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A review by caryndi
The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers
emotional
hopeful
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? N/A
4.0
It's been so long since I read the previous books in the Wayfarers series that I only have vague impressions of them. However, since we're jumping in with a new cast of characters that's only tangentially related to the prequels, I didn't feel lost.
If this book was a TV episode, I'd call it a bottle episode: The main characters all ended up stuck together for the majority of the book. The conflict was largely interpersonal/internal, and fairly low-stakes, which is in line with this series/Becky Chambers' work in general. The driving idea was that vulnerability can bring people together, and even individuals who disagree with each other on major points (and may not ever agree) can learn from each other. I enjoyed spending the brief few days with these characters, watching how they had interactions that would change the course of their lives—maybe in subtle ways, but in lasting ones. This was a gentle and hopeful read full of the idea that people can come together to help each other when times are hard.
If this book was a TV episode, I'd call it a bottle episode: The main characters all ended up stuck together for the majority of the book. The conflict was largely interpersonal/internal, and fairly low-stakes, which is in line with this series/Becky Chambers' work in general. The driving idea was that vulnerability can bring people together, and even individuals who disagree with each other on major points (and may not ever agree) can learn from each other. I enjoyed spending the brief few days with these characters, watching how they had interactions that would change the course of their lives—maybe in subtle ways, but in lasting ones. This was a gentle and hopeful read full of the idea that people can come together to help each other when times are hard.
Content Warnings
Minor: Vomit, War, Xenophobia, and Medical content