A review by katymul
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I admit that I was afraid the Murderbot Diaries were going to wander the future dystopia with new human and bot characters to interact with our hero every installment. Seeing Murderbot return to the original humans who first came to care about it felt almost as rewarding as

the summary of other employment offers from those Murderbot has saved, thinking never to see them again, and being forced to realize that it has made actual friends and allies

.

The grand gestures Murderbot has in this book are so satisfying -- both the ones for its favorite human and the pure defiance toward the end. The fact that it is prevented from being stupid about it by the skin of its teeth (or rather, the intervention of friend it doesn't realize it has) is even more heartwarming.

The story could have ended here and felt all tied up...but I'm so glad it didn't.