criticalgayze's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
With A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Chambers has managed to somehow write the perfect book for our post pandemic reflections. In a world where everyone with the means is giving up work, or at least relocating under the capabilities of remote work to more natural and freeing spaces, A Psalm for the Wild-Built dares to ask if even that is enough.
In this slim little novella, we become acquainted with a pleasant little nonbinary monk named Dex who feels unfulfilled in their life of meditation and spiritualism, so they set about on a journey to improve the lives of others through tea service that they hope will also let them commune with a part of the natural world that they feel is lost to them in a post-environmental crisis landscape. When even this is not enough to confront a growing sense of anxiety, Dex hopes that a journey to repurposed wildlands will be the fully immersive journey they need to find personal peace. But is even that enough?
Chambers posits that even the most immersive spiritual journey attainable is not enough to create inner peace if your inner peace is built on needing to fulfill through your fulfillment. That it is not enough to believe that you can obtain a single moment of contentment or enlightenment to sustain you for a lifetime of service. Instead, Chambers, through the dialogues between Dex and a sentient robot named Mosscap, dares the capitalist reader to believe that maybe a life needs a constant series of moments to reset in order to be available for others. And in a world that has trained us that to be in society is to be consistently contributing, that's a bold idea to raise.
This one does suffer from Chambers need to explain what was already a beautifully obvious and powerful metaphor, but the beauty and the power of the idea is enough to sustain this to its conclusion
Quotes:
Sometimes a person reaches a point in their life when it becomes absolutely essential to get the fuck out of the city. (5)
"But if you don't want to infringe upon my agency, let me have agency." (83)
"'Without constructs, you will unravel few mysteries. Without knowledge of the mysteries, your constructs will fail. These pursuits are what make us, but without comfort, you will lack the strength to support either.'" (135)
"If you understand that robots' lack of purpose - our refusal of your purpose - is the crowning mark of our intellectual maturity, why do you put so much energy in seeking the opposite?" (137)
"You keep asking why your work is not enough, and I don't know how to answer that, because it is enough to exist in the world and to marvel at it. You don't need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live. That is all most animals do." (139)
In this slim little novella, we become acquainted with a pleasant little nonbinary monk named Dex who feels unfulfilled in their life of meditation and spiritualism, so they set about on a journey to improve the lives of others through tea service that they hope will also let them commune with a part of the natural world that they feel is lost to them in a post-environmental crisis landscape. When even this is not enough to confront a growing sense of anxiety, Dex hopes that a journey to repurposed wildlands will be the fully immersive journey they need to find personal peace. But is even that enough?
Chambers posits that even the most immersive spiritual journey attainable is not enough to create inner peace if your inner peace is built on needing to fulfill through your fulfillment. That it is not enough to believe that you can obtain a single moment of contentment or enlightenment to sustain you for a lifetime of service. Instead, Chambers, through the dialogues between Dex and a sentient robot named Mosscap, dares the capitalist reader to believe that maybe a life needs a constant series of moments to reset in order to be available for others. And in a world that has trained us that to be in society is to be consistently contributing, that's a bold idea to raise.
This one does suffer from Chambers need to explain what was already a beautifully obvious and powerful metaphor, but the beauty and the power of the idea is enough to sustain this to its conclusion
Quotes:
Sometimes a person reaches a point in their life when it becomes absolutely essential to get the fuck out of the city. (5)
"But if you don't want to infringe upon my agency, let me have agency." (83)
"'Without constructs, you will unravel few mysteries. Without knowledge of the mysteries, your constructs will fail. These pursuits are what make us, but without comfort, you will lack the strength to support either.'" (135)
"If you understand that robots' lack of purpose - our refusal of your purpose - is the crowning mark of our intellectual maturity, why do you put so much energy in seeking the opposite?" (137)
"You keep asking why your work is not enough, and I don't know how to answer that, because it is enough to exist in the world and to marvel at it. You don't need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live. That is all most animals do." (139)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Panic attacks/disorders
macsenbesemer's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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? N/A
5.0
I adored every minute of this story. Some how, Becky Chambers was able to put into writing my feelings that I can’t even put into words. Dex is wonderful non-binary rep as well. I feel the need to reread it immediately to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
Content Warnings
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
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