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A review by lizshayne
Perhaps the Stars by Ada Palmer
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Oh GOD this book.
Okay so, like, first of all, you have to understand that the print is TINY. It's nearly 600 pages of densely packed academic publishing style print.
(Also I'm reading the other reviews on this, which I absolutely should not do, and wow is this book polarizing.)
Palmer is writing within the Le Guin and Delany approach to science fiction; the one where what it means to engage in the process and where the nature of what it means to be human is the interesting research question that lurks at the heart of every story. How do we talk about these things we haven't figured out how to talk about is by telling stories about them and that is Palmer's project. The story she tells is SO unutterably bonkers, though, that I laughed when I was asked what the book was about. Also it took me a month to finish. I...it does not take a me a month to finish fiction.
I'm deeply curious what this series will be like on a reread and even more in audio (because heaven knows I can't read the Greek).
I don't even know anymore; this book is one of those "if there was an easier way to explain what was going on here other than writing the book, I rather think the author would have done so."
But also obviously it delighted me.
ETA: The way Palmer writes and thinks about disability in the future is not AT ALL the point of the story, but it permeates the narrative and you can see the commitment to disability acceptance and support in the way she thinks. There was a moment near the end that was so incredibly thoughtful about the disparate nature of human needs and just...in a book that is so complicated and weird and asking you to think; it's really nice to also see the "and obviously this is the ethical thing to do" as well.
Okay so, like, first of all, you have to understand that the print is TINY. It's nearly 600 pages of densely packed academic publishing style print.
(Also I'm reading the other reviews on this, which I absolutely should not do, and wow is this book polarizing.)
Palmer is writing within the Le Guin and Delany approach to science fiction; the one where what it means to engage in the process and where the nature of what it means to be human is the interesting research question that lurks at the heart of every story. How do we talk about these things we haven't figured out how to talk about is by telling stories about them and that is Palmer's project. The story she tells is SO unutterably bonkers, though, that I laughed when I was asked what the book was about. Also it took me a month to finish. I...it does not take a me a month to finish fiction.
I'm deeply curious what this series will be like on a reread and even more in audio (because heaven knows I can't read the Greek).
I don't even know anymore; this book is one of those "if there was an easier way to explain what was going on here other than writing the book, I rather think the author would have done so."
But also obviously it delighted me.
ETA: The way Palmer writes and thinks about disability in the future is not AT ALL the point of the story, but it permeates the narrative and you can see the commitment to disability acceptance and support in the way she thinks. There was a moment near the end that was so incredibly thoughtful about the disparate nature of human needs and just...in a book that is so complicated and weird and asking you to think; it's really nice to also see the "and obviously this is the ethical thing to do" as well.