georgina_bawden's review against another edition
3.0
I think you can tell this is a first novel in its uneven pacing... It is packed full of ideas and is quite heavy on the action, as well as the anthropology. Reminiscent of Le Guin but I didn't feel it got as deep into its themes or characters. The off-world politics is very broad brush (it's literally a nefarious capitalist company called The Company) but is just there to drive plot and contrast with the world of Jeep. So much here is really interesting and the end was great - satisfying, based in character development and open ended enough for further installments. Very, casually lesbian (we're all women here so it's totally normal and everyone is very chill about it) which was nice, though romance takes a back seat IMO - there is a latter half of the book romance which is really well handled. I liked that the biological essentialism is sort of lessened by the "the virus kills some women too!" thing so that there isn't quite this hard line drawn between two sexes (which is biologically bullshit and tends to put me off these "all the men died" stories). YMMV but this didn't read AS transphobic as some of these types of stories can do. I appreciated the deliberate "being queer is normal and unremarkable" world building, and the exploration of what a general lack of gender based discrimination might lead to.
jmercury's review against another edition
5.0
Strange, gripping, and richly imagined. I had difficulty putting it down! Highly recommend to anyone who like Le Guin and anthropological scifi.
olliewheaton's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-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
3.0
all_roses's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-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? No
4.5
bespectacled's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
charlibirb's review against another edition
3.0
I honestly can't even remember what this book was about a week after finishing it. Cool world? Flat characters, I think.
hannahd02's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-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
marae216's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Colonisation, and Violence
lizardking_no1's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
jazzypizzaz's review against another edition
4.0
How to interact with an unknown world, an unknown future, an unknown self, and survive; how change will happen regardless, so you must be ready to meet it head on, to steer its course yourself
Wonderful book, absolutely lovely descriptions and fantastical details about the world. I really appreciate the way this approaches a SFF world full of only women -- some of the social organization rearranges, but mostly, as says the author's endnote, women are people with all the variety and flaws and strengths that entails. Refreshing.
Wonderful book, absolutely lovely descriptions and fantastical details about the world. I really appreciate the way this approaches a SFF world full of only women -- some of the social organization rearranges, but mostly, as says the author's endnote, women are people with all the variety and flaws and strengths that entails. Refreshing.