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tigger89's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.5
This book was incredible. I can't think of any other piece of media I've consumed that has featured a middle-aged trans women who isn't particularly femme as the protagonist, so that alone was unique. I also enjoyed the take on a utopia, where you can see how much better things are while at the same time spotting the cracks where maybe there's something less-than-perfect under the surface. Yet there isn't some grand conspiracy to uncover. This isn't the story of how the alien invaders were unmasked and repelled. The utopia is presented as a good thing, probably(though, like all good speculative fiction, it does leave you wondering a little).
Rather, this is a story that deals primarily with grief, as we follow Trina mourning not just the loss of her wife but also that of the world she remembers. She rejects the Seep, choosing to do things the old way whenever possible, a perspective that leaves her unable to cope when confronted with new views on death and rebirth. Her devotion to the old ways is ultimately so destructive that it puts her own health at risk, an apt metaphor for what humanity is doing to our planet and each other with the way we live. It's a sad story, but beautiful as well.
The one thing I thought was a little odd was how Trina's heritage was handled. She's half Jewish and half Native American. My apologies, if the nation was specified I've forgotten it and can't locate it now. While her Jewishness is reflected upon somewhat in the narrative, her Native American heritage didn't seem to be explored to any degree beyond her name: Trina FastHorse Goldberg-Oneka. Now, I'm not trying to say that a character's heritage has to be important to the plot. Of course they can just be Jewish, or Chinese, or Ojibwe, or whatever. What stood out to me here was the lopsidedness of it, where one half of her identity was recognized in the story while the other was kind of just...there. Perhaps this is a fault of the reader, that I didn't know enough to recognize the moments when it was made relevant. It's very possible.
Rather, this is a story that deals primarily with grief, as we follow Trina mourning not just the loss of her wife but also that of the world she remembers. She rejects the Seep, choosing to do things the old way whenever possible, a perspective that leaves her unable to cope when confronted with new views on death and rebirth. Her devotion to the old ways is ultimately so destructive that it puts her own health at risk, an apt metaphor for what humanity is doing to our planet and each other with the way we live. It's a sad story, but beautiful as well.
The one thing I thought was a little odd was how Trina's heritage was handled. She's half Jewish and half Native American. My apologies, if the nation was specified I've forgotten it and can't locate it now. While her Jewishness is reflected upon somewhat in the narrative, her Native American heritage didn't seem to be explored to any degree beyond her name: Trina FastHorse Goldberg-Oneka. Now, I'm not trying to say that a character's heritage has to be important to the plot. Of course they can just be Jewish, or Chinese, or Ojibwe, or whatever. What stood out to me here was the lopsidedness of it, where one half of her identity was recognized in the story while the other was kind of just...there. Perhaps this is a fault of the reader, that I didn't know enough to recognize the moments when it was made relevant. It's very possible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug use, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Death and Suicidal thoughts
brittni_in_ink's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
5.0
A story about a middle-aged trans woman dealing with an alien invasion and the loss of her wife. But what if that alien invasion made society better, and what if her wife chose to literally start her life over? These are some of the fascinating ideas that form this beautiful novella about humanity and grief, embodiment and autonomy. I loved that we're told things about the aliens and their impact on a need-to-know basis, and have some time jumps to adjust to with the main character. Just excellent writing and a sense of a personal journey throughout. It moved me beyond words.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
jazhandz's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Racism, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
booksandteatime's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol
wngwendy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
4.25
intriguing and an enjoyable read
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Suicide and Alcohol
asexualandriod's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Sexual content
The content warnings for drug use and addiction are in reference to the alien lifeforms that are present in the book. They are microscopic, in things like food and water, and their elevated presence exhibits similar symptoms to highs from drugs. The narrative surrounding the aliens is often framed as an addiction.theoreads's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
2.5
Interesting premise, deeply lackluster execution. I really wanted to love this, the blurb had me sold, but it kind of let me down. This book would have benefitted so much from stronger worldbuilding - the impact of The Seep feels almost too abstract to achieve what the author wants it to. If you want weird post-apocalyptic fiction, you’d be better off with Jeff VanderMeer’s Borne or Dead Astronauts.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
talasterism's review
challenging
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"How have we never met before? they asked again and again, but what they were really saying was, How have I only just begun to love you?"
