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pickett22's review against another edition
4.0
The first 45% of this book I absolutely hated while listening to it. I slammed around my house, frothing at the mouth. More than once I angrily stopped mid-sentence because I was so pissed at what was going on. And I was made more angry by the knowledge that I was supposed to be finding this funny; it's all framed as this hilarious social calamity.
And then the dinner party happened.
Through the whole first half I kept wishing an adult would show up and smack the kids across their collective faces (please note, at this point the kids are fucking 30 years old). I didn't care if it was Gregor, Aral, or Cordelia, I just wanted SOMEONE to interject some sense and perspective.
When Ekaterine bounced off Aral Vorkosigan I actually started to cry.
And while I know that the kids (read:Miles) acknowledged their (his) horrific behavior, and it was actually dealt with pretty well, I'm still sulky about it. I'll come back to my sulky. I was SO relieved after Cordelia and Miles' conversation ("You're not apologizing to try and win her back, you're apologizing because she deserves an apology") and I loved the reference to Miles' childhood in making him understand what he had done and how it couldn't be fixed; it could only be forgiven or not.
Once Miles got his head out of his ass, and the other kids too got some kind of direction, I enjoyed the book a LOT more. I was shrieking with laughter at one point, and I blazed through the second half really quickly. It was REALLY good. It was so funny, and so interesting! I loved the politics of it!
I gotta say, though, I found the Escobar scientist guy to be really annoying, and I was not interested in that side of the plot.
The whole Miles/Ekaterine thing was dealt with well enough that I could enjoy the rest of the book (and it was really worth enjoying) but it still leaves such a sour taste in my mouth (sulk sulk sulk). Ekaterine's pain was so unnecessary. I felt like I was supposed to be laughing at Miles but I couldn't stop weeping for Ekaterine long enough to manage it. Komarr was so good, and even with the acknowledgement that Miles was being an asshole, in the face of what happened in the last book this felt... cruel.
So yeah, I dunno. The second half of this book is amazing, but the whole thing is fairly soured for me. Even as well handled as it was, I'm grumpy it happened to begin with. I have very, very mixed feelings about this book.
Quick edit, for some things I should mention: the integration of classical romance elements was amazing. The references to the madwoman in the attic were fantastic, and I loved the Jane Eyre twist. It's nothing short of impressive from a purely literary standpoint.
But I'm still sulky.
And then the dinner party happened.
Through the whole first half I kept wishing an adult would show up and smack the kids across their collective faces (please note, at this point the kids are fucking 30 years old). I didn't care if it was Gregor, Aral, or Cordelia, I just wanted SOMEONE to interject some sense and perspective.
When Ekaterine bounced off Aral Vorkosigan I actually started to cry.
And while I know that the kids (read:Miles) acknowledged their (his) horrific behavior, and it was actually dealt with pretty well, I'm still sulky about it. I'll come back to my sulky. I was SO relieved after Cordelia and Miles' conversation ("You're not apologizing to try and win her back, you're apologizing because she deserves an apology") and I loved the reference to Miles' childhood in making him understand what he had done and how it couldn't be fixed; it could only be forgiven or not.
Once Miles got his head out of his ass, and the other kids too got some kind of direction, I enjoyed the book a LOT more. I was shrieking with laughter at one point, and I blazed through the second half really quickly. It was REALLY good. It was so funny, and so interesting! I loved the politics of it!
I gotta say, though, I found the Escobar scientist guy to be really annoying, and I was not interested in that side of the plot.
The whole Miles/Ekaterine thing was dealt with well enough that I could enjoy the rest of the book (and it was really worth enjoying) but it still leaves such a sour taste in my mouth (sulk sulk sulk). Ekaterine's pain was so unnecessary. I felt like I was supposed to be laughing at Miles but I couldn't stop weeping for Ekaterine long enough to manage it. Komarr was so good, and even with the acknowledgement that Miles was being an asshole, in the face of what happened in the last book this felt... cruel.
So yeah, I dunno. The second half of this book is amazing, but the whole thing is fairly soured for me. Even as well handled as it was, I'm grumpy it happened to begin with. I have very, very mixed feelings about this book.
Quick edit, for some things I should mention: the integration of classical romance elements was amazing. The references to the madwoman in the attic were fantastic, and I loved the Jane Eyre twist. It's nothing short of impressive from a purely literary standpoint.
But I'm still sulky.
writerethink's review against another edition
5.0
This is such a fun book! I enjoyed seeing Miles be SUCH a dumbass in the courtship department. All of the relationships that end up happening in this book are sweet and wonderful.
duffypratt's review against another edition
5.0
This book was thoroughly charming, with a dinner party in one chapter that ranks among the funniest things I've ever read. It's dedicated to Jane (Austen), Charlotte (Bronte), Georgette (Heyer) and Dorothy (L. Sayers). And it's subtitled "A Comedy of Manners and Biology." That's an unusual mix for a science fiction novel, but Bujold makes it work almost effortlessly.
Miles is determined to marry Ekaterina, and courts her with much of the same calculation and obsessive determination that he brings to everything else. That works less well in matters of love than it had for him as a fake Admiral of a space fleet. In the meantime, his brother is starting a galactic changing new enterprise based on the genetic engineering of bugs who produce edible vomit. And there are a couple of disputed seats on the Vor council that may be up for grabs.
Mix all of those things together and you get a delightful romp that sits equally well in thoughtful commentary, some surprising action, and ridiculously funny slapstick. Moreover, the reason it all works so well is because of how thoroughly well Bujold has drawn her extensive cast of characters in the earlier books. The things that they do are both absurd and perfectly natural based on what we already know about them.
