Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers

34 reviews

athryn's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.0

A really fascinating read, these almost slice of life stories that Chambers does, but they just work their way in to you. Reminds me a little bit of the Emily St. John Mandel books I read earlier this year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Drug use and Grief

Minor: Xenophobia

thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition

4.0

This definitely felt more character-driven than the previous two books in the series. We've got a new cast again (I miss Rosemary!) but by the end they had grabbed my heart.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Toxic friendship and Xenophobia

Minor: Drug use

librarianmage's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Minor: Murder and Xenophobia

beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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

4.0

Becky Chambers does it again, folks.

Record of a Spaceborn Few is the third book in her Wayfarers series, and her writing style is filled with compassion and enthusiasm for the intricate world - or in this case, galaxy - she has created.

These books are not for those who like their plots fast-paced. Indeed, for the first two-thirds of Record, there is hardly any plot at all.

I would normally count myself among those who prefer a fast pace, but for Becky Chambers I've learned to make an exception. Her books are slow, for sure, but for me, I find the worldbuilding to be incredibly detailed and endlessly fascinating, so I don't get too bored.

Such was the case - yet again - for Record. It took time for me to readjust to the pace, the terminology used in this series, but once I did, I found myself intrigued and absorbed.

Chambers uses Record to explore the concept of something with which we are all familiar: what makes us human.  And here's the genius thing: she does this from the point of view of the descendants of the original humans who abandoned earth when it became uninhabitable, and built giant space ships to live in.  The characters here are largely human, with a few notable exceptions which I won't spoil here.

I've read criticism that the vision of  society depicted in Record is too idealistic to be believable, and I agree that argument has some merit. But for me personally, I'm willing to accept this idealised view, mostly because in the world we live in now, I like to be able to imagine a society where people work and live in harmony with one another. It's a fantasy, sure, but in my opinion we all need a little escapism from time to time.

To sum up, this book shows us Becky Chambers in peak form, and I look forward to reading the final book in the Wayfarers series, The Galaxy and the Ground Within.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Death

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Colonisation, Racism, Death of parent, Medical content, and War

There are detailed descriptions of the ritual Exodan practice of

dead bodies being converted into compost and those who undertake these practices

, which may be upsetting for some people. I will say that is written with care and compassion, and is for the most part, non-graphic.

addie's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Xenophobia

Minor: Abandonment and War

andloveistoolong's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, Chronic illness, Cursing, and Grief

Minor: Violence, War, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

ryankey721's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Xenophobia and Drug use

ok7a's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Xenophobia, and Death

Minor: Colonisation and Grief

novella42's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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? No

5.0

In some ways, the darkest of the Wayfarer series, but also the most beautiful. The most human. The central themes of this book remind me of Alice Walker's short story, Everyday Use. What do we preserve? What do we carry with us, and why, and how? What matters most when we're grappling with our own mortality and purpose and connection to other people who live like we do, in frail, mortal bodies in fragile, finite spaces?

I agree with some reviews that this book is slower than the others, and that the teenage character can be hard to empathize with because he's struggling with boredom and purpose. But the payoff. For me, the payoff is everything. I cry throughout this book and feel so peaceful at the end. Like I'm a little bit closer to finding my own purpose. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Medical content, and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness, Vomit, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, and Chronic illness

Minor: Death of parent, Deportation, Colonisation, Racism, Sexual content, Genocide, and War

There's a prominent scene in the book that needs a tag but isn't among those content warnings listed. Car accident is technically the closest, and I think it could be triggering for someone who had experienced that. But it's more specific, so I'm putting a slightly more detailed one behind a spoiler.

The opening chapters of the book deal with a large-scale disaster that kills tens of thousands of people. It's handled with the gravity and respect it deserves, at times zoomed away and at times very close and high definition. I think anyone who had lived through a natural or manmade disaster, especially in an urban area, would be deeply affected by these themes. It's very well written and the book follows the mental and emotional healing of several different characters, but it's worth a tag.

valleyhill's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Drug use

Minor: Colonisation, Xenophobia, and War