Reviews with content warning for Suicide - The Lesson

A great book. I can't wait to see what the author does next! I found the characters all so compelling. He really wove the story well so I felt the depth of the world-building without stretching the book out so it was super long.

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amelew's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

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competencefantasy's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.25

The pacing in this ramps up sharply as the book goes along. At first you're just getting to know the characters. Then an initial event happens and there's a jump into a future where it seems like things have reached equilibrium. There's mysterious jumping back and forth, more character development, and some more character work. Then something else happens and everything gets dark. Seriously, I made the mistake of trying to finish the book at night, but I was too wound up to sleep.

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catapocalypse's review against another edition

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adventurous tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This was an enjoyable read about alien first contact, invasions, power dynamics, and balancing individual wants with those of others around you, all set in the US Virgin Islands. I found the alien Ynaa race and their tech compelling, felt invested in most of the characters, and enjoyed the unique setting. I think most mainland Americans know little to nothing about the US Virgin Islands, myself included, which is shameful.

I felt a few things could have been further fleshed out, including a few of the POV characters' stories, but this is still a strong all around read, for me! Though it is standalone at this time, I honestly would read a sequel about what happens to a few of the characters in the aftermath, and what a few decide to do going forward!

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rorikae's review against another edition

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challenging reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

'The Lesson' by Cadwell Turnbull is an intriguing novel that utilizes science fiction to discuss colonization and its impacts.
The story follows a number of inhabitants of the Virgin Islands before and after an alien ship lands on its coast and aliens, who closely resemble humans, start to infiltrate the island's society. The main part of the story takes place a year after one of these aliens, who are called the Ynaa, brutally murders a boy and the tensions between the Ynaa and the humans on the island reach a boiling point.
Turnbull's exploration of colonization through a science fiction lens allows the reader to delve deeper into the experience of colonization both through the eyes of the colonizer and those who are being colonized. He does this by weaving through a number of individual's perspectives, mostly humans who are impacted by the Ynaa's arrival and one Ynaa who has been set as the ambassador to the island. It really succeeds in its careful consideration of the lived experiences of its characters. We follow them through their everyday lives, seeing how the Ynaa have impacted even simple interactions. Though there is a cataclysmic, devastating set of events toward the end of the book, I think the story's real power is in its small moments. The one thing I did find frustrating was that in the audiobook, the narration jumped from character to character without indication and sometimes it was hard to realize that we were on to a new perspective.
I would recommend this book if you are looking for science fiction that is focused on the lives of its characters more than the logic of the world. We don't learn a great deal about the Ynaa but that isn't necessary as the story is truly about their impact on the world that surrounds them.

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jojo_'s review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense 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

3.5

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