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A review by emmacatereads
Seven of Infinities by Aliette de Bodard
4.0
Who ever knew a spaceship could make me feel so romantic?
Seven of Infinites is at once a murder mystery, a space opera, and a heartwarming romance. Vân is a scholar with a secret--the memory implant in her mind who assists her scholarship isn't sanctioned at all, but rather a creation of her own design. 'The Wild Orchid in Sunless Woods' is a mindship in Vân's poetry club, once a dashing and high-profile thief, now living a semi-retired life in space. The two are drawn together by the mystery of a body discovered in the quarters of Vân's student.
I have limited experience with de Bodard's Xuya Universe besides the remarkable 'Tea Master and the Detective’, but I found this novella to be on par with that one, if not exceeding it. The world-building insinuated itself throughout the story in clever details that caught my attention—personal bots worn as jewelry, holographic street food designed for consumption by the walking avatars of ships--all of it was artfully constructed and not overwhelming. Furthermore, Vân and Sunless Woods were compelling protagonists. I was especially enraptured by the artful and alien descriptions of Sunless Woods—at once a vast spaceship and a human-esque avatar—and the way that her years of experience and knowledge guarded a tender, human core. Vân was brave and driven and I sympathized with her plight as a broader meditation on class and the accessibility of scholarship. Their romance was delightful and unique and had me murmuring "awww" quietly to myself in my living room. I'm a sucker for well-writen sapphics :)
As always, I'm struck by de Bodard's ability to weave together Vietnamese culture, social commentary, and well-paced action to create an irresistible story. Seven of Inifinites was an all-around good read.
Seven of Infinites is at once a murder mystery, a space opera, and a heartwarming romance. Vân is a scholar with a secret--the memory implant in her mind who assists her scholarship isn't sanctioned at all, but rather a creation of her own design. 'The Wild Orchid in Sunless Woods' is a mindship in Vân's poetry club, once a dashing and high-profile thief, now living a semi-retired life in space. The two are drawn together by the mystery of a body discovered in the quarters of Vân's student.
I have limited experience with de Bodard's Xuya Universe besides the remarkable 'Tea Master and the Detective’, but I found this novella to be on par with that one, if not exceeding it. The world-building insinuated itself throughout the story in clever details that caught my attention—personal bots worn as jewelry, holographic street food designed for consumption by the walking avatars of ships--all of it was artfully constructed and not overwhelming. Furthermore, Vân and Sunless Woods were compelling protagonists. I was especially enraptured by the artful and alien descriptions of Sunless Woods—at once a vast spaceship and a human-esque avatar—and the way that her years of experience and knowledge guarded a tender, human core. Vân was brave and driven and I sympathized with her plight as a broader meditation on class and the accessibility of scholarship. Their romance was delightful and unique and had me murmuring "awww" quietly to myself in my living room. I'm a sucker for well-writen sapphics :)
As always, I'm struck by de Bodard's ability to weave together Vietnamese culture, social commentary, and well-paced action to create an irresistible story. Seven of Inifinites was an all-around good read.