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ullagd's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
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
ekacecilia's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lriopel's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book. The writing was great, and I enjoyed the way the author set up the premise - not too much explanation of the backstory, just jumping right in and trusting the reader to draw the right conclusions about what came before the start of the novel. There were some definite call-backs to The Poisonwood Bible for me, not only because of the missionary theme, but also because of the idea that things that you rely on, things that are good and vital to your life in one place can be transformed into something toxic or terrible when you are in another place. I got a clear sense of the dread mixed with guilt that the main character was feeling every time he got a letter from home. The author does a great job of making the reader feel an almost tangible disconnection between the protagonist and his wife, using the literal distance between them and the contrast of their daily circumstances to paint a picture of not only the emotional disconnection between the two of them, but also the disconnection of the humans in the new settlement on Oasis from the humans back home on Earth. I found the ending a little unsatisfying, as I definitely felt uneasy about what Peter was returning to on Earth, but I think that readers were supposed to feel that at the end. Glad I read it, good book club pick!
bigbhoyreader's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
jeeno's review against another edition
I’m sorry, but when the author wrote “her breasts shook with the force of her heartbeat,” on Page 4 — right after the FMC had just gotten done pleading with her husband to pull off the side of the road on the way to the airport so he would “make love to her, please” — I was out. Lol
preparetodai's review against another edition
4.0
An beautiful exploration of faith, love, and our connections with other people. Sci-fi fans coming into this may be disappointed, as the alien world of Oasis in all its barren glory serves mostly as a device for Faber to look at humanity, to lay bare and examine our need for each other, and how we respond when our faith is tested.
hillarydanielle's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Animal death
floortje_fauna's review against another edition
4.0
Never thought I would read a story about a missionary bringing Christianity to an alien species in a far way galaxy. Weird but I liked it.
crayonroyalty's review against another edition
2.0
A great premise. Interesting plot. However, circuitous, yet plain prose and unconvincing characterization made this a book that defeated itself.