A review by neuroqueer
Sisters of the Vast Black by Lina Rather

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Quick takeaways:

Protagonist(s): Passable

Antagonist(s): The Patriarchy?

Plot: Potential Here

Writing: Good

Overall: C+

Thoughts:

Nuns living on a living ship in space, spreading the word and helping those in need.  Interesting idea.

The book has lots of intrigue in the beginning. A few of the nuns’ backstories are given as each character conducts their role on the ship. There’s decent world building for a short story. The beginning felt very slow but then turned into a rushed ending. The writing is great but I left it feeling nothing. I didn’t care what happened to anyone in the story. The only character name I remember after a few days is Faustina but I think that’s just because of the name.

My favorite sci-fi series (and probably the only one) is Martha Well’s Murderbot series. It was well done enough that I want to pick up more sci-fi. I think if I started with this one first, I wouldn’t continue. It’s not a bad book by any means but it’s not amazing. The premise is amazing but the execution isn’t. I don’t think this is a gateway book for sci-fi. I think this is a good book for sci-fi fans who want a quick read.