April 2019 Mod's Choice BotM: On a Red Station, Drifting

[Beth]

I honestly appreciate that thread when I see it in genre, whether it's melancholy or a variation on that kind of feeling. In Station there's sense of (view spoiler)[regret or lost opportunity, especially at the end. (hide spoiler)] I've read The Citadel of Weeping Pearls but don't recall it well enough to comment on this aspect of it. (Time for a reread!)

singular and lonely... aww. :(

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Beth wrote: "I honestly appreciate that thread when I see it in genre, whether it's melancholy or a variation on that kind of feeling. In Station there's sense of [spoilers removed] I've read [book:The Citadel ..."

I appreciate it while reading...but during reflection I'm always like... Hey! No happy ending??

I agree with the sense in Station. I haven't read The Citadel of Weeping Pearls but that is the reason I was thinking about it. I was reading the reviews and a lot of people mentioned (view spoiler)[that the ending either ruined it for them or that the ending was super sad. (hide spoiler)]

Yes, lonely: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Becky]

OK! I have started this today... I haven't read any of the previous comments, so as to not be spoiled... but just commenting that I'm getting going now. Finally. :P

[Becky]

12%: (view spoiler)[ I'm having a little bit of trouble following all of the cultural and ancestor and rank and status and mem-implant stuff, but I'm sure it will come together. This already seems like the type of story that should be read twice, at least, to fully grasp it all.

But this line kinda threw me for a loop:
"Back in her quarters, she straightened the holos of her own ancestors: her parents-in-law, and her own parents, who had given her in marriage to Prosper Station as part of a trade alliance. She disrobed, slowly, looking into their eyes."

Uhhh... Why you making eye contact with your PARENTS while you undress?? Weird. (hide spoiler)]

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Becky wrote: "12%: I'm having a little bit of trouble following all of the cultural and ancestor and rank and status and mem-implant stuff, but I'm sure it will come together. This already seems like the type o..."

Yeah. There is a bit of weirdness here. I think the entire culture suffers from too much dwelling. I mean, the mem-inplants?

[Becky]

Very much so! It's like each new generation is just reliving the lives of the former since they cant say no to an ancestor etc...

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Becky wrote: "Very much so! It's like each new generation is just reliving the lives of the former since they cant say no to an ancestor etc..."

Right! Which is why it seems there's no democracy or ability to really decent. And it seems difficult to rise above your "station" in life.

[Beth]

MrsJoseph wrote: "Yeah. There is a bit of weirdness here. I think the entire culture suffers from too much dwelling. I mean, the mem-inplants?"

The question never comes up as to whether somebody can turn those AIs/ancestors off temporarily if they're using the toilet, bathing, having sex, etc. Innocent me hadn't even considered the subject or the obvious discomfort/weirdness that would be associated with it. :D

Maybe as disembodied souls, things of the flesh don't bother the ancestors, but that might not apply to the person who's carrying them around in their head. Maybe the culture is so attached to family duty* that their 24/7 presence is taken as a given.

*it would definitely explain why (view spoiler)[Huu Hieu selling off his implants (hide spoiler)] was so outrageous to the rest of the family.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

I think that it's probably both an asset and an hindrance, when I think about it.

I mean, they can help you but they cannot grow. How much can you grow with them? How much can the empire grow with this rock around its neck?

There were a few scenes that show you can ignore them but they're constantly telling you what to do...

[Ala]

I got around 20% in and honestly the only thing interesting to me is the Ancestress/Station mind thing.

Quyen is unbearable and Linh is weirdly grating.

I'll keep reading, but geeze.

[Becky]

Yeah, I'm not really liking the characters either but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to at this point so kind of just going with it. Lin's arrogance is actually really confusing and weirdly written because there was one line where she stood straight and the man that she was talking to was taken by surprise or was shocked or something along those lines... I fail to see why standing straight and proud would have that kind of visceral reaction in anybody. I mean refugees can be anyone not just peasants or whatever.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Becky wrote: "Yeah, I'm not really liking the characters either but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to at this point so kind of just going with it. Lin's arrogance is actually really confusing and weirdly written b..."

Honestly, this is one of the reasons I liked Linh more than the others (none are my faves): why is she expected to be downtrodden?? The biggest issue I noticed (view spoiler)[between Quyen and Linh was that Quyen wanted someone who was bowing and scraping and scrabbling. WHY? Why is it so startling and offensive [to Quyen, esp] that Linh isn't bent over with her shoulders hunched? It's like they expect her to act like a beaten dog and when she doesn't... problems. (hide spoiler)]

[Beth]

Becky wrote: "Yeah, I'm not really liking the characters either but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to at this point so kind of just going with it."

