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lvanher's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I had a really good time reading this! It was a perfect cozy mystery; some tension to keep you interested, but not so much that it got scary.
I really liked the atmosphere, with all of the fog and the storms. It had a very moody and autumnal vibe, especially with parts of it set in the university area. The world building was very cool as well, excited to read more of this series!
I really liked the atmosphere, with all of the fog and the storms. It had a very moody and autumnal vibe, especially with parts of it set in the university area. The world building was very cool as well, excited to read more of this series!
alatenightreader's review against another edition
3.5
The world building was so gradual but it somehow worked.
geo81's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
brittwells's review
adventurous
mysterious
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? Yes
3.75
sparklefarm's review
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed this very much!!!
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence and Murder
nick72's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
syfylauren's review
slow-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? No
3.75
creamsicle's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Macmillan–Tor/Forge for this early Netgalley copy of A Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older.
Mossa is an Investigator on Jupiter, which, following the peril of Earth, humanity has long-since colonized. When a man connected to her old university goes missing under mysterious circumstances, Mossa enlists the help of her scholar ex-girlfriend, Pleiti, to solve the case.
This is one of those books that—in order for the prose to flow naturally—should be read in a noir-style mid-Atlantic accent. And yet, try as I might, I still had no idea what was going on for most of the book’s first half.
Thankfully, though, I did catch on eventually.
The romantic subplot in this book appealed to me greatly. I love a good amount of yearning, of pining, of tentative touches, and this book supplied these and more. Mossa and Pleiti’s (friends-to-lovers-to-strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, if you will) chemistry is palpable, and it was hard for me not to root for them, both in the investigation and in their relationship.
All at once a Sherlock and Watson-style romance and a commentary on the very possible effects of climate change, A Mimicking of Known Successes is a delightful little novella that really captured me in the second half.
CW: suicide mention.
☆ ☆ ☆ – GOOD
Mossa is an Investigator on Jupiter, which, following the peril of Earth, humanity has long-since colonized. When a man connected to her old university goes missing under mysterious circumstances, Mossa enlists the help of her scholar ex-girlfriend, Pleiti, to solve the case.
This is one of those books that—in order for the prose to flow naturally—should be read in a noir-style mid-Atlantic accent. And yet, try as I might, I still had no idea what was going on for most of the book’s first half.
Thankfully, though, I did catch on eventually.
The romantic subplot in this book appealed to me greatly. I love a good amount of yearning, of pining, of tentative touches, and this book supplied these and more. Mossa and Pleiti’s (friends-to-lovers-to-strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, if you will) chemistry is palpable, and it was hard for me not to root for them, both in the investigation and in their relationship.
All at once a Sherlock and Watson-style romance and a commentary on the very possible effects of climate change, A Mimicking of Known Successes is a delightful little novella that really captured me in the second half.
CW: suicide mention.
☆ ☆ ☆ – GOOD
elfduchess's review
5.0
Oh my gosh, I like this book. I like this book so much.
I grabbed it from my library kind of on a whim. I can only borrow it as an audio book and this one is pretty short, so I thought it would work well to listen to while I was exercising and/or at work.
Honestly, I'm glad I had to listen to it instead of reading it, because the atmosphere would be quite a bit different, I think, as written word vs. audio. For me, listening to this book… It feels and reads to me like a Sherlock Holmes send up - if Sherlock and John had been two women living on a science fiction planet after earth had been basically destroyed by humans, and had dated in university, that is.
Mossa feels like she was inspired by the Holmes brand of investigators - not always the best with people, even dear friends, and a mind that is always working. Pleiti is brilliant as a Watson-esque assistant and firm, if sometimes frustrated, friend.
The little bits of world building are so much fun! They live on a planet called Giant and get around everywhere by railcars and all except the little 'platforms' that people live on seems to be just this gaseous lump where if you fall in, you just keep falling, even after you die. There are plenty of mentions of sci-fi goodies, but the descriptions and the general feel of the book makes it feel like such a Victorian era story.
