Reviews

The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu

madele's review against another edition

4.0

This one is a real mystery to me about how I feel about it. Very odd book but I think I liked it????

mirificmoxie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

ren_the_hobbit's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

2.5

I liked the premise for the book and found the way that the story of Aladdin was incorporated into a science fiction book interesting. However, maybe because of the chosen narrator, I felt this distance from everything that was happening. All these events impacted this whole city but we never really saw personal stories of that impact. Also, I didn’t really like any of the characters. And there were a lot of really long fight scenes between robots which is just not my thing. 

Also, the ending felt acephobic/arophobic where the robots basically got paired off as a couple and Bador talks of getting sexual parts. The concept of robots needs sexual experiences and romantic love to be humanized is dehumanizing to me who identifies as aro/ace. I know that was probably not the intention, but it is really really common to see.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Acephobia/Arophobia

leaalien's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Most of the time I had no idea what was going on and I loved that! 

accidental_hermit's review against another edition

Ran out of time on Libby loan. Liked, didn't love it so far, 50/50 on picking it up again.

dynamogk's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-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

2.75

lossanna's review against another edition

adventurous funny

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

baldwinme40's review against another edition

5.0

this book is RAD!! I love a very alive, important, juicy setting! and constant action scenes, robot characters with robot-specific points of view, (there was a shout-out to Martha Wells in the acknowledgements haha), in-universe slang that fits right in, Found Family, a samurai-esque alien Space Hero in search of his long-lost husband - he wasnt even a huge part of the plot, just so fucking aesthetic - nonbinary 8 foot tall tiger-headed bodyguard robot with a giant hammer that has its own name, defying your parents, making your own way, boytoy malewife prince...
Lina and Bador are compelling characters to read about, too. Bador's character arc is very clear; Lina's gets a little lost in everything else going on, but everything else is so fascinating I'm not too concerned about it.

garett_hunt's review against another edition

adventurous funny tense fast-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

5.0

princessleopard's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0