This caused some self-reflection and the result was that liking the characters wasn't crucial to me--in a longer work not liking anybody might cause issues, but for a short work like this, it's fine.

I could sympathize with Linh and Quyen (believe it or not), could understand them and what was causing their conflict, and that made them work for me as characters.

I don't think de Bodard nailed (view spoiler)[the ending of their character arc though. It kind of fell flat for me. Quyen's realization that her compulsive dickishness to Linh was causing both of them more harm than good, came too late and too quickly to have the proper impact. (hide spoiler)]

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Beth wrote: "Becky wrote: "Yeah, I'm not really liking the characters either but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to at this point so kind of just going with it."

This caused some self-reflection and the result wa..."

I feel you. I would have had a harder time pushing through if this was a longer work.

I think that...I understood what was causing the conflict between Quyen and Lihn (mostly. still confused about (view spoiler)[Huu Hieu's arc with Lihn (hide spoiler)]) but I didn't understand them. I didn't get why it was such an affront. Or the knee jerk reactions (all things considered). (view spoiler)[I know Quyen was jealous but it was OTT. She held all the power in the situation. She was in charge of everyone. The attitude came across as unnecessary if I'm being charitable. Or an indication that Quyen had clear reason TO be jealous because she obviously still was unable to wield her power justly and with thoughtfulness if I'm not being charitable. Maybe she knew she should have given the job to Lihn and that was her problem? (hide spoiler)]

But I 100% agree with you regarding the ending. It was too abrupt to mean anything for me.

[Becky]

I'm guessing from the context thats part of the cultural specifics of their society. The mentions of "lesser spouse" and all of the testing to move up in the hierarchy make me think that it's almost caste system like.

And it seems like each station or planet has their own, but they all sit inside the overarching culture.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Becky wrote: "I'm guessing from the context thats part of the cultural specifics of their society. The mentions of "lesser spouse" and all of the testing to move up in the hierarchy make me think that it's almos..."

I thought this, too. But it's never explained. And its frustrating because the shorts I have read all show it being two cultures against each other without this need for all the testing and caste-like system, etc.

I guess I have to go back to the shorts to see when the Chinese/Xuya culture died out and this one started.

[Ala]

Oh wow. This was hella short. I thought it was novel length.

I finished this today and it was ok? I guess? Meh-ish?

I had no problem following the story I was just kinda bored with the idiocy of the characters. I mean, being an asshole just because is kinda shit motivation. And there was nothing that made me care for any of them.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Ala wrote: "Oh wow. This was hella short. I thought it was novel length.

I finished this today and it was ok? I guess? Meh-ish?

I had no problem following the story I was just kinda bored with the idiocy of ..."


lol

I love de Bodard's writing. It's very lyrical. But she gets a bit purple at times and doesn't explain things but also doesn't always bother to give context clues, either.

[Christine]

Beth wrote: "Becky wrote: "Yeah, I'm not really liking the characters either but I'm not sure if I'm supposed to at this point so kind of just going with it."

This caused some self-reflection and the result wa..."

I agree. The ending felt rushed and I would not have expected that / I did not think it believable in any way that the king and his guards had nothing better to do than to pick up Linh for punishment in a big ol war. That was stretching it to the max

[Becky]

I'm... Struggling with this. I'm not following the culture well and it really seems like for all of the formalities and protocol and blah blah, everyone is super nasty to everyone else, and I'm failing to see precisely why. Linh goes to say that she can be of more help than tutoring people who don't need to be tutored, and apparently she might as well have stabbed the girls right in the face.

I think I'm giving up on this. It's frustrating to read because the cultural nuances are lost on me. Just say what you mean and get on with it.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Christine wrote: "I did not think it believable in any way that the king and his guards had nothing better to do than to pick up Linh for punishment in a big ol war. That was stretching it to the max"

Agree 100%! It made no sense they grabbed Linh in the midst of the war. And the fact that they tracked her down, too. Silly.

[Becky]

But she was so important! She kept telling us so, anyway.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, Bad Girls Deadlift]

Becky wrote: "But she was so important! She kept telling us so, anyway."

Not that important. PLus the dang station was super far away. It was stupid.


All in all, I felt that the story is just what you said. I think I'm a little more invested in this world/universe so it was easier for me to push through. I've read a handful of the first shorts and a later short.

The later short had a lot of the AIs/thingamajigs and made it all fascinating. And there wasn't this culture clash that made everything so difficult to get into.

[Becky]

LOL... That was sarcasm, for sure. :P