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leguinstan's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I really enjoyed Way Station's meditative exploration of loneliness, its ruminations on human nature, and its comforting descriptions of the rural Wisconsin countryside. Amidst the abundance of intense, high-stakes alien contact stories at our disposal, it was refreshing to read a science fiction novel with a more gentle, slice-of-life approach to human-alien interactions. While there is a growing interest in cozy sci-fi, it is still uncommon to find these kinds of stories in a distinctly rural/pastoral setting. Way Station engages with heavy philosophical concepts while scratching that certain biophilic itch that drives me towards nature writing.
I'm just disappointed that about three quarters of the way through the novel it seems the author scrabbled about for a more traditional high-stakes, action-centered finale to his story. I just felt like all the crises started coincidentally materializing at once and most of it was resolved in an unsatisfactory way. The way the FBI acted near the end required too much suspension of disbelief and the solution to one of the central problems feels completely contrived. Well OF COURSE the cosmic problem is resolved by themystical presence of the manic pixie deaf-mute girl .
I also didn't really jive with the sections of the novel that focused on the Talisman. While the sci-fi in Way Station is not remotely "hard", the story still felt grounded in reality until the introduction of the Talisman which felt too mystical and new wavey for my tastes.
Sad to say this Hugo-winning novel did not meet my expectations.
I'm just disappointed that about three quarters of the way through the novel it seems the author scrabbled about for a more traditional high-stakes, action-centered finale to his story. I just felt like all the crises started coincidentally materializing at once and most of it was resolved in an unsatisfactory way. The way the FBI acted near the end required too much suspension of disbelief and the solution to one of the central problems feels completely contrived. Well OF COURSE the cosmic problem is resolved by the
I also didn't really jive with the sections of the novel that focused on the Talisman. While the sci-fi in Way Station is not remotely "hard", the story still felt grounded in reality until the introduction of the Talisman which felt too mystical and new wavey for my tastes.
Sad to say this Hugo-winning novel did not meet my expectations.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Death
Minor: Physical abuse, Ableism, and War
War: there is no on-page depiction of war in the story. However, the main character spends some time fearing the possibility of another world war. Ableism: sooooo I'm not sure if most people would agree with my assessment but the depiction of the deaf-mute character makes me slightly uncomfortable. There is an implication that her disabilities are the reason she has such a deep, special connection to nature and the cosmos at large. I just feel like its a shallow romanticisation of her disabilities that does not reflect the emotional diversity and complexities of disabled people. physical abuse: no on-page depiction of the physical abuse but there are descriptions of the wounds sustained by the victim of said physical abuse.
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