Scan barcode
timinbc's review
5.0
This novella has 163 pages of story, but I feel as if I just finished a novel. And I achieved the ideal of thinking, "Oh, no, I've reached the end!"
Spouse: "What's it about?"
Me: "Er, it's a Vietnamese space story about a dishonest, guilty-secret scholar and a shipmind that's pretending not to be a master thief, and they solve a murder and rescue people and [spoiler omitted.]"
Spouse: *taps temple and walks away*
Me: "It's really good!"
I would have gone on to say it's also elegantly written, and skilfully leaves unsaid those things that would have made it novel-length if included. We have to understand that in a novella we have to stop asking "how would they ...?" and just get on with the story.
Another excellent work from AdeB.
Spouse: "What's it about?"
Me: "Er, it's a Vietnamese space story about a dishonest, guilty-secret scholar and a shipmind that's pretending not to be a master thief, and they solve a murder and rescue people and [spoiler omitted.]"
Spouse: *taps temple and walks away*
Me: "It's really good!"
I would have gone on to say it's also elegantly written, and skilfully leaves unsaid those things that would have made it novel-length if included. We have to understand that in a novella we have to stop asking "how would they ...?" and just get on with the story.
Another excellent work from AdeB.
clacksee's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
stacyaj's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
needleclicker's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
karinlib's review
4.0
I have really come to appreciate the world building in Aliette de Bodard's works. This novella is no exception.
emilyrandolph_epstein's review
5.0
There is something jewel-like in the way de Bodard writes. Each story a treasure.
soy_ahoy's review
5.0
Never thought I would need a lesbian romance between a scholar and a sentient spaceship but here we are, and I loved every minute of it.
whispertales's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5