A review by ria_mhrj
Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre
4.0
Why oh why did it take me so long to read Doubleblind?! I read Wanderlust aaaaages ago and loved it, and it has one big ol' unresolved plot point that is a primary concern for Ms. Sirantha Jax in Doubleblind - the frayed psyche of her lover March.
There is so much to love about this world. I don't generally read sci-fi, but that hasnn't proven to be a stumbling block, with the alien landscapes vividly brought to life and quickly normalised. Hands down, though, my favourite aspect of this series is the characters. Jax, first and foremost, is a phenomenal heroine, gritty, tough, flawed and evolving, she is self-aware and shaped by her past, and not afraid to admit to her failings. Her interactions with Vel, Dina and March especially are a delight to behold, and similarly these characters were all beautifully realised in this book, even Dina who doesn't feature prominently.
Another thing to commend in Doubleblind is the shift in pace. Unlike books 1 and 2 which hop across the galaxy, this book takes place almost entirely on one world and Jax does not jump anywhere. Her diplomatic mission is a stroke of genius - as Jax herself is quick to point out, she isn't the most obvious candidate to encourage inter-racial relations, but it was hugely enjoyable to watch her in her ambassadorial capacity. It was also good to see Vel be fleshed out and to understand him a bit more. It will be interesting to see what happens next with this character.
The finale was excellent and I didn't see "whodunnit" - suffice to say I was surprised. I plan to be much quicker coming to book 4.
There is so much to love about this world. I don't generally read sci-fi, but that hasnn't proven to be a stumbling block, with the alien landscapes vividly brought to life and quickly normalised. Hands down, though, my favourite aspect of this series is the characters. Jax, first and foremost, is a phenomenal heroine, gritty, tough, flawed and evolving, she is self-aware and shaped by her past, and not afraid to admit to her failings. Her interactions with Vel, Dina and March especially are a delight to behold, and similarly these characters were all beautifully realised in this book, even Dina who doesn't feature prominently.
Another thing to commend in Doubleblind is the shift in pace. Unlike books 1 and 2 which hop across the galaxy, this book takes place almost entirely on one world and Jax does not jump anywhere. Her diplomatic mission is a stroke of genius - as Jax herself is quick to point out, she isn't the most obvious candidate to encourage inter-racial relations, but it was hugely enjoyable to watch her in her ambassadorial capacity. It was also good to see Vel be fleshed out and to understand him a bit more. It will be interesting to see what happens next with this character.
The finale was excellent and I didn't see "whodunnit" - suffice to say I was surprised. I plan to be much quicker coming to book 4.