Reviews with content warning for Genocide - The Best of All Possible Worlds: A Novel

Fascinating set-up for the world and story, and parts of the subplots are great too. But the pacing is off, and events that should be a huge deal are largely left behind each time as we move onto the next thing.

I read it as a slice-of-life style ramble, and it worked well enough, but if you like a plot to come together or for there to be more than a glimpse of the Big Picture (politics, culture, society across different races), this isn't a great choice.

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rorikae's review

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adventurous reflective 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

4.5

'The Best of All Possible Worlds' by Karen Lord is an adventurous and creative sci-fi novel rooted in its complex characters.
The story centers on Grace Delarua, who is chosen to help a group of Sadiri, a people who have survived a genocide and are looking for their place on Cygnus Beta. The group travels around to different civilizations, learning more about the different cultures that populate the planet and how societies differ. As they travel, Delarua begins to feel more connected to her companions and a budding romance begins to flourish.
I am blown away by Lord's worldbuilding in this novel. The different societies are so vast and creatively crafted that it was fascinating to learn about each one. The book itself is more episodic since it moves from one society to another with the throughline of the core group. These are flawed, easy to care for characters and I appreciated how we slowly learned more about them as the story went on. Though the plot throughout is strong, this is very much a character driven book. I am fascinated to read more of Lord's work since it is clear her worldbuilding and character work are incredible. Some particular standouts from this story include the society that have transformed themselves into fae to bridge differences as well as how attending a play uncovers jealousy and murderous intent. I will definitely be returning to this book in the future to spend more time with these characters and this world.

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