isabyrne's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
4.75
This is the second book to the Wayfarers world. After having read The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, you can read the other Wayfarers books in any order, but I would read this one next. It is a standalone that takes place during the final moments of the first book, and features characters who make a small appearance in the first book.
This book is quite different from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. At first I felt disappointed that it didn't keep following the characters from The Long Way, but I got over that very quickly — it's really special in it's own way. It still has that Becky Chambers touch that is about taking care of yourself and others.
This book is much more intimate in scope. You closely follow two characters over two timelines. This book is all about those characters' development over a long period of time. It is about the struggles of discovering oneself and finding your place in the world. It is also about finding your people in difficult circumstances. Some parts of it were sad and heartbreaking to read, but left me with an optimistic feeling. You get to know the characters really deeply and feel very protective of them and their happiness.
I really loved the parts of this book that were "on the ground" as one other reviewer put it, where you get a taste of everyday life in Becky Chambers' universe through the eyes of a character experiencing it for the first time: mingling with other species, ordering food, going to parties, reading text chats. It feels very grounded and was one of my favourite features of the book. It made a world I was already in love with feel so real and relatable.
This book is much more intimate in scope. You closely follow two characters over two timelines. This book is all about those characters' development over a long period of time. It is about the struggles of discovering oneself and finding your place in the world. It is also about finding your people in difficult circumstances. Some parts of it were sad and heartbreaking to read, but left me with an optimistic feeling. You get to know the characters really deeply and feel very protective of them and their happiness.
I really loved the parts of this book that were "on the ground" as one other reviewer put it, where you get a taste of everyday life in Becky Chambers' universe through the eyes of a character experiencing it for the first time: mingling with other species, ordering food, going to parties, reading text chats. It feels very grounded and was one of my favourite features of the book. It made a world I was already in love with feel so real and relatable.
Overall, it is a great book. It didn’t have the same impact that The Long Way did for me, because I really enjoyed the multiple-character, plot-driven nature of the first book, but it was nonetheless touching, affective, and hopeful in this author’s unique way. Becky Chambers just has this way of writing that is deeply sentimental and impactful. Her books just have so much damn HEART. At this point I will read anything in this universe that Becky Chambers puts out and can't wait to continue on with the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Dysphoria, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Slavery
effievee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Slavery
sulinde's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.0
A by turns charming, riveting and heartbreaking portrait of someone learning how to feel at home in themselves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Dysphoria, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Child abuse, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
oceanescence's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this even more than A long way to a small angry planet. Explored a very interesting concept and I found the constant switching of focus of the chapters between the two characters very engaging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Grief, and Animal death
Moderate: Cursing, Death, and Drug use
Minor: Gun violence
scifi_rat's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Cursing, Death, Grief, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Colonisation, Violence, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, and Child death
Minor: Infertility, Excrement, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Xenophobia, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Gore
mjwhitlock18's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I love all of Becky Chambers’ work and this is no different. She does sci-fi that feels cozy and satisfying and optimistic. This story explores themes of identity and purpose, along with friendship, autonomy, and creating a space for yourself in the world. It beautifully intertwines the stories of Pepper and Sidra, along with a great cast of supporting characters. 5 stars, no notes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, and Slavery
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Grief
dlrosebyh's review
adventurous
emotional
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
3.25
Lovelace was previously only an artificial intelligence on a ship. She must start again in a synthetic body in a society where people of her type are forbidden when she awakens in a new body after a complete system shutdown and reboot. Never has she felt so alone.
She is not, however, truly alone. Pepper, one of the engineers who risked life and limb to reinstall Lovelace, is determined to help her acclimate to her new surroundings. Pepper is an expert at beginning fresh, after all.
Avoid making the same mistake I did and read this book without expecting a plot-heavy story because the action doesn't start until the last 5%. Nothing in particular was wrong with it—it brought me all sorts of comfort—but i was just not in the mood for it. As a mood reader, i needed something plot heavy, so it kind of wrecked the experience for me.
This sequel follows an AI and a human with knowledge of AIs. In the first book, we meet them but don't follow them. This book is fantastic if you enjoy reading in-depth character studies and analyses. If you love character driven stories— no plot, just vibes— then this one is for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, and Slavery
Moderate: Confinement, Child death, and Grief
Minor: Infertility and Drug use
karoliiine's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Dysphoria, Slavery, Animal death, Child abuse, Ableism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Medical content, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Classism, and Grief
Minor: Infertility, Cursing, Colonisation, Gun violence, and Sexual content
dazzle_spider_reader_1212's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Cursing, Grief, and Child abuse
dancers_and_dragons's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
5.0
Becky Chambers explores what it means to be a person in every which way throughout this poignant companion to The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. While initially I was disappointed in not getting to see what the main cast of the first novel were up to, I quickly was swept up in the new family being found in this novel.
This book was heartfelt and emotional in the best of ways, from the interactions between characters to the descriptions of memories, to the heart-wrenching low moments of the two main characters when they hit their lowest points. Without giving anything away, it's the story of two who are more alike than they know trying to make it through their respective journeys and managing the hiccups that come up along the way. I deeply appreciated the world building, much as I did with Chambers' first book, and I can't wait to read the next one when I have a chance.
This book was heartfelt and emotional in the best of ways, from the interactions between characters to the descriptions of memories, to the heart-wrenching low moments of the two main characters when they hit their lowest points. Without giving anything away, it's the story of two who are more alike than they know trying to make it through their respective journeys and managing the hiccups that come up along the way. I deeply appreciated the world building, much as I did with Chambers' first book, and I can't wait to read the next one when I have a chance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, and Slavery
Moderate: Drug use, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, and Classism
Minor: Cannibalism, Medical content, Xenophobia, War, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Eating disorder