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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
I’m not sure space exploration is really my jam. There wasn’t anything wrong with this book, but I found the whole thing kind of stressful even though I don’t think it was intended to be. The premise is super cool though, and it was fun to think about how life could have evolved in totally different ways given different environments. I really like Becky Chambers as an Author, but I think the Monk and Robot series blows this book out of the water. Maybe it’s partly because I related to those characters a lot more than the ones in this book. All in all, this was a good book and a quick read, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes space and science and exploration. Personally, it just didn’t wow me.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
*chef's kiss*
Exactly what I needed to get out of a reading slump.
I would havetold them to stay out there. Do what makes you happy. I am gone, but you are not
Exactly what I needed to get out of a reading slump.
I would have
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Maybe I'm biased because I just finished it but it's the best sci-fi book I ever read ! The world building is rich even if the book is short, and it's kinda I topical but realistic at the same time. We can relate a lot to the characters and the story makes us think about big questions about life. The end makes it perfect - how it implicates the reader is what makes me put 5 stars . The book doesn't answer all the questions it asks but it's not a problem.
Sci-fi is definitely not my go to in the same way that fantasy is, which is why a chunk of my Shorty September choices have been sci-fi and other less read (by me) genres.
This was the first of the sci-fi I have tried out this month, and I have to say I loved it! When I think of sci-fi I think of aliens and time-travel and camp travellers (Doctor Who. I think of Doctor Who.) Because of this, I think that To Be Taught was the perfect choice for me to start with. It was really nothing like my preconceptions of sci-fi!
It's about a group of 4 astronauts who are exploring deep space in their rocket, travelling light-years between planets of all different terrains, with the use of somaforming- changing the human's body in order to better adapt to a different atmosphere, such as shiny skin to encourage reflecting low light levels when the planet is far from a light source. For the most part it documents the day to day happenings, but it also explores the morality and ethics of visiting planets who might already contain life. Is it safe, for either party? Is it humane? Will the astronauts disrupt their lives and development?
I really really enjoyed reading this for that very reason. The only reason that the book lost .5 of a star was because of the small sections of niche info dump, which down the line is explained (which I won't spoil), but it did still mean I was occasionally skipping over sections, which I don't think is what you should want!
Would recommend for: new to sci-fi, quick read (but not for reluctant readers), ethics and morality theme lovers, people who don't usually go for sci-fi.
This was the first of the sci-fi I have tried out this month, and I have to say I loved it! When I think of sci-fi I think of aliens and time-travel and camp travellers (Doctor Who. I think of Doctor Who.) Because of this, I think that To Be Taught was the perfect choice for me to start with. It was really nothing like my preconceptions of sci-fi!
It's about a group of 4 astronauts who are exploring deep space in their rocket, travelling light-years between planets of all different terrains, with the use of somaforming- changing the human's body in order to better adapt to a different atmosphere, such as shiny skin to encourage reflecting low light levels when the planet is far from a light source. For the most part it documents the day to day happenings, but it also explores the morality and ethics of visiting planets who might already contain life. Is it safe, for either party? Is it humane? Will the astronauts disrupt their lives and development?
I really really enjoyed reading this for that very reason. The only reason that the book lost .5 of a star was because of the small sections of niche info dump, which down the line is explained (which I won't spoil), but it did still mean I was occasionally skipping over sections, which I don't think is what you should want!
Would recommend for: new to sci-fi, quick read (but not for reluctant readers), ethics and morality theme lovers, people who don't usually go for sci-fi.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I enjoyed this, as I always do with Becky Chambers, but I don’t think this one will stick with me as much as her others will.
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
In alignment to Alien: Resurrection, I believe Becky Chambers is a robot, because it‘s not natural to be able to describe this human thing so well. You want to drink a beer with this crew and it is just so fun to be on their way with them. Add to that a bit of Reflexion on the nature of exploration, and you have a perfect book