Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Dvě místa na slunci by Becky Chambers

46 reviews

moonknitter's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Before I read this I was disappointed that the same characters of the first book would not really be in the second one but Becky Chambers has done it again. Even tho I was sad to not hear more about sissix & rosemary and even tho the whole Jenks & Lovelace storyline didn’t really appeal to me in the first book, the way this explored AI rights and genetic modification and both the utopian and dystopian aspects of both was just incredible, wholesome in some ways, and very inspiring! I’ve sometimes really hated books that go back n forth between 2. Characters or time periods but this one did it so incredibly well and I think the book would have not been as good if they’d been separate or only 1 together. When I got tired of sidra complaining about being in a body, the chapter ended and I got a glimpse of Jane working hard to survive. When I got tired of hearing the horrible parts of janes story, the chapter ended and I could learn about sidra experience something new for the first time. I’ve also been really terrified about the future of AI over the next few years just based on our society, and this book gave me a different perspective to all that. The Owl and Jane storyline was a big part of that for me. However, the ending was sort of confusing for me. I didn’t totally understand exactly what happened it was like tech jargon and it went over my head. On a basic level I kind of get it but it wasn’t super clear. I also think one thing this book did similar to the last one was that it was much more character based than plot based. The climax/ ending came fast and in the last 60 pages or so. Which was fine with me because I liked getting to understand these different worlds and seeing things for the first time through an AI perspective as well as Jane’s. Becky chambers also does a really great job of writing different voices. Janes voice as a 10 year old made it very easy to put yourself in her shoes, as did janes narration voice as a teenager (as she learned how to cuss and starts to be annoyed with Owl, as all teens do). This is a small thing but also the voice of Blue with his speech impediment is just a small thing that many authors wouldn’t think to do. Each character truly had a voice through her writing. The other thing I noticed as soon as janes story began is that it is very much Plato’s allegory of a cave and I think that allegory speaks to the parallels between both Sidra and Janes story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, and Confinement

Moderate: Cursing

sarasreading's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I liked this one even more than the first book. I really enjoyed focusing on two characters and Pepper's journey especially. There are some upsetting things that happen to her, but even with that, I found this book to be really comforting and hopeful. And it makes me more excited for the next one in the series. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Child abuse, Animal death, and Slavery

Moderate: Child death

scifi_rat's review against another edition

adventurous sad medium-paced

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

3.25

Plot: 3.5★
Prose: 3 ★
Pace: 4★
Concept/Execution: 4.5★/4★
Characters: 3★
Worldbuilding: 4.5★
Ending: 3.25★

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Eating disorder, Violence, Child abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Blood, Grief, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Excrement, Gaslighting, Gore, Infertility, Drug use, Vomit, and Xenophobia

crimelessvictim's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Violence, Confinement, and Child death

dlrosebyh's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Lovelace was previously only an artificial intelligence on a ship. She must start again in a synthetic body in a society where people of her type are forbidden when she awakens in a new body after a complete system shutdown and reboot. Never has she felt so alone.

She is not, however, truly alone. Pepper, one of the engineers who risked life and limb to reinstall Lovelace, is determined to help her acclimate to her new surroundings. Pepper is an expert at beginning fresh, after all.

Avoid making the same mistake I did and read this book without expecting a plot-heavy story because the action doesn't start until the last 5%. Nothing in particular was wrong with it—it brought me all sorts of comfort—but i was just not in the mood for it. As a mood reader, i needed something plot heavy, so it kind of wrecked the experience for me.

This sequel follows an AI and a human with knowledge of AIs. In the first book, we meet them but don't follow them. This book is fantastic if you enjoy reading in-depth character studies and analyses. If you love character driven stories— no plot, just vibes— then this one is for you.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Animal death, and Slavery

Moderate: Confinement, Child death, and Grief

Minor: Infertility and Drug use

eni_iilorak's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Dysphoria, Slavery, Animal death, Child abuse, Ableism, and Abandonment

Moderate: Blood, Child death, Medical content, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Classism, and Grief

Minor: Infertility, Cursing, Colonisation, Gun violence, and Sexual content

athryn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A definite step up from the first book in this series. I really enjoyed the intertwining stories of

Sidra and Pepper

are very well done, exploring the world set up in the first book in different ways. The end was pretty touching to me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Animal death

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Slavery, Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, and Death

Minor: Dysphoria and Infertility

solenekeleroux's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Slavery, Child abuse, Child death, and Confinement

Moderate: Alcohol, Dysphoria, Blood, and Drug use

andloveistoolong's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I enjoyed the first book in this series well enough, but this one was definitely a step up. It had a totally engrossing story, characters I fell in love with, basically the whole package.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Animal death, Slavery, Trafficking, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping

Minor: Dysphoria, Drug use, Medical content, Gore, and Infertility

librarymouse's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I sat I my kitchen crying as

Owl told Pepper not to cry and that she was there, and I didn't stop crying till the end of the book, though the tears were for a variety of different emotions. These characters are so easy to love. Sidra learning how to be a person, including her inate instincts and not ridding herself of the unique aspects that are core to her is such a huge and beautiful storyline, which I read as allegorical for neurodivergence. Tak is a great friend, and Owl getting to see Pepper and Blue Shepard Sidra into personhood as she'd done for Pepper was beautiful. Sidra and Owl getting to share digital space is beautiful and I long for a continuation of the story in which AI are granted legal personhood. I know the series continues and god I hope that change in political landscape is a part of it. My heart is full with Owl and her reunion with Pepper; being able to finally hug the girl she's loved and raised for years. My heart breaks for Lovey and what could have been.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Medical content, Sexual content, Child abuse, Child death, Animal death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Confinement, and Grief

Minor: Deportation and Slavery