This is by far my favorite of the Vorkosigan books, and I was already enjoying these books immensely. Bujold is truly a wonderful writer and, now, I am not only looking forward to the remainder of the Miles books, but I think I will also pick up her other books somewhere along the line.
Miles is determined to marry Ekaterina, and courts her with much of the same calculation and obsessive determination that he brings to everything else. That works less well in matters of love than it had for him as a fake Admiral of a space fleet. In the meantime, his brother is starting a galactic changing new enterprise based on the genetic engineering of bugs who produce edible vomit. And there are a couple of disputed seats on the Vor council that may be up for grabs.
Mix all of those things together and you get a delightful romp that sits equally well in thoughtful commentary, some surprising action, and ridiculously funny slapstick. Moreover, the reason it all works so well is because of how thoroughly well Bujold has drawn her extensive cast of characters in the earlier books. The things that they do are both absurd and perfectly natural based on what we already know about them.
This is by far my favorite of the Vorkosigan books, and I was already enjoying these books immensely. Bujold is truly a wonderful writer and, now, I am not only looking forward to the remainder of the Miles books, but I think I will also pick up her other books somewhere along the line.
rachel_abby_reads's review against another edition
3.0
I like bujold's writing, she is funny and smart for the most part. But she is much more comfortable with diverse sexual experimentation than I am, and I'm not crazy about it in my books, either.
jessesh's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
- 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
5.0
lizbusby's review against another edition
4.0
Didn't notice until 1/3 through that this is a book at the end of several related series. Still loved it. Don't think I'll read the others, since what I enjoyed about this book was the mash-up of high sci-fi with Jane Austen-like comedy of manners and romance. Great fun and sincere romance.
f18's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Deadnaming, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, and Alcohol
ccgwalt's review against another edition
5.0
SFR Reading Challenge 2012
Grade A+
Miles is in love! Unfortunately, he seems fairly inept at wooing the object of his affection. Miles met Ekaterin on the planet Komarr (and in the book [b:Komarr|61884|Komarr (Vorkosigan Saga, #11)|Lois McMaster Bujold|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1322572043s/61884.jpg|1129294]) when he went to investigate an accident involving a solar mirror. Ekaterin is widowed during that time and returns to Barayar with her young son. Miles plots a campaign to win her heart and beat out all the other eligible men who are soon showing up on Ekaterin's doorstep. Woven seemlessly into the courtship of Miles and Ekaterin are several other story lines involving love, honor, political intrigue and Butter Bugs.
Bujold must have had fun writing this book, and I certainly had fun reading it. The dinner scene alone is worth the price of admission. The many characters are so well drawn, even the secondary characters. Bujold writes great characters, even the ones you want to throttle. Of course at several points in this book you may want to throttle Miles, but at other times his love for Ekaterin will warm your heart.
While this book can stand alone, in my opinion it would lose some impact if you don't know the back story on the characters, especially Miles and Ekaterin. It also helps to know who Mark is (Miles' clone) and some of the history and social structure of Barayar and the other planets. I've listened to or read [b:Shards of Honour|61903|Shards of Honour (Vorkosigan Saga, #1)|Lois McMaster Bujold|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327967143s/61903.jpg|9673658] (where Miles' parents meet--fabulous book), [b:The Warrior's Apprentice|61906|The Warrior's Apprentice (Vorkosigan Saga #3)|Lois McMaster Bujold|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170597854s/61906.jpg|2792] (the first book in the series about Miles), [b:The Vor Game|68483|The Vor Game (Vorkosigan Saga, #4)|Lois McMaster Bujold|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1322571824s/68483.jpg|1129239], and the above mentioned Komarr. I highly recommended all the books and I plan to read more.
Grade A+
Miles is in love! Unfortunately, he seems fairly inept at wooing the object of his affection. Miles met Ekaterin on the planet Komarr (and in the book [b:Komarr|61884|Komarr (Vorkosigan Saga, #11)|Lois McMaster Bujold|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1322572043s/61884.jpg|1129294]) when he went to investigate an accident involving a solar mirror. Ekaterin is widowed during that time and returns to Barayar with her young son. Miles plots a campaign to win her heart and beat out all the other eligible men who are soon showing up on Ekaterin's doorstep. Woven seemlessly into the courtship of Miles and Ekaterin are several other story lines involving love, honor, political intrigue and Butter Bugs.
Bujold must have had fun writing this book, and I certainly had fun reading it. The dinner scene alone is worth the price of admission. The many characters are so well drawn, even the secondary characters. Bujold writes great characters, even the ones you want to throttle. Of course at several points in this book you may want to throttle Miles, but at other times his love for Ekaterin will warm your heart.
While this book can stand alone, in my opinion it would lose some impact if you don't know the back story on the characters, especially Miles and Ekaterin. It also helps to know who Mark is (Miles' clone) and some of the history and social structure of Barayar and the other planets. I've listened to or read [b:Shards of Honour|61903|Shards of Honour (Vorkosigan Saga, #1)|Lois McMaster Bujold|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327967143s/61903.jpg|9673658] (where Miles' parents meet--fabulous book), [b:The Warrior's Apprentice|61906|The Warrior's Apprentice (Vorkosigan Saga #3)|Lois McMaster Bujold|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170597854s/61906.jpg|2792] (the first book in the series about Miles), [b:The Vor Game|68483|The Vor Game (Vorkosigan Saga, #4)|Lois McMaster Bujold|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1322571824s/68483.jpg|1129239], and the above mentioned Komarr. I highly recommended all the books and I plan to read more.
genizah's review against another edition
5.0
I had been avoiding rereading this one since I found it so horribly embarrassing the first time through. However, apparently knowing the outcome mitigates that marvelously, and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed all the other bits. (Dono forever!)