Group Reads Discussions 2023: "A Half-Built Garden" First Impressions *No Spoilers*

[SFFBC, Ancillary Mod]

Come share your carefully vague initial impressions here! Save any detailed comments for the spoiler thread.

You can find the full discussion thread for spoilers here.

Content warnings for those who want them: (view spoiler)[spiders, abduction of children (hide spoiler)]

[DivaDiane]

I read this last year. I liked it quite a lot. It’s really smart.

[Cocoa by candlelight]

I don't know if this the right place to my question but this is the first time I'm reading something with this book club and I was wondering if there will be a midway discussion and an end discussion, or if we just comment under these two threads (spoilers and no spoilers) as we read at our own pace. Thank you!

[DivaDiane]

Just these two threads, Cocoa. If you put where in the book you’ve read to and the rest in spoilers (if there are any), that will help people like me, who check updates on the app, but have to move to the browser version to see spoilers.

[Anna]

We generally ask that people do NOT use spoiler tags in the official group read threads!

Check out Everything you need to know in the Group Business folder for an in-depth guide to how the group works :)

[Alex]

Certainly an interesting opening and premise, two chapters in. I hope it doesn’t fall back on being too preachy, though.

[Cocoa by candlelight]

Cocoa by candlelight wrote: "I don't know if this the right place to my question but this is the first time I'm reading something with this book club and I was wondering if there will be a midway discussion and an end discussi..."
Of course, I will be mindful and only post here my first thoughts! And then move to the other thread if I have spoilers. Thank you for letting me know, I was hoping for a midway discussion but this works too. Happy reading!

[Sarah, The Unsettled]

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by this so far even though I’m taking it slow. It’s my night time Kindle read. It’s very complex but I’m finding the world-building fascinating.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I am starting it today!

[Ellen]

I'm at 30% now. I like it but things are a little slow. Just going to take my time and will renew my library loan if needed.

[Tina Reads]

20% in and I am enjoying it. I enjoy first contact SF and this is not disappointing.

[Tina Reads]

I just hit the halfway mark and I'm still enjoying it. I am expecting some drama to start happening soon. My only complaint is how long it's taking me to read it!

[BJ]

I'm just getting started and enjoying it so far! I found some of the dialogue in the opening chapters a little abrupt--they really get into it right away, don't they--but I think that is intentional, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where it goes! And enjoying the world-building so far, as well.

[Tina Reads]

BJ wrote: "I'm just getting started and enjoying it so far! I found some of the dialogue in the opening chapters a little abrupt--they really get into it right away, don't they--but I think that is intentiona..."

The world-building in this is great! I'm on the home stretch and have hit a stride with the novel. I feel like there were some slow stretches in the middle, but it has truly picked back up.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

The beginning really caught me. I'm feeling a bit slowed down now, but still invested.

[Netanella]

I just started this yesterday. I've enjoyed Ruthanna Emrys' earlier works and I like first contact stories, so I have high hopes for this one. I'm typically okay with a slow burn story. I'm about 13% in.

[Netanella]

I'm at the 27% point and I have the urgent need to smack someone in the book. Anyone, actually. Just because everyone is so polite and agreeable and they wipe their crumbs delicately. It's all very restrained and understanding and I need something dramatic to happen soon.

[Tina Reads]

The Chesapeake is very polite and agreeable but keep going, you'll have some people to smack later. 😈

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

Tina wrote: "The Chesapeake is very polite and agreeable but keep going, you'll have some people to smack later. 😈"

Yeah, spot on!

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

Netanella wrote: "I'm at the 27% point and I have the urgent need to smack someone in the book. Anyone, actually. Just because everyone is so polite and agreeable and they wipe their crumbs delicately. It's all very..."

Agreed.

[Sarah]

I haven’t started yet but in one blurb, they compare the writing to Le Guin’s. Usually, those kinds of comparisons fall short. Wondering if anyone found that to be true?

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

definitely not Le Guin imo.

[Sarah]

Thanks, thought as much.

[DivaDiane]

Their styles are nothing alike, although content similarities could be argued.

[Tina Reads]

I actually thought of Arkady Martine rather than le Guin. The Chesapeake is polite like the Teixcalaanli, at least they immediately came to mind.

[Jeanette]

I’m so tired of the topic of gender identity being pushed everywhere, it turned me right off of giving this book a try. Maybe next month.

[Oleksandr]

I've started it, now 1/3 thru and right now the novel is both very good and bad. Te former is in the depth of the world and a list of quite unusual ideas, both about ерру ашкіе contact and the Earth of year 2083. The latter at least partially my knee-jerk reaction to any communal society, which are often written as utopic by people never living in one, as a person, who lived in the USSR and in a communal flat no less. :)

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

Oleksandr wrote: "I've started it, now 1/3 thru and right now the novel is both very good and bad. Te former is in the depth of the world and a list of quite unusual ideas, both about ерру ашкіе contact and the Eart..."

Agree! I had a knee-jerk reaction to the communal living descriptions as well - not for me! But I have relatives who love it.
My relatives: one married couple, seven now adult kids who join everything, volunteer, church almost every day, constant visiting. Big home cooking and food shopping events every day, lots of domesticity doings to occupy everyone.

The novel really captures the commune feeling.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

this is the spoiler siren, alerting you to our approach of dangerous territory better traversed in the spoiler thread! :)

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

Allison wrote: "this is the spoiler siren, alerting you to our approach of dangerous territory better traversed in the spoiler thread! :)"

ok.

[Oleksandr]

Allison wrote: "this is the spoiler siren, alerting you to our approach of dangerous territory better traversed in the spoiler thread! :)"

ok, is the fact that there are a lot of different food descriptions a spoiler too? I guessed spoilers usually relate to a plot and try not to read spoiler threads before finishing...

[Georgann]

I am a little over halfway through. I like our characters but things are moving sooooo sloooowly. I won't be finished by the end of the month. I think I may read another book and then pick this back up. I am a big sci fi fan, but I'm having a little trouble figuring out this world. Glad somebody's done something about global warming, tho.