A review by fannib
The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Well-written for sure, but it actually stressed me out how annoying every single character (save for Gimlet and maybe Piper) was. The first third or so was especially rough, with Tesla and her obnoxious lawyer throwing their weight around and the security chief, first appearing perfectly reasonable in arresting Shal, quickly descending into almost cartoonish assholery (presumably to justify the aforementioned obnoxiousness). Then again, I might also develop a hatred of this woman and her foul-mouthed attack dog (would she dare speak like that to someone with actual means to bury them both, I wonder?) searing enough to abandon rationality within a few minutes.

I have begrudging respect for how it sticks consistently to Tesla's very deep flaws. Too bad she suffers absolutely zero actual repercussions, and learns no lesson. I suppose it's authentic to how the uber-rich live in reality, but I could have done with less gloating and self-congratulation.

The mystery itself is fine. I'm a bit concerned about the reading comprehension of some fellow reviewers who complain about being demonized for being afraid of dogs.