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Cindy McBride asked this question about Too Like the Lightning (Terra Ignota, #1):
Ummm, so does this book imply approval or disapproval of divergent gender identities and the validity (or lack thereof) of religion? Answers will determine whether or not I'll be interested in reading. Thanks!
Jonathan Sneed A few of the characters are polemical on issues of religion or gender, including the narrator. But it's a very alien sort of polemic, because it's a v…moreA few of the characters are polemical on issues of religion or gender, including the narrator. But it's a very alien sort of polemic, because it's a very alien world.

Gender and religion are 'swept under the rug' by social (and sometimes legal) taboo, and the catastrophic consequences of this blind spot are a major part of the book's plot. If there's a moral here, it's that we can't be satisfied with the easy answers and bumper stickers; metaphysical inquiry and gender identity are powerful, complex parts of being human, and they demand nuance, humility, and continuing engagement. When the characters of TLtL forget this, it tends to bite them in the ~.(less)
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Too Like the Lightning
by Ada Palmer (Goodreads Author)
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