A review by vaevin
A Half-Built Garden by Ruthanna Emrys

hopeful slow-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? No

3.0

This seems like the author was a mother in the SF tech industry processing the ethics of raising children in a world of climate change, capitalism, and misogyny and their solution was to write a story about a culture beyond those things being challenged in their new beliefs and structures. The story is slow and reads more like a manifesto for their desired world, but from a defensive position. I almost didn’t finish it but got more into the story in the second half. The writing isn’t bad, but themes are a bit heavy handed. First contact through a lens of motherhood and gender is good to have in the world.