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lurath's review against another edition
5.0
I actually didn't realize that horses made an appearance in this sci-fi, so it was a delicious treat to have them used and done well as an equestrian myself.
This book has interesting world building - or should I say universe-building? The characters all feel very real, with human flaws and triumphs. Tepper does follow several point of views, all of which seem to touch on themes of religion/spirituality and humanity's spread throughout the universe. That and what makes a human, human. There are also themes of loneliness and disconnect between parent and child and husband and wife that really resonated with me. And the alien life on Grass was absolutely fascinating. I could go on, as Grass was a VERY rich novel in terms of underlying themes, explorations, and memorable visuals.
It was very interesting to read about a middle-age mother as the main character and heroine, and despite being a childfree woman I really enjoyed and loved to root for her character. In fact, all of the characters, even the assholes, were decidedly interesting to read about. Tepper's superb writing style does not bog down my imagination with unnecessary wordage, but she definitely has control over lyrical and beautiful language that is a joy to read.
The ending was a bit confused and felt hurried (and a little jury-rigged), but many of the pressing questions I had about the world and problems were answered. What was left unanswered was not fatal to my enjoyment of the story as a whole. In fact, I would describe the plot as slow (but not painfully so) in the beginning, with the pace and drama building over time such that after I was 1/3rd the way through I could NOT put it down. It seems that Tepper is famous for her deus ex machina plot devices. And yes, those are annoying and I would say that the 4-star rating is largely because of some of these forced plot devices (example: the "god conversation"). I'm not sure how I feel about that trend in general, but I'm going to read more of what Tepper has to offer as I thoroughly enjoyed Grass.
This book has interesting world building - or should I say universe-building? The characters all feel very real, with human flaws and triumphs. Tepper does follow several point of views, all of which seem to touch on themes of religion/spirituality and humanity's spread throughout the universe. That and what makes a human, human. There are also themes of loneliness and disconnect between parent and child and husband and wife that really resonated with me. And the alien life on Grass was absolutely fascinating. I could go on, as Grass was a VERY rich novel in terms of underlying themes, explorations, and memorable visuals.
It was very interesting to read about a middle-age mother as the main character and heroine, and despite being a childfree woman I really enjoyed and loved to root for her character. In fact, all of the characters, even the assholes, were decidedly interesting to read about. Tepper's superb writing style does not bog down my imagination with unnecessary wordage, but she definitely has control over lyrical and beautiful language that is a joy to read.
The ending was a bit confused and felt hurried (and a little jury-rigged), but many of the pressing questions I had about the world and problems were answered. What was left unanswered was not fatal to my enjoyment of the story as a whole. In fact, I would describe the plot as slow (but not painfully so) in the beginning, with the pace and drama building over time such that after I was 1/3rd the way through I could NOT put it down. It seems that Tepper is famous for her deus ex machina plot devices. And yes, those are annoying and I would say that the 4-star rating is largely because of some of these forced plot devices (example: the "god conversation"). I'm not sure how I feel about that trend in general, but I'm going to read more of what Tepper has to offer as I thoroughly enjoyed Grass.
rosalindmgh's review against another edition
5.0
I remember being shaken by this book long after I finished it. As the storyline moves along, it becomes unexpectedly dark, vividly sinister.
hamspamdamere's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful book, with beautifully realised characters and a totally involving setting. It put me in mind of the SF classic 'Dune', but reduced to a more personal, less epic scale with a cogent human future and accessible characters. The planet of Grass and its societies are finely crafted and its alien inhabitants are some of the most intriguing I've come across. The storyline is interesting from the very beginning and continually develops and accelerates. I very rarely give a book a 5 stars (it was amazing) rating, but this was the best book I have read for a good many years. I would heartily recommend it to anyone, especially those who enjoyed the essence of 'Dune'.
scrapbookbug's review against another edition
3.0
source: honorable mention in "13 reasons to read sci-fi by women"
so...I need a different rating system. Did I like this book? not really. it drove me crazy. the WRITING was great, the story...hard to get into. Going to have to try a different Tepper book.
