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kara_bianca_reads 's review for:
Record of a Spaceborn Few
by Becky Chambers
Summary:
This is the third book in the Wayfarers trilogy and explores some characters mentioned in the first book, and primarily a number of humans living on the Exodus Fleet, a unique subgroup of humans in the intergalactic environment.
Characters 4/5:
The cast of characters in this installment in the trilogy I found fascinating, though maybe slightly less so than previous installments. Whereas previous installments placed a lot of focus on normalising the "other" and introduced us to a vast swathe of aliens and other forms of sentient life, this installment really focused on the remaining humans of the Exodus fleet. I liked everyone, but they were somehow both more relatable and more mundane. Their plights were very... I want to say, soft. Quiet. Much more introspective and careful than those that came before, which were already quiet and introspective. I personally didn't mind it, but it might go too far in this direction for some people.
Plot 4/5:
I'm giving this a four but in a vague sense, because really this book isn't plot driven. It has a minor plot threads that guides the character moments, but really this is a character focused and driven book. What does exist of a plot, I thought was well considered and well executed!
Setting and atmosphere 5/5:
The setting in this was incredibly smart. We really got to see what the initial "escape" from Earth was like, and how that translates into human behaviour in the "today" of the series. The Exodus fleet was so fascinating to read about, and their mechanisms and cultural systems are super well developed. The science and research behind I thought was also fabulously done.
Writing 4.5/5:
I love Becky Chamber's prose. Her writing is just very cleverly designed and I really enjoy it. I do think this is the slowest of her works, so if that's not really your jam, I wouldn't recommend it, but I absolutely ADORE a slow, meandering character study, so this was definitely up my alley. She does a great job reflecting on meaning-of-life style questions and I really appreciate that!
This is the third book in the Wayfarers trilogy and explores some characters mentioned in the first book, and primarily a number of humans living on the Exodus Fleet, a unique subgroup of humans in the intergalactic environment.
Characters 4/5:
The cast of characters in this installment in the trilogy I found fascinating, though maybe slightly less so than previous installments. Whereas previous installments placed a lot of focus on normalising the "other" and introduced us to a vast swathe of aliens and other forms of sentient life, this installment really focused on the remaining humans of the Exodus fleet. I liked everyone, but they were somehow both more relatable and more mundane. Their plights were very... I want to say, soft. Quiet. Much more introspective and careful than those that came before, which were already quiet and introspective. I personally didn't mind it, but it might go too far in this direction for some people.
Plot 4/5:
I'm giving this a four but in a vague sense, because really this book isn't plot driven. It has a minor plot threads that guides the character moments, but really this is a character focused and driven book. What does exist of a plot, I thought was well considered and well executed!
Setting and atmosphere 5/5:
The setting in this was incredibly smart. We really got to see what the initial "escape" from Earth was like, and how that translates into human behaviour in the "today" of the series. The Exodus fleet was so fascinating to read about, and their mechanisms and cultural systems are super well developed. The science and research behind I thought was also fabulously done.
Writing 4.5/5:
I love Becky Chamber's prose. Her writing is just very cleverly designed and I really enjoy it. I do think this is the slowest of her works, so if that's not really your jam, I wouldn't recommend it, but I absolutely ADORE a slow, meandering character study, so this was definitely up my alley. She does a great job reflecting on meaning-of-life style questions and I really appreciate that!