To Be Taught, If Fortunate in Do Better: SFF without Sexual Violence

Aug 28, 2020 Beige rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, zread-1-scifi

5 stars - another new favourite - I'm getting better at finding these

This, THIS is the type of SciFi story I've been searching for. While reading other books, I've found myself wishing we could stop and explore the imagined worlds in greater detail. To partake in the joy of a discovery without a breakneck pace and nonstop human dramas to worry about. If you've ever had that wish, give this novella a try.

Oh and the respect for all other lifeforms puts Star Trek's prime directive to shame.

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May 27, 2020 Silvana rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: reading-with-friends, female-nonbinary-authors, stand-alones, z-2020-wotf-challenge, space-the-final-frontier, scribd, novella, short-story-novelette-novella, z-2020-sf-novel-novella, sff-2020-reading-challenge

2.5 stars. Having read The Long Way blabla book, I already expected this kind of story by Chambers. Slow, lots of philosophizing, mostly plotless. I don't mind the slow parts too much, but it meandered to caterpillars and whatnots, I became lost. Not sure how many times I have to rewind the audio since I zoned out.

I did enjoy the exploration aspects, thoughtfully laid out as they were. Made me remember of the campsite rule. The somaforming (?) tech - while it's not original - was a nice touch t ...more

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Jun 29, 2020 Kristenelle rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this. I listened to the audio version and I wonder if I would have enjoyed it as much if I had been reading the print version. It is a slow, meandering narration with lovable characters and interesting worlds. Throughout I found myself calling it "biology fiction." It is unabashedly, gushingly geeky about biology. There isn't a lot of plot. There isn't much in the way of "I-have-to-keep-reading-to-find-out-what-happens." There is a little, but this feature is what makes me wonder if I ...more

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Jan 22, 2021 Becca rated it it was amazing

Wow that was amazing! It started slowly, but then I couldn't put it down. What a love letter to science, and exploration, and the universe.
The solid partnerships that just last through difficult situations, without question, are a really lovely backdrop. It's so unusual to have a story about a small group stuck together for a long time that's about the mission more than the drama, and it adds a soothing feeling of support to otherwise stressful situations. ...more

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Oct 25, 2021 ♥Xeni♥ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: space, ebook, lgbtq, novella, 2021-books-read, bingo-21-22, science-fiction, slice-of-life, biology

I thought this book was really amazing. It's a novella, and usually I'm left dissatisfied at the end of a novella: I want more. More of the world, or the characters, or even plot.

But this was just perfect. Heartbreaking, poignant, sweet, thoughtful are all words I'd use to describe it. It's well written, it's stayed in my mind long after I read it, and I do wish there was more like this novella out there. Easily 5/5 stars. ...more

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Aug 08, 2020 Rosie rated it it was amazing

Loved the science, loved the characters, loved the questions.

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Oct 07, 2020 Joanne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, available-library-book

This book was one of the Science Fiction books I had seen as an award winner. I had wanted to read it for a while. It was on the list of books that are less violent. Also, I liked the idea of people adjusting themselves to an environment instead of the other way around.

I would say the premise of people adjusting their bodies is not a major part of this book. However, I enjoyed it. There were some unique aspects of it that I found refreshing. When the characters discovered a new life form, they o ...more

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Dec 14, 2020 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a neat little novella written as a transmission from a long-term space exploration mission back to the citizens of earth. I loved the way this was written. The prose is beautiful, the ideas are interesting, and each character gets a chance to shine despite the short length.

The ending didn't quite work for me and there was a portion around the third planet they visited that dragged a bit, but I would still highly recommend this. ...more

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Mar 02, 2022 Andrea rated it it was amazing

As long as Becky Chambers wants to keep making stories, I will keep reading them. The worlds she creates scratch an itch in my brain I didn't know I had. They fill your heart with joy and hope when you need it the most. They make you feel seen, and feel loved, and they make you want to love. They make being a human feel a little less terrible. ...more

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Apr 04, 2020 Caroline rated it it was amazing

This is the quarantine read I needed. A hopeful, loving, curious, extraordinary love letter to humanity, penned by an astronaut exploring new worlds. This book lifted my heart, made me laugh, made me scribble down quotes, and set it down with a sigh of contentment.

If you are feeling trapped and down, the story of this spaceship crew may be just what you need.

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