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luxton's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism, Colonisation, Transphobia, and Suicide attempt
amandadevoursbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is an interesting book. It's a first contact novel. In 2080, nation states have less power, dandelion networks maintain governance units that work on reclaiming watersheds. Corporations have been confined to artificial islands with strict rules of engagement. When aliens arrive in Maine, our protagonist and her wife and baby are the first to meet the aliens, and it throws all three groups in conflict to meet the aliens.
This book has a lot going on. The aliens are truly alien and are, in fact, two alien species that live symbiotically. They believe firmly that sentient speices cannot live on a planet and must live in the stars. They want earth to become the third symbiotes.
The dandelion networks use facilitation, human-centered design, and algorithms to make decisions. Post contact, their network goes down, and they think that the corporations are behind it. The Dandelion networks made first contact and in charge of the relationship with the first ship.
Can they figure out how to collaborate as a species with the aliens? Can they navigate the cultural issues across humanity and with the aliens?
All of this is set around a future where humans are not bound by the gender-binary, each group has different gender norms, and the aliens only trust and want to talk to mothers. The complexity was interesting, and it gave a lot of paths for me, as a reader, to follow. It will not be for everyone. Additionaly, some readers complained about how much the child rearing among the aliens and humans were discussed. I found it refreshing how much child care, nursing, nappies, and night feedings played into the story.
The voice of each character felt very similar, particularly between the initial aliens and the family unit they meet. I think this may have been a choice to employ the characters as a unified Greek chorus, but it was monotonous. I also found the main characters insistence on staying on earth and denying others experiencing hunger immediate safety short-sighted and frankly selfish.
The ending was fairly simple given the complexity of the rest of the book. The addition of the alien to the couple's family sex included made sense but felt forced. This book though did raise lots of interesting questions, and I will be thinking about it for a long time.
This book has a lot going on. The aliens are truly alien and are, in fact, two alien species that live symbiotically. They believe firmly that sentient speices cannot live on a planet and must live in the stars. They want earth to become the third symbiotes.
The dandelion networks use facilitation, human-centered design, and algorithms to make decisions. Post contact, their network goes down, and they think that the corporations are behind it. The Dandelion networks made first contact and in charge of the relationship with the first ship.
Can they figure out how to collaborate as a species with the aliens? Can they navigate the cultural issues across humanity and with the aliens?
All of this is set around a future where humans are not bound by the gender-binary, each group has different gender norms, and the aliens only trust and want to talk to mothers. The complexity was interesting, and it gave a lot of paths for me, as a reader, to follow. It will not be for everyone. Additionaly, some readers complained about how much the child rearing among the aliens and humans were discussed. I found it refreshing how much child care, nursing, nappies, and night feedings played into the story.
The voice of each character felt very similar, particularly between the initial aliens and the family unit they meet. I think this may have been a choice to employ the characters as a unified Greek chorus, but it was monotonous. I also found the main characters insistence on staying on earth and denying others experiencing hunger immediate safety short-sighted and frankly selfish.
The ending was fairly simple given the complexity of the rest of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Classism, and Sexism
toopunkrockforshul's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Absolutely loved this book, so Jewish in both values and in actual representation and makes me feel like maybe things will be okay in the world one day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Sexism
Moderate: Dysphoria, Xenophobia, Mental illness, Colonisation, Pregnancy, and Antisemitism
Minor: Sexual content, Transphobia, Genocide, Religious bigotry, and Outing
maeverose's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.5
TL;DR: I liked the themes and representation much more than the plot or execution. It was too dense for me, as well as too long. I struggled to understand the political negotiations, which make up the majority of the book. The tech/worldbuilding was never fully explained. It ended up boring me, unfortunately.
This book definitely isn’t for everyone. It’s largely political negotiations and navigating each other’s different cultures, which I can definitely see some people loving, but for me it was boring and often confusing. I really struggled with the political language throughout. I liked the leftist take, but the language made it hard for me to understand, and I felt like I was missing a lot. The technology and worldbuilding wasn’t really clearly explained. I grasped it better as the book went on, but I’m still not confident I fully understood it. I did enjoy the topics, the exploration of gender identity and expression (though I do think that was overdone a bit, especially with the Asterions, and that’s coming from a genderqueer person), the different ways of parenting, the Ringer’s culture. I liked the inclusion of queer and disabled people, as well as a jewish protagonist. However there were no obvious people of color. Nobody’s skin color or race is ever mentioned, that I noticed.
