A review by jajorgen
Debris by Joanne Anderton
3.0
In many ways Debris was a somewhat frustrating read. The world-building is top-notch and the premise of the plot is intriguing. It's just that, while it is a solid read, the book doesn't really fulfill the promise that those two elements suggest.
Tanyana works pions - the smallest particles of energy/matter that make up every object in Movoc. Her ability is so great that she has become one of the premiere architects in the city. Her latest project is working on a massive 800 foot tall sculpture that will put her at the pinnacle of her profession. One day as she works the pions with her circle, she begins to lose control of the pions. They seem to almost be working against her rather then with her and the loss of control is so great that the massive statue comes crashing down, taking Tanyana with it.
When Tanyana wakes, she finds herself scarred and alone in a bleak room. And for the first time in her life she is unable to see any pions at all. Without that ability, the powers that be decide the only thing she will now be able to do is collect debris. Debris are the remnants left over from all those pions being put to work. It gathers in pockets and must be collected or it will gum up the works. Before she can process what has happened, Tanyana is assigned to a debris collecting team and abandoned by just about everyone who knew her. Her only remaining connection is Devich, the man who is responsible for implanting the strange metal that makes up the suit she needs for debris collecting. While she adjusts to her new circumstances Tanyana gets to know her team-leader, Kichlan and his apparently developmentally delayed brother Lad.
I kept thinking, as I read, that this was a YA novel. Tanyana's personal story arc, from arrogant architect to humbled but wiser debris collector feels a bit coming-of-age. While it is understandable that this tragedy has had an earth-shaking effect on her psyche, Tanyana's immaturity in the face of it reads more like a teenager's response then an adult's. She is determined to prove the accident was not her fault and yet every time she gets a small piece of the puzzle, she lets it drop and attempts more denial. Part of this is writerly - in that the author needs to keep the reader in the dark and thus Tanyana remains willfully blind - but part of it is Tanyana's character as written. When she realizes, early on, that she in no way will be able to pay her bills in her swank apartment, does she attempt to sell the belongings that are worth some money and find a cheaper place? No, she pretends that bills and rent don't exist and then is shocked when violent men come to the apartment to throw her out and take all her belongings to pay those bills.
This example is indicative of who Tanyana is. When something displeases her, she pretends it doesn't exist. When something frustrates her, she lets it drop. It makes her realistic as human beings go, but it also makes her hard to root for. When she does so little to control her own trajectory, she becomes less interesting. As I said, some of this is writerly choice in setting up the suspense and I get that. But it also affects the pacing. Tanyana's inertia makes the middle part of the book slow-going as she shows little progress - either in her quest or in her personal life.
All that said, I do think there is a very clever idea here and the author has done a good job of creating her world. Enough so that I will read the next book.
Tanyana works pions - the smallest particles of energy/matter that make up every object in Movoc. Her ability is so great that she has become one of the premiere architects in the city. Her latest project is working on a massive 800 foot tall sculpture that will put her at the pinnacle of her profession. One day as she works the pions with her circle, she begins to lose control of the pions. They seem to almost be working against her rather then with her and the loss of control is so great that the massive statue comes crashing down, taking Tanyana with it.
When Tanyana wakes, she finds herself scarred and alone in a bleak room. And for the first time in her life she is unable to see any pions at all. Without that ability, the powers that be decide the only thing she will now be able to do is collect debris. Debris are the remnants left over from all those pions being put to work. It gathers in pockets and must be collected or it will gum up the works. Before she can process what has happened, Tanyana is assigned to a debris collecting team and abandoned by just about everyone who knew her. Her only remaining connection is Devich, the man who is responsible for implanting the strange metal that makes up the suit she needs for debris collecting. While she adjusts to her new circumstances Tanyana gets to know her team-leader, Kichlan and his apparently developmentally delayed brother Lad.
I kept thinking, as I read, that this was a YA novel. Tanyana's personal story arc, from arrogant architect to humbled but wiser debris collector feels a bit coming-of-age. While it is understandable that this tragedy has had an earth-shaking effect on her psyche, Tanyana's immaturity in the face of it reads more like a teenager's response then an adult's. She is determined to prove the accident was not her fault and yet every time she gets a small piece of the puzzle, she lets it drop and attempts more denial. Part of this is writerly - in that the author needs to keep the reader in the dark and thus Tanyana remains willfully blind - but part of it is Tanyana's character as written. When she realizes, early on, that she in no way will be able to pay her bills in her swank apartment, does she attempt to sell the belongings that are worth some money and find a cheaper place? No, she pretends that bills and rent don't exist and then is shocked when violent men come to the apartment to throw her out and take all her belongings to pay those bills.
This example is indicative of who Tanyana is. When something displeases her, she pretends it doesn't exist. When something frustrates her, she lets it drop. It makes her realistic as human beings go, but it also makes her hard to root for. When she does so little to control her own trajectory, she becomes less interesting. As I said, some of this is writerly choice in setting up the suspense and I get that. But it also affects the pacing. Tanyana's inertia makes the middle part of the book slow-going as she shows little progress - either in her quest or in her personal life.
All that said, I do think there is a very clever idea here and the author has done a good job of creating her world. Enough so that I will read the next book.