amphibianwitch's review against another edition

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lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

Me estaba planteando darle 3 estrellas a este libro. Está bien, la narración es entretenida, el wordbuilding es chulo y los personajes son interesantes. Ha habido ciertas cosas, como que la narración fuera tan parcial a favor de según que personajes o algunas partes de exposición que se me hicieron un poco rollo, pero lo normal.

Sin embargo, sí hay cosas que no puedo pasar por alto. Durante la lectura no me estaba dando la sensación de que el libro fuese muy trans-friendly ni nb-friendly, pero no estaba segura de ello. Desde luego no me ha parecido nada ace ni aro-friendly, y de hecho no se lo recomendaría a una persona arromántica ni asexual. Pero lo que me ha terminado de cabrear es una cosa que pasa casi al final y que se analiza en este artículo (en inglés) mejor de lo que lo podría explicar yo. Me ha parecido dañino y me es completamente imposible reconciliarme con esta lectura tras ello. Una pena.

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dlrosebyh's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

When Rosemary Harper joins the crew of the ailing Wayfarer, she has low expectations. Even though the patched-up ship has seen better days, it nonetheless provides her with a bed, the opportunity to travel to distant parts of the galaxy, and most importantly, some separation from her past. She's never encountered anyone even quite like the ship's eclectic crew, which includes Ashby, their honorable captain, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks, who keep the ship operating, and Sissix, the exotic reptile pilot.

The hectic and crazy life on board the Wayfarer is just what Rosemary wants. The gang is going to be handed the opportunity of a lifetime, which will make things much more risky. They will live comfortably for years digging wormholes to faraway planets since it is profitable to do so. However, endangering her life wasn't in the agenda. The small Wayfarer crew will face a variety of unforeseen difficulties and exhilarating adventures in the great regions of deep space, forcing them to rely on one another. Rosemary must learn to rely on this diverse group of oddballs in order to survive, which teaches her about love and trust as well as the fact that having a family isn't necessarily the worst thing that could possibly happen.

What comes to mind when you hear the name "Becky Chambers"? I personally associate this book with found family, comfort, and space that I have discovered. Since the rumors are true—and I'm not even exaggerating—let me assure you that they are not in fact rumors. I'm thirty percent through the novel and already in tears from underdeveloped characters brought on by the discovered family. I felt like a hug after finishing this book, so I guess you could say that 2023 is off to a wonderful start.

Yes, there isn't much of a plot in this book, which is unusual for a sci-fi book. It's the definition of "no plots, only vibes," which might be quite off-putting at first. However, once you accept that there isn't a narrative, you'll be able to really enjoy this book. Becky Chambers is remarkable in that regard in terms of character. The characters are interesting, varied, and authentic. Funnily enough, they don’t seem like from another planet.

Literally, barely 10% of the book is devoted to the objective. I don't advise reading this if that offends you. The characters feel so authentic because, as has already noted, Becky Chambers spends more time developing them than she does on the plot. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm excited for the upcoming installment in the series.

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cekennamer's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful 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

5.0

It's nice to read to a story, especially a sci-fi epic, where the are no Grand Prophecies or Evil Empires or Chosen Ones Handpicked By Destiny To Save The Universe From The Machinations Of Evil. The Long Way chooses to instead focus on the "little people", more specifically a multi-species found family whose main concern isn't overthrowing space tyrants, but of completing their next wormhole tunneling job. This story may be boring to some, with pages and pages of quiet yet intimate and endearing character development and visits to fascinating alien worlds, but to me it was a breath of fresh air in a sci fi landscape that seems to care more about cgi explosions than of crafting a story that will stick with you. Also I'm a sucker for tall reptilian ladies. 

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cookiecat73's review against another edition

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lighthearted 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? No

4.25


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idun_aurora's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

What a lovely book! The detailed descriptions got a bit long-winded for me at times, hence four stars, but the characters were amazing! They make and drive the story, which I absolutely loved, making me laugh and cry, sometimes simultaneously. Definitely my kind of sci-fi.

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nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25


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catherinedsharp's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

I LOVED this book! Not just as a wonderful sci-fi read but also for the exploration of gender, character, social structures and emotions.

This book will have you laughing out loud, audibly gasping and generally emoting to the maximum. 

All of the characters are interesting, with a variety of backgrounds. Even though the races for some of them may be fictional, they seem incredibly realistic thanks to the writing style.

Overall a fun and emotional that I would highly recommend.

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opossumom's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted fast-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


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temporarilyhuman's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful 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? No

3.75


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corriejn's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This is a 5-star book not because it's some wildly innovative book, or the kind that is so all-absorbing that it leaves you with a "book hangover." But it is just a thoroughly enjoyable read. (All the CWs noted are fairly moderate-- that is, not super graphic content, and in general relate to specific events in the story.)

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