geekmom's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Utterly original — and the philosophical stance about communication and shared meaning allowed this book to transcend all of the tired sf/f language tropes. I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Slavery
jaredt's review
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
'The world still contains miracles, despite everything that has been done to it.'
I eyed this book for months before buying it. The black and blue hardcover enticed me. Finally, I decided to flip to a few random pages, figured if I liked them enough on their own I would get it. Every page I happened on was quite reflective and introspective, which I dig, so I knew it would be a fun read for me.
And it was! Went in a few directions I wasn't expecting, but still enjoyed. Though I did lose some steam in the other stories outside of Ha's. I figured there would be enough overlap or connection between the stories to give a good enough payoff, and I would say it exceeded for me.
What hooked me the most was the philosophical approach to understanding another species so different from humans, in body and nerves and mind. And it took me to really see at the end that these are cyberpunk settings, and so the story followed that setting. I knew that as soon as the technologies were introduced at the start, but its also in the way it closes up the narrative.
I would say this is not a book for folks wanting a focus on only the octopus sentience, and not interested in the cyberpunk setting and themes that come with it. Also while there is some action, it's not a book for readers looking for quick chase scenes or drawn out fights.
This *IS* a book for fans of that subgenre, as well as wanting something dealing with scifi that is quite reflective, discussing both linguistic development and the nature of humanity and connection.
I eyed this book for months before buying it. The black and blue hardcover enticed me. Finally, I decided to flip to a few random pages, figured if I liked them enough on their own I would get it. Every page I happened on was quite reflective and introspective, which I dig, so I knew it would be a fun read for me.
And it was! Went in a few directions I wasn't expecting, but still enjoyed. Though I did lose some steam in the other stories outside of Ha's. I figured there would be enough overlap or connection between the stories to give a good enough payoff, and I would say it exceeded for me.
What hooked me the most was the philosophical approach to understanding another species so different from humans, in body and nerves and mind. And it took me to really see at the end that these are cyberpunk settings, and so the story followed that setting. I knew that as soon as the technologies were introduced at the start, but its also in the way it closes up the narrative.
I would say this is not a book for folks wanting a focus on only the octopus sentience, and not interested in the cyberpunk setting and themes that come with it. Also while there is some action, it's not a book for readers looking for quick chase scenes or drawn out fights.
This *IS* a book for fans of that subgenre, as well as wanting something dealing with scifi that is quite reflective, discussing both linguistic development and the nature of humanity and connection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Gore, and Death
Minor: Animal death
sarvikaskas's review
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
maecave15's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Murder, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Slavery, and Vomit
creatuvre's review
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Confinement, and Gun violence
Minor: Violence and Animal death
kylieqrada's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As beautiful as this book is on the outside, it absolutely holds up upon reading!! An at-times over my head discussion of consciousness and its various forms with multiple perspectives following seemingly unconnected plots that come together at the enddddd?! Ugh. Love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Death, and Trafficking
Moderate: Suicide, Animal death, and Mental illness
Minor: Self harm
literatellama's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Easily the best book I read this year. It’s an exploration of what it means to be conscious, to be human, to be alive. It’s very poetic, but not overly frilly. By pushing just beyond our current reality, the other explores the core questions in a very interesting way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
booksbutmakeitgay's review
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Kidnapping, Suicide, Animal death, Blood, Slavery, Vomit, Death, Mental illness, and Self harm
bookishhan's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Trafficking
Moderate: Animal death
lbelow's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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: Gore, Death, Violence, Gun violence, Torture, Confinement, Slavery, Murder, and Kidnapping
Minor: Suicide