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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
This book is a ride from start to finish. It for sure has its flaws ( quite a few) but I can overlook them because of how interesting the world and people are. It also covers a lot of modern problems in abstract ways. I think its a great read!
Drayden has built such an interesting world with this book!
soundtrack: Olafur Arnalds - Broadchurch
+ Echo Collective - Echo collective plays amnesiac
+ Echo Collective - Echo collective plays amnesiac
3.5 stars for this weird, but somehow impossibly intriguing book.
Let me preface this review by stating that I absolutely understand why this wouldn't be for everyone, while also acknowledging why people would absolutely adore it.
Escaping Exodus explores themes of sexism, classism and colonialism through a new lens, making queerness, a matriarchal structure and Blackness the standard in this society. One of our main characters is Seske, heir to the throne, entitled and spoiled without being aware of it. Contrasting her we have Adalla, a beastworker, responsible for maintaining the body of the beast their society calls home. As their living ship shows the strain of being abused by the exploitation, both of them need to find how they intend to deal with the moral implications of their lifestyle.
Seskes position within society and general demeanor make her an incredibly unlikeable character - which is honestly completely fine by me. Wholly unaware and ungrateful for the power she wields, Seske navigates society without any regard for other people. Which isn't to say that she doesn't care about other people - she certainly thinks that she does - she's simply a klutz, who hasn't considered her privilege once in her life. Given her role - the heir to the throne in a matriarchal society - this is a brilliant contrast to the male, white, straight man who would usually wield such power in classical fantasy and sci-fi and our society. Obviously she's unlikeable, despite her own perception as a kind and considerate person. She acts out, has no regard for the feelings of other people, often regarding them as less than her, she is aware of the power she could wield to bring about change, yet never bothered to take action and work her way up so she may actually make changes until the climax of the book. Her privilege has left her ignorant, and she only ever blames other people for this ignorance. Again, I didn't at all mind her being such an unlikeable character - I think it makes her utterly intriguing!
I also think that she's a very interesting and unconventional protagonist - one could definitely argue that Sisterkin would have made a way better, more traditional protagonist. Stripped from her birthright by a mere coincidence, completely disregarded by the flawed society she lives in, shunned by her sister who has it all, but doesn't value it one bit and doesn't even attempt to honor her birthright... the story could have been written from her POV, and the reader would surely have found a way to root for her!
Adalla, on the other hand, does an amazing job at showing us the darker sides of this society, the huge issues with their way of living. I adored her dynamic with Seske. The deep and flawed love between them, despite knowing her worst sides, while having trust that her good aspects will outweigh them in the end. Adalla seeks to disrupt the unjust system, and we all love a good trouble maker.
Having this matriarchal power structure and discriminating against men was a very intriguing perspective on sexism. I personally believe it translates incredibly well into discussions surrounding feminism.
I loved the concept of the book, and the way this foreign society slowly unravels to the reader. The pacing in the last part of the book felt a little too rushed to me, although I did like the conclusion and am very much looking forward to the sequel being released!
Let me preface this review by stating that I absolutely understand why this wouldn't be for everyone, while also acknowledging why people would absolutely adore it.
Escaping Exodus explores themes of sexism, classism and colonialism through a new lens, making queerness, a matriarchal structure and Blackness the standard in this society. One of our main characters is Seske, heir to the throne, entitled and spoiled without being aware of it. Contrasting her we have Adalla, a beastworker, responsible for maintaining the body of the beast their society calls home. As their living ship shows the strain of being abused by the exploitation, both of them need to find how they intend to deal with the moral implications of their lifestyle.
Seskes position within society and general demeanor make her an incredibly unlikeable character - which is honestly completely fine by me. Wholly unaware and ungrateful for the power she wields, Seske navigates society without any regard for other people. Which isn't to say that she doesn't care about other people - she certainly thinks that she does - she's simply a klutz, who hasn't considered her privilege once in her life. Given her role - the heir to the throne in a matriarchal society - this is a brilliant contrast to the male, white, straight man who would usually wield such power in classical fantasy and sci-fi and our society. Obviously she's unlikeable, despite her own perception as a kind and considerate person. She acts out, has no regard for the feelings of other people, often regarding them as less than her, she is aware of the power she could wield to bring about change, yet never bothered to take action and work her way up so she may actually make changes until the climax of the book. Her privilege has left her ignorant, and she only ever blames other people for this ignorance. Again, I didn't at all mind her being such an unlikeable character - I think it makes her utterly intriguing!
I also think that she's a very interesting and unconventional protagonist - one could definitely argue that Sisterkin would have made a way better, more traditional protagonist. Stripped from her birthright by a mere coincidence, completely disregarded by the flawed society she lives in, shunned by her sister who has it all, but doesn't value it one bit and doesn't even attempt to honor her birthright... the story could have been written from her POV, and the reader would surely have found a way to root for her!
Adalla, on the other hand, does an amazing job at showing us the darker sides of this society, the huge issues with their way of living. I adored her dynamic with Seske. The deep and flawed love between them, despite knowing her worst sides, while having trust that her good aspects will outweigh them in the end. Adalla seeks to disrupt the unjust system, and we all love a good trouble maker.
