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greystory's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
#2 in the Wayfarers series follows the stories of AI Sindra and human techie Pepper, who we met at the end of book 1, as they essentially explore the meaning of life. It feels too easy, too light to simply say "meaning of life." I'm not being flippant and I want it to really sink in what that means because that's what this book does - takes you on a journey of discovering what it means to live. Sindra has a great scene towards the end where she talks about how all sapient beings struggle with finding purpose as she tries to explain her own difficulties with the same task.
In many ways, A Closed and Common Orbit felt heavier than The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and there's probably many reasons for that. The subject matter of the meaning of life can be pretty heavy. We're focused on two characters in a linear, detailed story instead of the shorter vignettes with a more diverse cast from book 1. We watch Pepper's past as she learns just how cruel and cold the world can be. We watch Sindra as she struggles with the consequences of her own sacrifice and trying to find a way to belong and feel right.
As their stories unfold, we see both the good and bad of the universe and each character finding a way to not just survive, but make the best of what's out there and really live. I cried a lot while reading this.
With that in mind, I feel like I should include some trigger warnings:
* Past child abuse
* Child death (implied, not on page)
* Animal violence and death
* Injury/Illness
* Seizure (or something like it)
* Panic attacks
In many ways, A Closed and Common Orbit felt heavier than The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and there's probably many reasons for that. The subject matter of the meaning of life can be pretty heavy. We're focused on two characters in a linear, detailed story instead of the shorter vignettes with a more diverse cast from book 1. We watch Pepper's past as she learns just how cruel and cold the world can be. We watch Sindra as she struggles with the consequences of her own sacrifice and trying to find a way to belong and feel right.
As their stories unfold, we see both the good and bad of the universe and each character finding a way to not just survive, but make the best of what's out there and really live. I cried a lot while reading this.
With that in mind, I feel like I should include some trigger warnings:
* Past child abuse
* Child death (implied, not on page)
* Animal violence and death
* Injury/Illness
* Seizure (or something like it)
* Panic attacks
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse
Moderate: Child death
withlivjones's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
After the first instalment of the Wayfarers series turned out to be one of my favourite books of 2023, I was somewhat hesitant to read its sequel, and fully expecting to be disappointed that it wouldn’t live up to the very high expectations I had for it. I am extremely pleased to inform you that I was wrong - this book is just as heartwarming and wholesome as the first, this time with added heartbreak! I loved both Lovelace’s and Pepper’s stories, as well as the parallels between them both as they start new lives and everything is completely brand-new to them. I find that Becky Chambers has some of the best-worded takes on the human condition - even though in these books she’s not always talking about just humans! - and it’s so nice to occasionally read a book that gives you hope for society instead of despair.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Slavery, Animal death, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
julialeigh's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
queersicles's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.25
The narrative splits between the intense and harrowing journey of a human born to be a child laborer and an AI who has been uploaded into a body kit. The ending was a bit of a letdown, found it resolved in a "shit I have a deadline and want to just trie things up in a bow without actually resolving the main themes and challenges of the book"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Blood, Child death, Death, Violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Animal death
seedreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Violence, Slavery, Panic attacks/disorders, and Animal death
misty_kb's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Slavery
Moderate: Child death, Animal death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Xenophobia
evbyrd's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Child abuse, and Child death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
bookwyrmknits's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-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
5.0
This was an absolutely beautiful book. While in some ways it felt less cozy than the first book, I don't think it really was; I think that's my reaction to how important the plot of this book was. It's definitely still a cozy—the consequences if the plot goes wrong are very limited in scope. No one will really be impacted except our main characters. But for them, there is so much importance in everything going right that it feels like a much bigger deal. I really enjoyed this one.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death
thoseoldcrows23's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
Becky Chamber's books are always so comforting to me. there's something so quite and cozy about them that makes them just feel like a warm hug. I didn't love this one quite as much as the first Wayfarers book, but it still really hit the spot, and I'm very excited to continue the series. Specifically, I loved how this book grapples with the question of personhood and the difference between what is right and what is allowed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Animal death
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Cursing, Gore, Death, Grief, Medical content, Slavery, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
prufrockpreptooth'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm crying. Of course I'm crying
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Animal death, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Infertility, Medical content, and Slavery