so...I need a different rating system. Did I like this book? not really. it drove me crazy. the WRITING was great, the story...hard to get into. Going to have to try a different Tepper book.
sjarelke's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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
4.25
dinsdale's review against another edition
4.0
Grass is a big chunk of science fiction goodness. The novel is named after the planet Grass on which most of the novel takes place. Grass is set in the far future, where humans have colonized other planets and Earth is ruled by an all-powerful religious organization called Sanctity (similar in nature and structure to Catholicism in my opinion). The people of Earth and the other inhabited planets are becoming sick with a plague, and it is feared that this may eventually put an end to humanity if a cure is not found. The odd thing is, Grass is the only planet where there is no plague.
As the name implies, Grass is covered almost entirely of different types of grasses. There are some swamps and forests but the planet is mostly a flat savanna. Grass was originally settled by European nobility who live on huge estates. There is a spaceport city called Commoners Town where the average folks live. The original settlers engage in a type of fox hunting involving the indigenous species that live on Grass. They ride the "hippaie", are accompanied by "hounds", and hunt the "foxen". As the plot develops we learn that there is more to these native animal species of Grass than meets the eye.
The plot kicks in to high gear when Sanctity sends Rigo and Marjorie Westriding Yrarier to Grass as ambassadors to investigate why Grass is immune to the plague, and to possibly finding a cure. Marjorie becomes the main character and starts to uncover some of the secrets of Grass through close observations and interaction with the Green Brothers, a group sent by Sanctity to maintain a religious presence and to study the ruins of the Arbai, an extinct species. Grass gradually reveals its secrets and the novel becomes a very interesting and somewhat dark ride.
Grass is chock full of characters, so many that I became somewhat confused initially. I found a list of characters online and printed out a copy to keep in my book - there are 39 people on the list! I found the story to be rather complex and I think I would like it even better after a second reading. There was so much to digest. I bought this on Audible but also read the paper copy I've had on my shelves for years, maybe decades. This novel helped transport my brain away from my horribly stressful white-knuckle commutes through the seemingly endless February snowstorms.
Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to reading the next novel in Tepper's Arbai series.
As the name implies, Grass is covered almost entirely of different types of grasses. There are some swamps and forests but the planet is mostly a flat savanna. Grass was originally settled by European nobility who live on huge estates. There is a spaceport city called Commoners Town where the average folks live. The original settlers engage in a type of fox hunting involving the indigenous species that live on Grass. They ride the "hippaie", are accompanied by "hounds", and hunt the "foxen". As the plot develops we learn that there is more to these native animal species of Grass than meets the eye.
The plot kicks in to high gear when Sanctity sends Rigo and Marjorie Westriding Yrarier to Grass as ambassadors to investigate why Grass is immune to the plague, and to possibly finding a cure. Marjorie becomes the main character and starts to uncover some of the secrets of Grass through close observations and interaction with the Green Brothers, a group sent by Sanctity to maintain a religious presence and to study the ruins of the Arbai, an extinct species. Grass gradually reveals its secrets and the novel becomes a very interesting and somewhat dark ride.
Grass is chock full of characters, so many that I became somewhat confused initially. I found a list of characters online and printed out a copy to keep in my book - there are 39 people on the list! I found the story to be rather complex and I think I would like it even better after a second reading. There was so much to digest. I bought this on Audible but also read the paper copy I've had on my shelves for years, maybe decades. This novel helped transport my brain away from my horribly stressful white-knuckle commutes through the seemingly endless February snowstorms.
Highly recommended. I'm looking forward to reading the next novel in Tepper's Arbai series.
jaybaby's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
5.0
jenjenjenmolloy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
rj_owen's review
3.0
It was a bit difficult for me to get through. It was more sci fi than fantasy and the concept was almost too ridiculous and it left some things either wholly unexplained or explained very poorly.
amaznmegan's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5