Having this matriarchal power structure and discriminating against men was a very intriguing perspective on sexism. I personally believe it translates incredibly well into discussions surrounding feminism.
I loved the concept of the book, and the way this foreign society slowly unravels to the reader. The pacing in the last part of the book felt a little too rushed to me, although I did like the conclusion and am very much looking forward to the sequel being released!
So delightfully (and horrifically) squidgy. The author went all out when it comes to the nitty gritty biological details of making your home inside an enormous living organism. This is definitely not a book for the faint of heart, or stomach!
I loved how Drayden expressed particular elements of the characters' culture in subtle ways that were nevertheless really powerful and immersive - for example, many people living inside the beast keep small parasites ("murmurs" and "crib worms") as pets and find them cute, even while both these species suck blood from their human hosts. But the characters don't mind and aren't appalled/grossed out by this because it's not in large quantities. There's also this amazing passage:
There's a vivid physicality to existence inside the beast, and everyone's worldview is informed by it.
The book turned out to be more complex than it initially seemed from the first chapter, where the plot and narration felt much more like a young adult story than adult fiction (not knocking YA, but it wasn't what I came to this book for.)
I was pleased that both Seske, who's next in line to be Matris, and the narration itself grew up a lot over the course of the story. The plot arc turned out not to involve the beastworker character Adalla teaching her ruling class love interest about the evils of systemic oppression. Both the characters arrive at the need for revolution from different directions, and for a while they have very different concerns as well: Seske is focused on liberating the sentient aliens they've been using as homes, whereas Adalla is fighting for better conditions for the lower classes of humans laboring for the comfort of their social superiors.
There was great synergy between these two struggles when they finally come together in the book, showing the way denying personhood, sentience, communication to both the void-faring "beasts" and the "grisettes" or "bucket waifs" enabled the exploitati0n of both for resources and labor. Rather than addressing environmentalism at the expense of labor struggles, this book shows how the two are connected and inseparable.
The only reason I'm not giving the book 5 stars is because there are a few deaths of significant characters late in the book that felt shoehorned in for plot reasons and left a bad taste in my mouth. Especially given that one of them was introduced as a means to facilitate the reunion of the two main characters, Adalla and Seske. But this reunion felt rushed - one of these characters has perpetrated significant harm on the other, and the narrative doesn't give Adalla nearly enough space to process that. I was not at all convinced that they have adequately addressed what happened during their separation, the trauma each is carrying, the things Adalla suffered. It really felt like the story presents Seske making some really horrible choices, which... I am fine with going there, let's absolutely explore these dark places together! But then for the sake of plot, the effects and magnitude of these choices are glossed over.
Nevertheless I look forward to reading the next book and hope that some of this will be explored there!
I loved how Drayden expressed particular elements of the characters' culture in subtle ways that were nevertheless really powerful and immersive - for example, many people living inside the beast keep small parasites ("murmurs" and "crib worms") as pets and find them cute, even while both these species suck blood from their human hosts. But the characters don't mind and aren't appalled/grossed out by this because it's not in large quantities. There's also this amazing passage:
What do you get to celebrate something like that? I could pick her some flowers from the woodward canopies. Nice bloated ones that would dribble fluorescent ooze for days
There's a vivid physicality to existence inside the beast, and everyone's worldview is informed by it.
The book turned out to be more complex than it initially seemed from the first chapter, where the plot and narration felt much more like a young adult story than adult fiction (not knocking YA, but it wasn't what I came to this book for.)
I was pleased that both Seske, who's next in line to be Matris, and the narration itself grew up a lot over the course of the story. The plot arc turned out not to involve the beastworker character Adalla teaching her ruling class love interest about the evils of systemic oppression. Both the characters arrive at the need for revolution from different directions, and for a while they have very different concerns as well: Seske is focused on liberating the sentient aliens they've been using as homes, whereas Adalla is fighting for better conditions for the lower classes of humans laboring for the comfort of their social superiors.
There was great synergy between these two struggles when they finally come together in the book, showing the way denying personhood, sentience, communication to both the void-faring "beasts" and the "grisettes" or "bucket waifs" enabled the exploitati0n of both for resources and labor. Rather than addressing environmentalism at the expense of labor struggles, this book shows how the two are connected and inseparable.
The only reason I'm not giving the book 5 stars is because there are a few deaths of significant characters late in the book that felt shoehorned in for plot reasons and left a bad taste in my mouth. Especially given that one of them was introduced as a means to facilitate the reunion of the two main characters, Adalla and Seske. But this reunion felt rushed - one of these characters has perpetrated significant harm on the other, and the narrative doesn't give Adalla nearly enough space to process that. I was not at all convinced that they have adequately addressed what happened during their separation, the trauma each is carrying, the things Adalla suffered. It really felt like the story presents Seske making some really horrible choices, which... I am fine with going there, let's absolutely explore these dark places together! But then for the sake of plot, the effects and magnitude of these choices are glossed over.
Nevertheless I look forward to reading the next book and hope that some of this will be explored there!
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Violence
adventurous
dark
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:
Complicated