This book definitely isn’t for everyone. It’s largely political negotiations and navigating each other’s different cultures, which I can definitely see some people loving, but for me it was boring and often confusing. I really struggled with the political language throughout. I liked the leftist take, but the language made it hard for me to understand, and I felt like I was missing a lot. The technology and worldbuilding wasn’t really clearly explained. I grasped it better as the book went on, but I’m still not confident I fully understood it. I did enjoy the topics, the exploration of gender identity and expression (though I do think that was overdone a bit, especially with the Asterions, and that’s coming from a genderqueer person), the different ways of parenting, the Ringer’s culture. I liked the inclusion of queer and disabled people, as well as a jewish protagonist. However there were no obvious people of color. Nobody’s skin color or race is ever mentioned, that I noticed.
One thing I surprisingly (being a childfree genderqueer person) loved was the representation of motherhood in this book. To see people casually breastfeeding without judgment during a first contact meeting with aliens was so refreshing. Sci fi has historically been such a male dominated genre full of misogyny that its really is nice to have a book like this for a change. I also really liked the non traditional family dynamic, with co-parenting and queer parents.
I wanted to love this book based on the synopsis and my newfound love for cozy sci fi, but unfortunately it wasn’t quite what I wanted. Still a good book, just didn’t work for me.
I wanted to love this book based on the synopsis and my newfound love for cozy sci fi, but unfortunately it wasn’t quite what I wanted. Still a good book, just didn’t work for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Sexual content, Colonisation, and Excrement
Minor: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Eating disorder, Cursing, and Transphobia
There isn’t an actual eating disorder, just lots of mentions of food which could be triggering.kylieqrada's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
4.0
This book is something else. If I had to compare it to anything, I guess the Earthseed duology by Octavia Butler comes to mind in that it almost reads like a manifesto for a post-apocalyptic Earth. But it's also like super warm and cozy in a way? You really have to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Transphobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
mandkips's review
challenging
hopeful
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Sexual content
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Transphobia, and Kidnapping
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
ouroredux's review against another edition
adventurous
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Transphobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
enchantressreads's review
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
A Half-Built Garden is a timely novel where, in the not so distant future, humanity first comes into contact with aliens. It’s been years since Earth was finally able to somewhat bring themselves back from near extinction due to climate change. The Dandelion Networks are grassroots programs around the world that have worked hard to bring the Earth back to homeostasis. It’s not perfect, but the harder they work, the better the Earth will get.
The aliens have come to save humanity. Judy, who works at the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, believes Earth is capable of sustaining humanity. This leads to an adventure combining two very different cultures in order to come to an understanding—Earth doesn’t need saving, because it’s already saved.
I can’t stress how important this novel is. It is bleak, I won’t lie, but it is also tinged with hope. The Dandelion Network was considered the rebels. The corporations still exist, but TDN realized they didn’t need their help, and worked on their own to save Earth. This is important. Corporations are more than willing to throw their home away for money, but there are plenty of people left behind who want to save the only planet they’ve ever known.
From my understanding, this isn’t a series. The novel ended in a way that was both an end, and left it open for a possible sequel or spin off. I’d love to see more from this world. There was so much to it, and there are so many avenues that can be explored in the future.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for the chance to read this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
CW for colonization, transphobia, religious bigotry, and suicidal thoughts
The aliens have come to save humanity. Judy, who works at the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, believes Earth is capable of sustaining humanity. This leads to an adventure combining two very different cultures in order to come to an understanding—Earth doesn’t need saving, because it’s already saved.
I can’t stress how important this novel is. It is bleak, I won’t lie, but it is also tinged with hope. The Dandelion Network was considered the rebels. The corporations still exist, but TDN realized they didn’t need their help, and worked on their own to save Earth. This is important. Corporations are more than willing to throw their home away for money, but there are plenty of people left behind who want to save the only planet they’ve ever known.
From my understanding, this isn’t a series. The novel ended in a way that was both an end, and left it open for a possible sequel or spin off. I’d love to see more from this world. There was so much to it, and there are so many avenues that can be explored in the future.
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for the chance to read this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
CW for colonization, transphobia, religious bigotry, and suicidal thoughts
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Transphobia and Religious bigotry
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
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