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krisedu's review
2.0
I was so disappointed in this book that read more like a fanfic than an actual part of the Vorkorsigan saga. I think the author got self-indulgent and preachy with the themes. It felt like this book was a way for her to wrestle with some personal issues rather than the strong character-driven plots of most of the rest of the series.
mjfmjfmjf's review
4.0
A re-read. And it is kind of like I'm reading a different book. The book is the same so I'm presumably the difference. I'm older though strangely enough I was 50 when I read this last time, just like Jole. It's been 10 years since my dad died pretty much simultaneously with Aral so I like the characters have a little bit more distance from that. And I now at least have a date and plan for retirement - still years off. I've just finished re-reading this series all the way through. And I could appreciate a Cordelia sequel quite a bit more. And the side characters aren't strangers. Yes the first part of this is a bit slow. But the parts with Miles were definitely not my favorite bits - except for a conversation between Miles and Jole near the end which absolutely was. And Aral and Jole were a lot easier to accept and believe upon a re-read - though it's still not clear to me whether their relationship existed when the earlier books were being written. Aral being bisexual and Cordelia being Betan were both truths from the very beginning and throughout these books. I'm pretty sure Aral and Jole's relationship was known by the author at the end of Cryoburn. A bad place to start this series but a good enough place to end it.
Always good to have another Vorkosigan book. This one is a bit slow and draggy. And its another one not about Miles, though he does eventually appear and his parts are my favorite bits. This one is actually about Cordelia. And Jole who I am sure was in the earlier books, but I don't remember him. This definitely has the feel of an old person's book written for old people. And not much happens, except for a certain amount of life. 3.5 of 5.
Always good to have another Vorkosigan book. This one is a bit slow and draggy. And its another one not about Miles, though he does eventually appear and his parts are my favorite bits. This one is actually about Cordelia. And Jole who I am sure was in the earlier books, but I don't remember him. This definitely has the feel of an old person's book written for old people. And not much happens, except for a certain amount of life. 3.5 of 5.
wetdryvac's review
5.0
I've enjoyed pretty much all of this series, but this one tops the lot simply by being the comfy I needed in the moment - and the solid writing and characters, of course.
spinnerroweok's review
2.0
Yawn. The latest installment in the Vorkosigan Saga is a romance, and that's pretty much it. It was just not for me. McMaster Bujold is of course very witty, but I had the ending pretty much figured out at the end of the first chapter. It was all about the journey, and the journey was just a small group of people talking. No twists, no turns. A better Vorkisigan romance would be A Civil Campaign. That one is laugh-out-loud funny. As for this one, I cannot recommend unless you are a Vorkisigan completist.
kellylynnthomas's review
5.0
Space? Check. Space pioneers? Check. Complicated family history? Check. Awesome ladies? Check. Polyamory? Check.
This is a relatively tame Vorkosigan novel in terms of adventure, but the tension is still way up there as the main characters navigate complex family relationships (some that they didn't even know they had) and decide on life-changing issues.
I love this book because it celebrates non-standard families and illustrates that change is a constant, even when you get up there in years--and that that is a good thing.
If you don't want to read the whole Vorkosigan saga to experience the awesomeness of this book, you can get away with reading just Shards of Honor and Cordelia's Honor, then this one.
This is a relatively tame Vorkosigan novel in terms of adventure, but the tension is still way up there as the main characters navigate complex family relationships (some that they didn't even know they had) and decide on life-changing issues.
I love this book because it celebrates non-standard families and illustrates that change is a constant, even when you get up there in years--and that that is a good thing.
If you don't want to read the whole Vorkosigan saga to experience the awesomeness of this book, you can get away with reading just Shards of Honor and Cordelia's Honor, then this one.
jandi's review
4.0
And thus ends this incredible series of character driven sci-fi. I'll try my best not to give away too much information - I had accidentally stumbled into a major reveal before I even started this book and that detail is revealed very fairly on, so it was not a deal breaker. The majority of the books starring Miles Vorkosigan are a whirlwhind filled with manic ingenious plans. If you can see past the scheming (and lets not forget the masterfully orchestrated comedy in a few instances), it is really the story of a family with oversized influence, and the growth of a society thrown into change far too quickly. While Miles is the main character, the story begins with his parents, Cordelia and Aral, and this book wraps up with Cordelia at 76.
The pace of this book is deliberate and soothing. There is very little action, in spite of the misleading description - there is nothing to investigate, no evil plots to uncover. Instead, we have two people in extremely busy upper management jobs trying to rebuild happiness. It is a story of love, grief, second chances and of moving on to what is next in life after handing off the mantle to the next generation. It is an unexpectedly beautiful end to the series.
