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A review by claredragonfly
Wander (Dicebox, #1) by Jenn Manley Lee
5.0
How do I review this book? I've been a fan of the webcomic for years. The book is (somewhat to my surprise) even better than the webcomic; it's beautifully designed, the pages are big and colorful, and it's got all this great extra stuff. There's a glossary in the back! Plus, all the "asides" (by other artists), most of which I hadn't read.
I'll try to describe the story a bit. The main characters are Molly and Griffen, a pair of interplanetary itinerant factory workers. The sci-fi elements are at the same time subtle and right there in your face; Molly and Griffen take everything for granted, since it's the world they grew up in, but there are advanced communications/internet devices, and hopping from planet to planet, and ways to download information into your head... I also adore the social elements. Molly and Griffen are married, and all the people they have sex with tend to think that they're just being borrowed from each other, but the only odd thing there is that they don't actually have sex with each other. Same-sex and poly relationships are easily accepted (one character refers casually to having two husbands). Wherever Molly and Griffen go, they find friends, as well as occasionally enemies.
It's hard to describe the plot without giving things away, since it sort of creeps up on you subtly (this is book one of a planned four-book series), but the plot isn't really important. The beautiful art, the world, the characters--they'd be worth reading even if it never went anywhere at all.
I'll try to describe the story a bit. The main characters are Molly and Griffen, a pair of interplanetary itinerant factory workers. The sci-fi elements are at the same time subtle and right there in your face; Molly and Griffen take everything for granted, since it's the world they grew up in, but there are advanced communications/internet devices, and hopping from planet to planet, and ways to download information into your head... I also adore the social elements. Molly and Griffen are married, and all the people they have sex with tend to think that they're just being borrowed from each other, but the only odd thing there is that they don't actually have sex with each other. Same-sex and poly relationships are easily accepted (one character refers casually to having two husbands). Wherever Molly and Griffen go, they find friends, as well as occasionally enemies.
It's hard to describe the plot without giving things away, since it sort of creeps up on you subtly (this is book one of a planned four-book series), but the plot isn't really important. The beautiful art, the world, the characters--they'd be worth reading even if it never went anywhere at all.