A review by gengelcox
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

I’m reading Becky Chambers’ oeuvre because someone suggested her as a possible “comparative” for the novel I’m currently seeking agent representation for. I liked the first Wayfinders book, but I thought this one was even better. Chambers matches my ideas of a positive, hopeful future that doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that there will still be bad things and people. Some call this “cozy science fiction” because it’s not about the world ending or massive space battles but about characters who struggle to find theirselves and their place in the universe. Frankly, I’m tired of world-shattering conflict; I’m not saying its bad or that it doesn’t help prepare us for the same in our own lives (I’m thinking of recent events in both Gaza and Ukraine), but most of our lives aren’t about such life-upending drama but are instead about how to get along with friends and family.

The other thing I admired about this novel is how Chambers structured it, interspersing the background story of Pepper while moving forward with the struggles of the Ai-in-a-new-body character Sidra (formerly the AI known as Lovelace), until the two stories merge together at the end with a resolution that is emotionally satisfying. Endings are hard, and I think Chambers managed to nail this one perfectly.