If you are expecting mercenary adventures or political intrigue, there is none of that here. Instead, you will find calm, optimistic sci-fi. If you like Becky Chambers, this will be up your alley.
In my review of [b:CryoBurn|7841670|CryoBurn (Vorkosigan Saga, #14)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1269879970l/7841670._SY75_.jpg|10621859], I commented on the fact that Miles had not seemed to come across the point where we figured out that his Da was just human, given the enormity of his role in Barrayar's history. Miles does come to terms with it in this book. Miles' response to his mother's plan for more sisters - "Am I not enough?" is heart breaking, and an unsurprising response for someone that has spent his entire life trying to justify his own existence. Insecurities and fear are not the exclusive domain of youth. Cordelia on the other end, has always been incredibly mature, although in this instance it did veer a little too much to the incredibly end - if she has any flaws, there are nowhere to be seen.
The pace of this book is deliberate and soothing. There is very little action, in spite of the misleading description - there is nothing to investigate, no evil plots to uncover. Instead, we have two people in extremely busy upper management jobs trying to rebuild happiness. It is a story of love, grief, second chances and of moving on to what is next in life after handing off the mantle to the next generation. It is an unexpectedly beautiful end to the series.
If you are expecting mercenary adventures or political intrigue, there is none of that here. Instead, you will find calm, optimistic sci-fi. If you like Becky Chambers, this will be up your alley.
Spoiler
Even though I was already aware of the role of Jole, the manner in which it happened did take me by surprise. I would have expected everything to have started with Cordelia's consent and encouragement, I would have expected Jole to have played a bigger role in the events in Mirror Dance. Although most of the previous books are told from the point of view of Miles and sometimes Mark, and children are usually oblivious to their parents' love life, so it does make sense that none of this made it into Miles' point of view.In my review of [b:CryoBurn|7841670|CryoBurn (Vorkosigan Saga, #14)|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1269879970l/7841670._SY75_.jpg|10621859], I commented on the fact that Miles had not seemed to come across the point where we figured out that his Da was just human, given the enormity of his role in Barrayar's history. Miles does come to terms with it in this book. Miles' response to his mother's plan for more sisters - "Am I not enough?" is heart breaking, and an unsurprising response for someone that has spent his entire life trying to justify his own existence. Insecurities and fear are not the exclusive domain of youth. Cordelia on the other end, has always been incredibly mature, although in this instance it did veer a little too much to the incredibly end - if she has any flaws, there are nowhere to be seen.
jonmhansen's review against another edition
4.0
It's a good read, very heavy on the characters. Told from the alternating perspectives of Cordelia and Admiral Jole and their blossoming romance after the death of their mutual love Aral. Miles has a fairly small part in this (he doesn't show up until halfway through the book), but he's still Miles. One thing I find interesting about this series is how it started out as a fairly traditional space opera with plenty of ships swooping about with blasters going pow-pow-boy noise. And now we're here, with practically a Jane Austen novel. Still good.
melissaaw's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? No
5.0
I can hardly imagine a better ending to this series. This was my first time reading it, as my previous rereads of the series predated its release. This whole series is very much about life as a series of phases, often divided by death, and finding one's way through to something new and satisfying with that hard-earned experience.
Ending the series with Cordelia's POV--who kicked off the series by stepping into a hard phase, herself--highlights the parallels between her life and Miles', even if the pacing of her changes reflects a Betan life expectancy rather than Miles'.
This book also brings a relatively mature-for-once Miles (instead of Miles taking Ivan's "um Simon"-ing approach ), a robust passel of family like the Naismiths and Vorkosigans have never seen, and a reveal that no, the senior Vorkosigans haven't just been sitting on a political shelf biting their nails over their boys' adventures. There's a broader shift in the image of the entire family than is portrayed in many of the middle books, and yet there's still forward momentum running off the final page.
If the action-packed books from Miles' era are the only ones you really like in the series, this one might be a snoozer. But the series as an entire body of work actually begins and ends with Cordelia, and this is a fitting send-off.
Ending the series with Cordelia's POV--who kicked off the series by stepping into a hard phase, herself--highlights the parallels between her life and Miles', even if the pacing of her changes reflects a Betan life expectancy rather than Miles'.
This book also brings a relatively mature-for-once Miles (
If the action-packed books from Miles' era are the only ones you really like in the series, this one might be a snoozer. But the series as an entire body of work actually begins and ends with Cordelia, and this is a fitting send-off.
cynpra1520's review
4.0
Its been so long since a Vorkosigan book that it took me while to get back in the groove as well as generally used to Miles at the center. Really will enjoy this book if you have read the rest of the series. Don't read it as a standalone. It was nice to get back to Cordelia again and see some elders getting their turn at center.