Reviews

Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers

keb3's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

mysticslibrary's review against another edition

5.0

I love the Wayfarers series so much. It's nothing like any sci-fi series I have ever read and that's what makes it so special.

There is very little action like you would expect in other books in this genre. It is instead 100% character driven and setting driven.

Record of a Spaceborn few is no exception to this and it's probably my favorite in the series thus far. It was such a cozy read. I loved getting to know all of the characters. It felt like I was living their lives with them.

qujoy's review against another edition

5.0

I just love this series so much. World building full of compassion. Story focused on the quiet work of caring for children and death and sex and diplomacy on space ships.
More! More!

jenniferavignon's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

goodcoffeeandbooks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

th3_b1g_bu5h's review against another edition

4.0

My least favorite book in the series. Felt like a filler episode where there’s a lot of talking but not much happens. On its own 3.75 because it was an OK book, but as part of the series I’d give it maybe 3.5 (even 3.25) because it took a completely different turn than I hoped this series would be.

danielleafsordeh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

It took me a minute to pick this one up in the series. But, it’s probably my favorite. Archivists are such a common trope in fiction in a surface level way without much nuance or development - I loved this exploration of what our field might look like if we ended up in space. Such a beautiful book. 

miredwig's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

sarahdeborah11's review against another edition

4.0

4 stars instead of 5 this time. (Maybe I’ve got series fatigue?) Unlike the other books in the Wayfayer series, the five protagonists don’t interact with each other except in a few cases. Instead, what binds all their stories together is their intersection with the Fleet. Per usual, fascinating world building.

I especially love how Chambers lovingly wrapped up each character’s story and left me with the warm fuzzies.

[Edit: I see from reading other reviews that this one didn't hit the same for most, likely because a) Not much happens, the "plot" consists of characters wrestling through inner conflicts, and Chambers' explanation of how the Fleet works. b) The characters don't interact with each other, making it feel more disjointed. Still very glad I finished it :]

ktxx22's review against another edition

5.0

This one is more of a 4.5 than a full 5 stars but it’s still a fabulous addition to these companion novels! Everyone of these books has made me feel something very strong. Each are different emotions and I enjoyed this the least of the 3 books but that’s because the message here didn’t resonate fully with me. Becky still made me cry! She’s 3 for 3 on that front!