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mamoru's review against another edition
5.0
This short beautiful novella combines epic world-building, religion, identity and the big questions of What it means to be alive and own your own body; What to choose between duty and heart? What does it mean when your values are changing and you no longer know what you believe in?
I was equally amazed and horrified by the plot - some parts will soothe your soul while others will feel gut-wrenching. The author throws her full weight into portraying human nature as equally wonderous and despicable.
It's a quick read but I advise you take your time with it. Savour the passages describing the ship. Savour the exchanges between our characters. Savour each and every instance of authenticity, hopefulness and strength.
Follow along with:
Reverend Mother, the matriarch of our space nunnery. She is hiding a horrible secret that threatens to slip away as her mind is deteriorating. I must warn you, if you have personal experience with dementia, this might be hard to read.
Sister Gemma, the engineer of the ship, and someone who is torn between love and duty. She is a brave and beautiful woman who might inspire you if you're currently feeling lost or scared.
Sister Lucia, the ship's doctor who loves too much and has too soft of a heart (if like me you've been repeatedly told you're too sensitive, you might see yourself in her).
Sister Faustina, in charge of monitoring the communication array, the eyes and ears of the ship, and the container of secrets regardless of whether they were meant for her or not. She's awesome. If sister Lucia is the innocent, unbound kindness, Faustina is the clear and harsh gut instinct that many of us pretend not to hear.
There are two other sisters that are sort of irrelevant, a very frustrating young priest whose importance is defined by one interaction between himself and Mother Reverend.
"You're awfully quiet, Mother! said Father Giovanni. She had, frankly, forgotten he was sitting next to her."
There are other characters whose lives intertwine with our nuns, but it's best you discover them at your own pace.
The book is completely self-contained and you can either read its sequel or stop here.
Pick it up if you're looking for a fast-paced, thought-provoking, epic sci-fi novella that packs as much action as it does emotion in just under 200 pages.
I was equally amazed and horrified by the plot - some parts will soothe your soul while others will feel gut-wrenching. The author throws her full weight into portraying human nature as equally wonderous and despicable.
It's a quick read but I advise you take your time with it. Savour the passages describing the ship. Savour the exchanges between our characters. Savour each and every instance of authenticity, hopefulness and strength.
Follow along with:
Reverend Mother, the matriarch of our space nunnery. She is hiding a horrible secret that threatens to slip away as her mind is deteriorating. I must warn you, if you have personal experience with dementia, this might be hard to read.
Sister Gemma, the engineer of the ship, and someone who is torn between love and duty. She is a brave and beautiful woman who might inspire you if you're currently feeling lost or scared.
Sister Lucia, the ship's doctor who loves too much and has too soft of a heart (if like me you've been repeatedly told you're too sensitive, you might see yourself in her).
Sister Faustina, in charge of monitoring the communication array, the eyes and ears of the ship, and the container of secrets regardless of whether they were meant for her or not. She's awesome. If sister Lucia is the innocent, unbound kindness, Faustina is the clear and harsh gut instinct that many of us pretend not to hear.
There are two other sisters that are sort of irrelevant, a very frustrating young priest whose importance is defined by one interaction between himself and Mother Reverend.
"You're awfully quiet, Mother! said Father Giovanni. She had, frankly, forgotten he was sitting next to her."
There are other characters whose lives intertwine with our nuns, but it's best you discover them at your own pace.
The book is completely self-contained and you can either read its sequel or stop here.
Pick it up if you're looking for a fast-paced, thought-provoking, epic sci-fi novella that packs as much action as it does emotion in just under 200 pages.
maddie_reads_stuff's review
4.0
I'm not sure that a book which culminates in a defeated government expanding its control by intentionally giving people contaminated vaccines is really what I needed right now (less than 1 month after Trump's defeat in the election and as COVID vaccines are going to be approved any week now), but it was still a very enjoyable read.
midici's review against another edition
4.0
*spoilers*
I loved this. I don't think I can pinpoint any one aspect; the entire story worked as a whole. Beginning with the theology about whether their living ship needs to abide by the vows of their order? I'm IN. Give me the weird space theology about your living ship, I NEED IT.
The sisters were so fascinating, each painted just enough to give you their character without taking up too much space. Their interactions with each other in the original discussion giving way to how they spend their time, whether solitary or together, and how their differences creep in between and around their faith.
The sisters work out in space, far from the Church and from Earth Central Governance. They spend most of their time doing medical work, blessing babies, ordaining marriages, (and almost no time bothering people with conversion) and they like it that way. When they start to receive worrying whispers about a new pope and an increasingly active Earth military it sparks remembrances about the past war and makes each sister question where it is they must go from here - and what choices they may have to make for their faith, even against the so-called authority of the Church.
Gemma's romance with the engineer from another ship, Lucia's determination to love everyone and save them all, Faustina's practical nature and unofficial position as secret-keeper - between the three of them the plot orbits and unfolds. Continually, the sisters reach out to each other and to the people around them, because what else are you supposed to do in the vast reaches of space? How else could you live with yourself?
The Reverend Mother had her own part to play, confronting her past at the last moment, in order to save the sisters she led for decades, a penance for the sins she felt she enabled during the last war. I half thought she might make one last recorded message to send out to the stars, as a warning or a lesson, but this story was about trying to save just one colony. It seems right that she would sacrifice herself here just to save her own small family.
I loved this. I don't think I can pinpoint any one aspect; the entire story worked as a whole. Beginning with the theology about whether their living ship needs to abide by the vows of their order? I'm IN. Give me the weird space theology about your living ship, I NEED IT.
The sisters were so fascinating, each painted just enough to give you their character without taking up too much space. Their interactions with each other in the original discussion giving way to how they spend their time, whether solitary or together, and how their differences creep in between and around their faith.
The sisters work out in space, far from the Church and from Earth Central Governance. They spend most of their time doing medical work, blessing babies, ordaining marriages, (and almost no time bothering people with conversion) and they like it that way. When they start to receive worrying whispers about a new pope and an increasingly active Earth military it sparks remembrances about the past war and makes each sister question where it is they must go from here - and what choices they may have to make for their faith, even against the so-called authority of the Church.
Gemma's romance with the engineer from another ship, Lucia's determination to love everyone and save them all, Faustina's practical nature and unofficial position as secret-keeper - between the three of them the plot orbits and unfolds. Continually, the sisters reach out to each other and to the people around them, because what else are you supposed to do in the vast reaches of space? How else could you live with yourself?
The Reverend Mother had her own part to play, confronting her past at the last moment, in order to save the sisters she led for decades, a penance for the sins she felt she enabled during the last war. I half thought she might make one last recorded message to send out to the stars, as a warning or a lesson, but this story was about trying to save just one colony. It seems right that she would sacrifice herself here just to save her own small family.
dembury's review against another edition
5.0
Hands down one of my new favorite sci-fi stories! "Sisters" is such a thoughtful and complex look at beliefs, humanity, and the choices people choose to make, all written in beautiful yet compact prose. I'm so impressed with this world Rather has woven together and would adore to see more stories set here! An absolute 5-star read, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves stories of women in space and cozy sci-fi.
allisonm's review
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.5
aspenlenore's review against another edition
4.0
This felt new to me... nuns in space on a living ship. Most of the story was up close but still had a larger story to tell. Parts of the story felt very relevant to fears we have today and some fears of years gone by .
skrulls's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
gillilovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
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? No
4.0
stuff4bd's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Nuns in space traveling in giant slugs. A very odd premise but as sci-fi does there we’re good observations about religion and gov
ohclaire's review against another edition
4.0
A nice little space opera in a vivid world, was surprised that the nuns were catholic tho?