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lamalo's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.5
trin's review against another edition
3.0
Thoughtful, moving, no real plot to speak of. I love Chambers' world, especially how humanity interacts with different alien cultures, and how those cultures react to humans -- we are not the Most Special People in the universe, for once, and it's very refreshing. But most of the heavy lifting in that regard was done in the prior two books. These books are sort of a series, and sort of a set of linked standalones, and this particular novel wouldn't hold up great on its own, I think. It has very little internal momentum; it's a quiet book. This is both good and bad: it made for a relaxing experience, though not an especially engaging one.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is still the most fun in the series; A Closed and Common Orbit is the most intelligent and original. This book was nice.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is still the most fun in the series; A Closed and Common Orbit is the most intelligent and original. This book was nice.
bassgirl456's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.75
nanananabatman's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
this book was absolutely beautiful. the search for the meaning in life on a spaceship that's already served its purpose. this book struck home.
emma_dch's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.75
itmealex'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? It's complicated
5.0
sglaser's review against another edition
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
ajustice14's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.25
bergha1998's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
Becky Chambers is magical, it was heartbreakingly beautiful like all her damn books. We jump around with all of these characters in another piece of this universe she has created and come out of it learning more about herself. I will never get over how much I love her books and writing.
Sci-Fi, Philosophical Discussions, Diversity
“So many years of training and study, always striving, always chasing the idea at the end of the road. She’d reached that end by now. She had everything she had set out to do. So now… what? What came next? Do well, be consistent, keep things up for however long she had?”
“Humans aren’t really supposed to do anything in particular, and we get to choose the kind of lives we have. But that doesn’t mean any of it has a point.”
“If the only reason you want to do it is because you’re looking for a point, you’re going to end up miserable. You’ll float around forever trying to make peace with that.”
“Give me someone who wants it and had to work for it any day.”
“Figure out what you love, specifically. In detail. Figure out what you want to keep. Figure out what you want to change. Otherwise, it’s not love. It’s clinging to the familiar— to the comfortable.”
Sci-Fi, Philosophical Discussions, Diversity
“So many years of training and study, always striving, always chasing the idea at the end of the road. She’d reached that end by now. She had everything she had set out to do. So now… what? What came next? Do well, be consistent, keep things up for however long she had?”
“Humans aren’t really supposed to do anything in particular, and we get to choose the kind of lives we have. But that doesn’t mean any of it has a point.”
“If the only reason you want to do it is because you’re looking for a point, you’re going to end up miserable. You’ll float around forever trying to make peace with that.”
“Give me someone who wants it and had to work for it any day.”
“Figure out what you love, specifically. In detail. Figure out what you want to keep. Figure out what you want to change. Otherwise, it’s not love. It’s clinging to the familiar— to the comfortable.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, and Grief
bhnmt61's review against another edition
4.0
Generations ago, a fleet of ships left a devastated earth and struck out to see what they could find. Chambers imagines a fascinating future society in detail. In fact, the bulk of this book is about describing what life would be like in such a fleet, contrasted with the alien races they encounter. Her most surprising insight is that all this time later, the push-pull between "stay with what we have" and "strike out for something different" is still relevant. Thoroughly enjoyed this entry in the Wayfarers series, even though--as other reviewers' have mentioned-- the emphasis is less on an over-arching plot and more on understanding the Exodans' lives. It gets a little preachy at times, but the cast of characters she creates were interesting enough to pull me in.