I would like to say that the mystery was one that I found interesting enough (though, admittedly, that's not why I was here). My feelings about the crime/s that were perpetrated and the reasons for it, however… I'll say that they are a great deal more pragmatic than anyone involved in the story. I do disagree with the criminal reasoning - but I disagree just as much if not more to how upset it made especially Pleiti.
HUGE PLOT SPOILERS!
Let's assume for a minute that he will be killed by the poison air. Why are you assuming that he has taken proper precautions - if, indeed, there even are those proper precautions to take - so the flora and fauna seeding that he intends to do will actually take? Even if it does and he so breaks the ecosystem that it looks nothing like old earth and it wrecks itself, why does it matter? What are the real chances of ever getting back to Earth? And why is Earth being held up as some promised land that you have to return to? This same work that Pleiti and all her cohorts are doing could easily be adapted for any alien planet. It's not wasted work like she decries it is.
That all being said, even if I strong disagree and don't really understand this being the thrust of the bad guys plans as well as Pleiti's ire, I did enjoy it. And it was fun for a change reading about other people getting worked up over something that honestly got a 'what's the big deal' from me instead of wondering why no one else thinks something is as horrible as I do.
I grabbed it from my library kind of on a whim. I can only borrow it as an audio book and this one is pretty short, so I thought it would work well to listen to while I was exercising and/or at work.
Honestly, I'm glad I had to listen to it instead of reading it, because the atmosphere would be quite a bit different, I think, as written word vs. audio. For me, listening to this book… It feels and reads to me like a Sherlock Holmes send up - if Sherlock and John had been two women living on a science fiction planet after earth had been basically destroyed by humans, and had dated in university, that is.
Mossa feels like she was inspired by the Holmes brand of investigators - not always the best with people, even dear friends, and a mind that is always working. Pleiti is brilliant as a Watson-esque assistant and firm, if sometimes frustrated, friend.
The little bits of world building are so much fun! They live on a planet called Giant and get around everywhere by railcars and all except the little 'platforms' that people live on seems to be just this gaseous lump where if you fall in, you just keep falling, even after you die. There are plenty of mentions of sci-fi goodies, but the descriptions and the general feel of the book makes it feel like such a Victorian era story.
I would like to say that the mystery was one that I found interesting enough (though, admittedly, that's not why I was here). My feelings about the crime/s that were perpetrated and the reasons for it, however… I'll say that they are a great deal more pragmatic than anyone involved in the story. I do disagree with the criminal reasoning - but I disagree just as much if not more to how upset it made especially Pleiti.
HUGE PLOT SPOILERS!
Spoiler
You've never been to Earth. Likely your parents and grandparent and great grandparents have never been to Earth. Why are you so desperate to get back there? The bad guy's whole reason for what he did was to get to Earth. Pleiti got so upset at his disregard for the future (which I do agree that he disregarded everyone except himself) and that he was ruining their chance at Earth. (Which I also agree is likely true.) But my question is: what does it matter?Let's assume for a minute that he will be killed by the poison air. Why are you assuming that he has taken proper precautions - if, indeed, there even are those proper precautions to take - so the flora and fauna seeding that he intends to do will actually take? Even if it does and he so breaks the ecosystem that it looks nothing like old earth and it wrecks itself, why does it matter? What are the real chances of ever getting back to Earth? And why is Earth being held up as some promised land that you have to return to? This same work that Pleiti and all her cohorts are doing could easily be adapted for any alien planet. It's not wasted work like she decries it is.
That all being said, even if I strong disagree and don't really understand this being the thrust of the bad guys plans as well as Pleiti's ire, I did enjoy it. And it was fun for a change reading about other people getting worked up over something that honestly got a 'what's the big deal' from me instead of wondering why no one else thinks something is as horrible as I do.