ever had. Itäranta explores the different ways in which people try to make homes for themselves and make themselves comfortable; whether through a physical place and objects, by creating groups of family and friends, throwing yourself into work or something else entirely. In a solar system where humans have been displaced by their own destruction of planet earth, its easy to see why this might be a widespread issue. There really are some lovely explorations of the idea.
A deeply moving tale of eco-philosophy, cli-fi and sci-fi with a very human heart, and sumptuous prose. Is it perfect? Of course not, and I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. Does it appear to support eco-terrorism? Kind of, yes, in an ends-justifying-the-means sort of way. Is this a problem? Well, it's 2022 and... *gestures vaguely at the state of the world*. But I think those who will enjoy it will be enchanted, wrapped up in the mournful yet strangely hopeful tale and left with a lot to meditate on. Lovely stuff.
eglorioso's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
5.0
lowercase_em's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
4.25
ettaenni's review
4.0
Itärannan kolmas ja uusin kirja, Kuunpäivän kirjeet, on kiehtova kuvaus sellaisesta tulevaisuudesta, jossa ihminen on joutunut muuttamaan avaruuteen ilmastonmuutoksen takia. Kirjan päähenkilö on maasyntyinen Lumi, joka etsii puolisoaan Solia.
Kirja on Itärannan tyylille uskollinen monella tavalla. Kerronta on runollista, vaikkakaan ei mielestäni niin runollista kuin Kudottujen kujien kaupungissa. Kudottujen kujien kaupungin tapaan tässä kirjassa on mysteeri, joka ratkeaa kirjan edetessä. Maailmasta, henkilöistä ja juonesta tippuu pikkuhiljaa tietoa, joka pitää otteessaan alusta loppuun. Kuunpäivän kirjeet sijoittuu tulevaisuuteen ja kertoo tulevaisuuden tuhoutuneesta maailmasta, kuten Teemestarin kirjakin teki. Tämä on kirjoista kuitenkin ainoa, joka on kirjemuotoisesti kirjoitettu.
Omasta mielestäni tämä ei ole Itärannan kirjoista paras (Kudottujen kujien kaupunki pitää kärkisijaa), mutta itsenäisenä kirjana oikein hyvä. Itäranta maalaa tapahtumapaikat niin hienosti ja riittävillä yksityiskohdilla, että monesti itsekin unohtaa olevansa ihan täällä Maassa, eikä Kuun kaivoskaupungeissa tai Marsissa.
Kirja on Itärannan tyylille uskollinen monella tavalla. Kerronta on runollista, vaikkakaan ei mielestäni niin runollista kuin Kudottujen kujien kaupungissa. Kudottujen kujien kaupungin tapaan tässä kirjassa on mysteeri, joka ratkeaa kirjan edetessä. Maailmasta, henkilöistä ja juonesta tippuu pikkuhiljaa tietoa, joka pitää otteessaan alusta loppuun. Kuunpäivän kirjeet sijoittuu tulevaisuuteen ja kertoo tulevaisuuden tuhoutuneesta maailmasta, kuten Teemestarin kirjakin teki. Tämä on kirjoista kuitenkin ainoa, joka on kirjemuotoisesti kirjoitettu.
Omasta mielestäni tämä ei ole Itärannan kirjoista paras (Kudottujen kujien kaupunki pitää kärkisijaa), mutta itsenäisenä kirjana oikein hyvä. Itäranta maalaa tapahtumapaikat niin hienosti ja riittävillä yksityiskohdilla, että monesti itsekin unohtaa olevansa ihan täällä Maassa, eikä Kuun kaivoskaupungeissa tai Marsissa.