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A review by undercoverfeesh
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Reader, take note: Emily Tesh issues a content warning at the beginning of "Some Desperate Glory." It's accurate. Take it seriously.
I want to cup this book gently in my hands. It's precisely what I love about science fiction: weird and wonderful and cool technology/world-building set as a scaffold for serious questions about human nature and relationships. This book seized me and did not let me go until the end.
The protagonist, Kyr, is every bit as awful, narrow-minded, mean, and prejudiced as previous reviews said. I loved her anyway. Praise be for authors (Tamsyn Muir, R.F. Kuang, and Xiran Jay Zhao come to mind) who write vile, vengeful women who are relentless but incredibly human. I am down on one knee swearing my undying fealty.
Kyr is terrible, at the outset, but I was rooting for her by the end. She's a brainwashed teenager who has been told from infancy that her only value is in what she can offer her commanding officers, in an environment that rewards being better than your peers. Of course she's going to be awful. But she suffers and learns from that suffering and the suffering of others, and puts in the work. By the end, I was so proud of her.
All of the characters in this book felt rounded and flawed. I had such a love-hate relationship with Avi. I thought it was important that the author noted that radicalization -- that kind of trauma -- leaks out in unexpected ways, even when you think you've outrun it. Avi was such a representation of that while being in such utter denial.
I did take away 0.75 stars for some of the repetition in the writing. I know humans, and Mags and Kyr in particular, are huge compared to the aliens, and that Kyr can complete certain training scenarios within a certain number of minutes. I felt like the reader didn't need quite so many reminders.
Still, I very much enjoyed this book for its characters, unexpected plot twists, and relevant topics. 4.25 stars.
I want to cup this book gently in my hands. It's precisely what I love about science fiction: weird and wonderful and cool technology/world-building set as a scaffold for serious questions about human nature and relationships. This book seized me and did not let me go until the end.
The protagonist, Kyr, is every bit as awful, narrow-minded, mean, and prejudiced as previous reviews said. I loved her anyway. Praise be for authors (Tamsyn Muir, R.F. Kuang, and Xiran Jay Zhao come to mind) who write vile, vengeful women who are relentless but incredibly human. I am down on one knee swearing my undying fealty.
Kyr is terrible, at the outset, but I was rooting for her by the end. She's a brainwashed teenager who has been told from infancy that her only value is in what she can offer her commanding officers, in an environment that rewards being better than your peers. Of course she's going to be awful. But she suffers and learns from that suffering and the suffering of others, and puts in the work. By the end, I was so proud of her.
All of the characters in this book felt rounded and flawed. I had such a love-hate relationship with Avi. I thought it was important that the author noted that radicalization -- that kind of trauma -- leaks out in unexpected ways, even when you think you've outrun it. Avi was such a representation of that while being in such utter denial.
I did take away 0.75 stars for some of the repetition in the writing. I know humans, and Mags and Kyr in particular, are huge compared to the aliens, and that Kyr can complete certain training scenarios within a certain number of minutes. I felt like the reader didn't need quite so many reminders.
Still, I very much enjoyed this book for its characters, unexpected plot twists, and relevant topics. 4.25 stars.