Reviews with content warning for Cancer - The Lesson

When I first started reading this book, I was very prepared to say that it was good, but not maybe not for me. Much of the book focuses on Mera and Derrick’s relationship, but I was never sure how I felt about it, and I was never sure if that was intentional. At first, I was very against it because I thought it was stupid and dangerous for Derrick, and then the more we learned about the aliens, the more I found myself agreeing with the people who called him a traitor (especially since the aliens are a metaphor for colonialism so he’s roughly analogous to an enslaved person sleeping with a plantation owner because they’re just so much more “fascinating” than his own people? I guess?). The rage I felt at the injustice the humans experienced was directed at Mera, who was the only named Ynaa character for most of the book, and it made it really difficult to sympathize with either of them.

But the more we learned about Derrick’s feelings, the more it seemed like he was almost fetishizing Mera and was more in love with the idea of aliens and space than with her. This was also about the time we started learning more about Mera herself, and the whole narrative shifts. This, again, I was unsure about. Are we meant to be sympathetic to the Ynaa? Just Mera? What is Mera’s role in this story anyway? Is Mera just a person who idealistically thinks they can change the system from the inside, or at least work to mitigate the damage being done? Or is she “one of the good ones” who knows that what the Ynaa are doing is wrong, but ultimately realizes that she can’t do much to stop it? Mera’s “New Lesson” also seemed kind of Nihilistic, but again, I was in the mindset that maybe this book just wasn’t for me, and maybe there was something I just wasn’t *getting*.

And then those last 50 pages.

I was in the middle of a pretty bad reading slump while reading this book, so bear that in mind when I say I could NOT put this book down. By the time I reached the climax of the story, I realized that this book was just more complex than I was expecting, and I had become invested without even realizing it. The slow beginning, punctuated with sudden violence, did a great job of building tension and creating the atmosphere of a powder keg about to blow. And then, the heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat climax somehow manages to slow down again to a bittersweet and somehow hopeful epilogue. The emotional complexities were still there, but somehow felt more human. Thinking about everything the characters lost and trying to imagine how they will ever move forward, while remembering that these events are roughly analogous to real events, was pretty devastating. And yet, the story chooses to end with the slightest bit of hope, and a rejection of the idea that humans (here being the equivalent to colonized people) are somehow weak- that surviving and rebuilding takes enormous strength.

In the end, I really appreciate that this book spends much more of its time focusing on the humans and not the Ynaa (then again, I’m not super into aliens anyway), and I loved that there were so many different reactions to the colonization (I especially loved Derrick correcting Patrice with “they didn’t <i>invade</i> they <i>arrived</i>” which just says so much about him). I still wish we had spent a little less time on Mera and Derrick, because I found their views to be in general the least relatable, but I liked learning about the characters we did get to see.

Content Warnings

noreadingdegree's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense

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

4.0

once again, audiobooks are killing it for me. this one was fantastic. i didn't realize how much i enjoyed first contact stories until i read this book. there is something about humans trying to navigate and come to terms with extraterrestrial life that fascinates me. i loved that this book focused on multi-POVs from the same family/friend circle and how the arrival of the arrivals changed their lives with each other.

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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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willowbrii's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

“First contact” alien invasion speculative Sci-Fi novel. Set in the Virgin Islands. Explores themes of alien tech and colonization. For me, the story was interesting but the plot felt quite underwhelming as I got further into the book. Writing was done well within the chapters, although some felt disjointed along other segments. The narration was enjoyable via audiobook. Overall, not bad, not great, more so mid.

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Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull

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kaylamoran's review against another edition

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noreadingdegree's review against another edition

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