A review by jes7037
Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers

emotional lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I'm surprised but I actually didn't love this book. I've loved everything else that Becky Chambers has written, but for some reason this one didn't work for me. I'm not sure if it's a me problem though, maybe I'm just still stuck in a book hangover from Voyage of the Damned, which was absolutely amazing and I can't stop thinking about it.
I didn't really connect with the characters here, and it felt like disconnected stories for most of the book. Some of the characters stories end up intertwining at the very end, but I just... didn't care. It felt like barely anything actually happened, and what little did happen didn't really grab my attention or emotion. A lot of the book was introspective thoughts about what it means to be in the Exodan fleet, and what home means. Each character has a different perspective on the topic, showing the diversity of what it means to be human in this universe. The events of the book are mostly small everyday interactions, with each characters thoughts on humanity, home, family, etc.
I'm honestly disappointed, but I highly recommend the rest of Becky Chambers' books.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings