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A review by annemaries_shelves
The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Ann Older
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was exactly what I wanted - a semi-cozy mystery scifi novella with a sapphic pairing.
The mystery worked really well within the confines of the novella length - it had just enough clues to keep you guessing but wasn't overly complicated or drawn out. I think I need to seek out more shorter mysteries because they work well with my patience levels for getting to the resolution.
My favourite part was the world-building - the concept of building settlements on Jupiter is fascinating and I loved every detail that was revealed through the 170 pages. I want more!
Mossa and Pleiti were adorable, but I wish there were more Mossa POV chapters than just the Prologue. I think it would've felt more balanced that way. And the romance is very slow-burn - there's not a lot happening on that front aside from re-emergence of feelings/pining. I wouldn't call it a romance book - just a romantic sub-plot.
The writing was nice too and the author had a fancier and well-placed vocabulary overall. Perhaps to reflect the academic Pleiti and the hyper-intelligent Investigator Mossa...? or just her own incredible intelligence as an author.
I would absolutely want to read more in this world, and Infomocracy (which I recall the hype when it was published) has moved up my tbr list a bit now.
The mystery worked really well within the confines of the novella length - it had just enough clues to keep you guessing but wasn't overly complicated or drawn out. I think I need to seek out more shorter mysteries because they work well with my patience levels for getting to the resolution.
My favourite part was the world-building - the concept of building settlements on Jupiter is fascinating and I loved every detail that was revealed through the 170 pages. I want more!
Mossa and Pleiti were adorable, but I wish there were more Mossa POV chapters than just the Prologue. I think it would've felt more balanced that way. And the romance is very slow-burn - there's not a lot happening on that front aside from re-emergence of feelings/pining. I wouldn't call it a romance book - just a romantic sub-plot.
The writing was nice too and the author had a fancier and well-placed vocabulary overall. Perhaps to reflect the academic Pleiti and the hyper-intelligent Investigator Mossa...? or just her own incredible intelligence as an author.
I would absolutely want to read more in this world, and Infomocracy (which I recall the hype when it was published) has moved up my tbr list a bit now.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail