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A review by jayl
To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
5.0
This sci-fi novella manages perfectly to tip-toe along the fine line between being too close to reality (too 'hard' sci-fi) and being too imaginative (unexplainable technology and aliens galore). The entire setup of the story seems plausible, and even encountering a huge number of alien species feels rooted in reality somehow.
At the same time, To Be Taught, If Fortunate also hits that sweetspot of having an overall positive and optimistic feeling, while still containing enough serious setbacks, conflicts and tragedies to feel grounded.
What's more, even though the book features a cast of only four characters, it nevertheless manages to include a wide range of representation, and that without any of it feeling forced or unnatural. Becky Chambers really excels at this (and on the above point, too).
For me, this book is Space Exploration done right. The perfect book to read with a clear view of the night sky.
At the same time, To Be Taught, If Fortunate also hits that sweetspot of having an overall positive and optimistic feeling, while still containing enough serious setbacks, conflicts and tragedies to feel grounded.
What's more, even though the book features a cast of only four characters, it nevertheless manages to include a wide range of representation, and that without any of it feeling forced or unnatural. Becky Chambers really excels at this (and on the above point, too).
For me, this book is Space Exploration done right. The perfect book to read with a clear view of the night sky.