not much of a review per se, but this book was delightful, delightful. funny and smart and easy and breezy. I really loved Trina but mostly here are my favourite quotes:
it was funny - "Trina didnt know what kind of revolution she wanted; she had trouble deciding what to eat for breakfast" and beautful - "I'm still married to her memory" "No love to keep her tethered to a form or place" "Deeba was full of life, and Trina was courting death" "The image of light reflected over water. A profound, life-aletering kiss" but also deep - "Eistance is memory" "and forever was a long time, especially now that death was an opt-in procedure."
not much of a review per se, but this book was delightful, delightful. funny and smart and easy and breezy. I really loved Trina but mostly here are my favourite quotes:
it was funny - "Trina didnt know what kind of revolution she wanted; she had trouble deciding what to eat for breakfast" and beautful - "I'm still married to her memory" "No love to keep her tethered to a form or place" "Deeba was full of life, and Trina was courting death" "The image of light reflected over water. A profound, life-aletering kiss" but also deep - "Eistance is memory" "and forever was a long time, especially now that death was an opt-in procedure."
"Trina and Deeba enacted the same circular argument until it felt like they were actors in a play going through the same performance night after night, their words hollow, their crying choreographed." THEIR CRYING CHREOGRAPHED IS SO GOOD ACTUALLY.
also special egg: inert - gay - ennie - wordle - love
"They could cycle through together endlessly, learning how to love each other in different permutations of being, in something bigger and grander and stranger than pure romance. Love as a verb, an action, an adventure in knowing. But Trina just couldn’t hack it. She was old-fashioned that way. Simultaneously, this broke both of their hearts."
"She wanted to learn how to speak again, perhaps in another language, in a land far away from the wounds of her past. " "These were the things The Seep gave us, and what it took away. "
"They could cycle through together endlessly, learning how to love each other in different permutations of being, in something bigger and grander and stranger than pure romance. Love as a verb, an action, an adventure in knowing. But Trina just couldn’t hack it. She was old-fashioned that way. Simultaneously, this broke both of their hearts."
"She wanted to learn how to speak again, perhaps in another language, in a land far away from the wounds of her past. " "These were the things The Seep gave us, and what it took away. "
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Alcohol
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Transphobia
dododenise's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was so interesting and yet so confusing. I’m not entirely sure I even got all the themes right. But yet it was all very intriguing.
It was mainly about grief, but also toxic positivity, the flaws in absolute kindness.
The concept of the Seep was so interesting. I love a good dystopia/utopia, and this certainly intrigued me.
Nonetheless, I seemed to float above the story, barely ever really entering it. I think that was due to it’s odd pace. It made the book unique, but also a very different experience which I’m not sure how to judge.
Unfortunately I didn’t like the main character all that much. It wasn’t like I couldn’t sympathise with her, but I didn’t just float over the plot, but I also floated over her. I had a hard time entering her mind.
The last quarter of the story properly confused me. I think I kind of understood what was happening and somehow it made it all so much better. It was weird and abstract, and I loved that.
It was weird but I strangely liked it. And if anything, the main concept was really cool, which is the most important part in dystopia for me.
It was mainly about grief, but also toxic positivity, the flaws in absolute kindness.
The concept of the Seep was so interesting. I love a good dystopia/utopia, and this certainly intrigued me.
Nonetheless, I seemed to float above the story, barely ever really entering it. I think that was due to it’s odd pace. It made the book unique, but also a very different experience which I’m not sure how to judge.
Unfortunately I didn’t like the main character all that much. It wasn’t like I couldn’t sympathise with her, but I didn’t just float over the plot, but I also floated over her. I had a hard time entering her mind.
The last quarter of the story properly confused me. I think I kind of understood what was happening and somehow it made it all so much better. It was weird and abstract, and I loved that.
It was weird but I strangely liked it. And if anything, the main concept was really cool, which is the most important part in dystopia for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racism and Suicidal thoughts
afriske's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcohol