A review by fruitcd
Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

4.0

I’ve never really considered myself a sci-fi fan, but I loved this! So complex and interesting! Surprised to see complaints about “bad” worldbuilding, because I thought the worldbuilding was complex and rich; it just didn’t hold your hand and sit you down to explain every aspect of its world to you. Honestly, this book felt a lot like Dune (which I also loved) with the way it just takes you for a ride and expects you to keep up. You will either love or hate this style of worldbuilding, for sure, but give it a chance! Lee was doing a lot of interesting stuff with gender and sexuality in 2016 that most authors are still too afraid to do in 2023. Excited to read the sequel and see where it goes for sure. Kel Cheris you will always be famous!!! 

Further context for the content warning:
We experience the memory of a side character previously being sexually coerced by a superior officer briefly at the end of the book. It is narrated as if it is happening to the main character. It’s not very explicit and focuses more on how the character felt in the aftermath, how traumatized they were, and how they rationalized the assault to themselves as a coping mechanism (“they’re my superior so they can do what they want with me” etc).
 
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