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inirac's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
A delightful reflection on the meaning of life. I didn’t know what to expect but I wanted to re-explore Becky Chambers other books. Really loved the gender-neutral characters who didn’t struggle with their gender. It was a fact, acknowledged, and moved on to tell a different story.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Animal death, Slavery, Self harm, Cultural appropriation, and Cursing
karapillar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Slavery, Death, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Animal death, Cursing, and Alcohol
violerwolf's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
A simple story about purpose beyond capitalism and harmony with your environment. I heard lots of good things about this book, but was disappointed by the writing style. Chambers tells you explicitly what characters are thinking and feeling, and tells you how you should feel about the details of this story. The main character(s) have little internal complexity. Due to this simplicity, I felt like I was reading a book intended for middle-high schoolers, and while there’s nothing wrong with YA, I would expect a book billed towards adults to have a lot more to say.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, and Blood
robinks's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
4.75
It took me a little while to get a grasp of the world created by Chambers, but I was still able to sit with the deeper questions and debates between Dex and Mosscap.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Slavery, and Cursing
Minor: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Alcohol
elderwoodreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Amazing, no notes, everyone should read this book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, and Sexual content
marieal's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
iconicavocado's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
theaceofpages's review
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I understand why so many people love Becky Chambers now! I finished it after reading a rather uncomfortable chapter in a different book and it brought me peace. I love the love and acceptance in its pages and we even get an agender character? (representation is so rare)
I loved Mosscap and related way too much. I too find myself surrounded by people who seem to know what their interest is while I find everything interesting! I just want to study it all. Whenever I get involved in a project I always develop some kind of side interest that ends up taking up a good chunk of my free time. I would absolutely love to learn more about the robot society! I loved the little snippets we did get. It sounds like a place I would love to live (although I don't know if I'd be welcome). I really hope that we get to see more of this in the next book. I'm a little sad at how short they are (I could have read on much longer) but at least that means it should be available from my library sooner?
I loved Mosscap and related way too much. I too find myself surrounded by people who seem to know what their interest is while I find everything interesting! I just want to study it all. Whenever I get involved in a project I always develop some kind of side interest that ends up taking up a good chunk of my free time. I would absolutely love to learn more about the robot society! I loved the little snippets we did get. It sounds like a place I would love to live (although I don't know if I'd be welcome). I really hope that we get to see more of this in the next book. I'm a little sad at how short they are (I could have read on much longer) but at least that means it should be available from my library sooner?
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal cruelty, Death, Alcohol, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, and Slavery
bookzrcoolio117's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
It’s a warm cup of tea
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing
bickleyhouse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book had been on my TBR for a while, but when another member of the reading group in which I participate raved about it, I decided to immediately check it out (along with the next book in the series). And weighing in at only 149 pages, it is a quick, easy read (similar to Martha Wells's Murderbot Diaries). But the similarities end there.
At the beginning, I will admit that I struggled just a bit. This is the first book I have ever read where the protagonist went by "they/them." I have no objection to that, so don't misunderstand me. It was just new to me, and took a few pages to get used to. Once I got used to it, the tale in this book is overwhelmingly delightful!
We are introduced to Dex, known as "Sibling Dex" to their peers. Actually, the book begins with an excerpt that allegedly comes from a historical book, that speaks of the mass exodus of the robots from the cities, when the robots gained consciousness. Then we are introduced to Sibling Dex, who has grown dissatisfied with his current vocation and has decided to leave the city and go to the villages to be a tea servant, or a "tea monk," as it is sometimes called.
So they leave the city, and are gifted a tea wagon, that is a some kind of multilevel wagon attached to a semi-electric bike called an "ox-bike." After their initial failure at tea service, because they really didn't know what they were doing, Dex leaves the city and heads toward the villages, where they spend a few months learning the craft before finally succeeding as a tea monk.
At one point, they decide to head into the wilderness to find an abandoned hermitage, and this is where the story really gets interesting. When Dex finds a spot to camp for the night, they encounter an unexpected visitor (unexpected and unwanted, to be honest); a robot who goes by the name of Splendid Speckled Mosscap. I will leave to the reader to learn where the robot's name originated.
An unlikely relationship springs from this unexpected meeting, and I will leave it at that, for this review. There is much introspection involved in this tale, as Sibling Dex struggles to figure out who they are and what their purpose is. Perhaps a subtitle of the book might be "Dex has an existential crisis."
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. As previously mentioned, I have the second book checked out, as well, but will read something else in between.
At the beginning, I will admit that I struggled just a bit. This is the first book I have ever read where the protagonist went by "they/them." I have no objection to that, so don't misunderstand me. It was just new to me, and took a few pages to get used to. Once I got used to it, the tale in this book is overwhelmingly delightful!
We are introduced to Dex, known as "Sibling Dex" to their peers. Actually, the book begins with an excerpt that allegedly comes from a historical book, that speaks of the mass exodus of the robots from the cities, when the robots gained consciousness. Then we are introduced to Sibling Dex, who has grown dissatisfied with his current vocation and has decided to leave the city and go to the villages to be a tea servant, or a "tea monk," as it is sometimes called.
So they leave the city, and are gifted a tea wagon, that is a some kind of multilevel wagon attached to a semi-electric bike called an "ox-bike." After their initial failure at tea service, because they really didn't know what they were doing, Dex leaves the city and heads toward the villages, where they spend a few months learning the craft before finally succeeding as a tea monk.
At one point, they decide to head into the wilderness to find an abandoned hermitage, and this is where the story really gets interesting. When Dex finds a spot to camp for the night, they encounter an unexpected visitor (unexpected and unwanted, to be honest); a robot who goes by the name of Splendid Speckled Mosscap. I will leave to the reader to learn where the robot's name originated.
An unlikely relationship springs from this unexpected meeting, and I will leave it at that, for this review. There is much introspection involved in this tale, as Sibling Dex struggles to figure out who they are and what their purpose is. Perhaps a subtitle of the book might be "Dex has an existential crisis."
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it. As previously mentioned, I have the second book checked out, as well, but will read something else in between.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing