#Sissix from The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet

[bruin-coll]

First of all you don't even have floppy curly hair like that so jot that down. :P I mean I don't know half of these half as well as I would like but the vibe I'm getting is every day you wake up and the world is mean and you just want to be allowed to go to back to bed and be cozy and gay. Also that you're a nerd. (Tim is the nerdy one right?)

Yes all 5 of them from Kokoro Connect but also if I put just one you wouldn't know which it really was.

Also let me link Sephive's twitter: https://twitter.com/SephiveDewlap To my taggees, Happy Holidays: psychoanalyse me <3 @persephonaae - Is it mean if I say you can't put persephone? @justsomeartgeek - (figure it's a freebie to ramble about your DnD characters if you want) @delicatelyhappyunknown - Does Phan count as a character? Much love to all and anyone else who wants to jump on, go ahead (clues in the tags)

Making a tag game cause I can

Rules: post 4 fictional characters you relate to and assume something about the person you reblogged from based on their characters

No pressure tag! @sidneyoftheblackwoods @mqstermindswift @stars-and-birds @zenilvar @forever-chained-to-myself @themidnightarcher @skeelly @thepencilsnameissteve @thislove-taylorsversion @thislifeissweeterthanfiction @swiftieannah @a-pessimistic-swiftie @catastrxblues @jellycanon @what-about-wendy and anyone else who wants to join<3

[fire-fira]

Tagged by my wonderful fiance @radioactive-earthshine to make a list of women (which you can choose your fave from).

And if you're seeing this you're officially tagged. Name some women!!!

[glass-apothecary]

This is truly so niche so be warned.

I HC Sissix from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers as looking exactly like Madame Vastra from Dr. Who except with some feathers at the ends of her ridges.

Exhibits A-E

Also can someone please talk to me about my lizard lesbos 😭

[a-skirmish-of-wit-and-lit]

Book Review: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (The Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers

I've had this book sitting on my bookshelf, calling out to me with cosmic noise, since at least 2017, and now that I've finally picked it up, I'd like to ask myself: WHAT WERE YOU WAITING FOR, YOU FOOL?

I deserve a swift, jet-fueled kick to the hiney because this was nothing short of a wayfaring space opera delight! So fun! So inventive! It was escapism at its finest, imbuing me with the awed feeling of rushing through the stars with a motley crew of characters from various parts of the galaxy. I couldn't help but love them or their rundown clunker of a spaceship, the Wayfarer, which was giving Millennium Falcon vibes in the best way.

Chambers created a lavish, diverse world that was all about tunneling wormholes through space, found family, and interspecies cooperation. The narrative was more character-driven than action driven, but I preferred that. I think it's what gave the story its richness, its inventiveness. Part of what made it so fun is the detail the author paid to the characters and the species/places they hailed from, giving them all unique appearances, behaviors, relationships, and evolutionary space histories. I particularly loved that she wasn't afraid to play with gender norms or interspecies coupling, either. It added a futuristic otherworldliness to everything as well as underlined how human constructs are just that - constructs.

All of the characters were great, some quirkier and easier to love straight away than others, but even so, I can't declare a favorite because they all (Sissix, Rosemary, Ashby, Dr. Chef, Corbin, Jenks, Lovey, and Ohan) cemented themselves in my heart by the end. They're a crew, a family, and it's impossible to see them any other way.

Needless to say, I am SO looking forward to the rest of the series!

4/5 stars

**Follow me on Goodreads

[found-family-tournament]

Found Family Tournament Round 1 Part 13 Group 61

Propaganda and further pictures under the cut

Nightchord25: Kanade Yoisaki, Mafuyu Asahina, Mizuki Akiyama & Ena Shinonome

Wayfarer's Crew: Rosemary, Ashby, Sissix, Jenks, Lovey, Corbin, Dr. Chef, Ohan

Submissions are still open!

Nightchord25:

Usually in Project Sekai, I don’t really have any people I ship as a polycule,..well except Nightchord25. And there’s good reason for that too because there bonds with each other is just so…mwah. But anyways, why are they found family you may ask? Well they’re 4 mentally ill teenagers so plenty hurt and comfort there. There’s Kanade Yoisaki a girl who’s mom died at a young age and father is in the hospital because of stress. Kanade blames herself for her father’s hospital trip and compensates for it developing a savior complex, becoming a hikikomori who creates music in an attempt to “save people.” Her lifestyle is quite unhealthy as she spends most of her time creating music neglecting food and sleep. Next, Mafuyu Asahina the lyricist and arranger who has a “good girl” facade but in reality is unhappy and empty as she lacks an identity due to her mother’s manipulative behavior causing her to be a people pleaser. She’s spent her whole life pleasing others that she’s forgotten her own self, that she wants to be when she grows up? Well her parents want her to become a doctor but she truly doesn’t know. Thirdly is Mizuki Akiyama, the video editor. Despite Mizuki’s cheerful and peppy demeanor which contrast the other characters, Mizuki is an incredibly lonely person and is ostracized at school. This is because Mizuki is heavily implied to be biologically male despite dressing in feminine clothes. There’s a lot of debate on Mizuki’s gender identity but one thing for sure is that because of Mizuki’s looks, the students around them think of Mizuki as weird and strange. Lastly but not least is Ena Shinonome, the artist, Ena’s a very blunt person with a bit of a tsundere personality. Despite her outgoing demeanor she is also surprise, surprise, depressed. Ena has a social media account to that’s quite popular but what really matters to her more is her art account which barely gets any followers. Ena is an aspiring artist, wanting to become professional. But she struggles with her lack of talent as well as her inferiority complex because of her dad brutally telling her that she can’t make it in the art world and that she has no talent for it. Which…while I get what he’s trying to say as he is also an artist,..that isn’t exactly the best thing for him to do.Now that I’ve introduced you the cast, what’s there relationship like? Kanade has a special bond with Mafuyu as when Kanade and the others discovered that Mafuyu’s happy mask was a hoax and in reality she’s lost all hope and is empty, Kanade vows to help her find her true self which at first by creating more songs. Mafuyu denies the help but eventually gives in. Throughout the story Kanade learns to understand Mafuyu more and aaahh we see Mafuyu start to crack a smile every once in a while because of Kanade’s music. Kanade has also helped Ena by giving her encouragement with her art as Kanade genuinely likes Ena’s art and Kanade is the only person who Ena never bickers with. Mizuki has also helped out Kanade alot with them pushing Kanade out of her shell and making her go to places more. Mizuki finds comfort in n25 as they’re Mizuki’s only friends which why it hurts them so much as they fear that they will leave Mizuki if they found out their secret. In this way, Mafuyu and Mizuki foil eachother with Mafuyu being her true self with Nightchord meanwhile Mizuki hides their secret from Nightchord cuz of their fear of possible backlash. Both of them out on a facade one way or another. Ena ended up sensing that Mizuki was hiding something and in the end tells Mizuki that she’ll be waiting as long as Mizuki wants to tell their secret one day which makes Mizuki feel even more guilty. Now Ena’s relationship with the Mafuyu. At first Ena doesn’t understand Mafuyu. She doesn’t understand why she’d wanna disappear when Mafuyu is so talented which is something that she wants. While they definitely didn’t get along in the beginning slowly but surely they started understanding n being friends<33. There’s probably more I missed but I’m sooo tired lmfao

Wayfarer's Crew:

Sorry, I got no propaganda for them yet :(

[quoteablebooks]

Genre: Fiction, Adult, Science Fiction, Space Opera

Rating: 5 out of 5

Content Warning: Death, Grief, Violence, Xenophobia, War, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Drug use, Genocide             

Summary: Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space-and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe-in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.

*Opinions*

I am not a huge sci-fi reader, but with how much I absolutely adored Becky Chambers’s Monk & Robot novella series, I wanted to give her other series a try. I was not disappointed. There is something about this book that is cozy even though some serious topics come up during the events of this novel. This is very much a world-building and character-centered story, which might not be for everyone, but by the end of this novel, I was tearing up over the ship's AI.

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet follows the crew of the Wayfarer, a vessel that tunnels wormholes to make transportation around space easier. Rosemary Harper joins this interspecies crew with her own baggage only to find that this crew is as rough around the edges as the ship itself. When the crew gets a long-haul job in new alliance territory, they have a lot of time to get to know each other and test the bounds between them as new issues arise internally and externally. It’s a job that will give them enough credit to live comfortably for a long time, but they have to survive the job to reap the rewards. 

Does that seem like a short overview for a four-hundred-page book? Well, that is because while there is a plot to this novel, it kind of isn’t the point. While the trip to Toremi space is always in the background, what you follow is the relationships between the crew members and the universe that Chambers created with her different alien races and their customs. Chambers approaches all of them with respect, but there is obvious tension between a few of the groups and misunderstandings that are bound to happen when different cultures intermingle. There are also a lot of conversations about AI and how it should be treated when it is sentient. Now, there are some areas of action in this book and I became tense on a couple of occasions, but this is firmly a character-driven novel. 

The crew of the Wayfarer is eccentric and loveable, think Firefly without all the war trauma. Even the members that aren’t very likable, to begin with, you grow to care about as the story progresses. They all also have very distinct personalities and issues that are dealing with. The reader is given an access point to the Wayfarer and the world via Rosemary as she grew up on Mars and had never been in open space before. However, throughout the novel, you get points of view from everyone on the ship as well as some other individuals that they come across. I didn’t think that I had become too attached to them, but the first time that the crew was in danger I was worried for them. By the end of the novel I was tearing up over the emotional turmoil they’re all going through. 

This is a really short review for a 5-star read, but I don’t have much to say other than I loved my time with the crew of the Wayfarer and can’t wait to get back into the world. I think that this is a good gateway book into the sci-fi genre. I can see why some people will not love this as much as I did, but truly I always wanted to get back to this book whenever I put it down. I also think that this would be a good audiobook if that’s your preferred way of reading. 

[gentlemanjester]

Book review: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

So, this book was recommended to me when I put out the call for sci-fi books, and is one of three I bought. It's also the last one I finished just now. Since it's midnight and I usually go to sleep at about 20:00, I'm gonna write a review of it.

The story takes place in the distant future, and follows the crew of

The Wayfarer

, which is a tunneling ship. This means that the ship will punch through the fabric of reality in order to connect a transport tunnel between two points in the galaxy; there are laws and regulations surrounding faster-than-light travel, so these tunnels are the most efficient way of getting around.

The back of the book reads as if our main character will be Rosemary Harper, a young lass who joins the crew using counterfeit documents and bribed officials, trying to leave her life behind. However, there is certainly not any single main character in the story.

Most books, you'd expect to have a single story arc that our characters are getting through, some end goal or journey, and each chapter will work towards that arc. This book is very different in that it is extremely episodic. Seriously, each chapter is like an episode in a TV show. The overarching plot is that the crew is preparing for a long-haul flight to a sector known as Toremi space, where the Toremi people are constantly fighting each other and attacking anybody from the Galactic Commons who dares get close. Recently, a clan of the Toremi - the Toremi Ka - have been admitted into the Commons, a very divisive move, and the crew have been hired to punch a tunnel between Toremi space and GC space.

But very few of the chapters deal with this plot. They all take place during the flight, of course, but they all seem to be far more focused on establishing the crew. The eccentric mechanic Kizzy, who's your typical ditzy lass, introduces some.of the crew to her redneck friends on a colony. Jenks, the computer tech with dwarfism, wrestled with his love for the ship's AI. Sissix, the Aandrisk pilot, introduces Rosemary to one of her families. Corbin, the algae expert (algae is used as fuel) discovers that he's actually a clone of his father.

Each of these episodic chapters are also spread out over the course of about a year and a half, comparatively. So there are a lot of story points which I personally think could've been expanded upon a lot but were given just one-sentence synopses. For example, we learn that Rosemary's father was actually a war criminal who was selling weapons to the aforementioned Toremi and was sent to prison for it. She has a conversation with Jenks about it, sure, and with Dr Chef (the ship's medic and cook), but no conversation with the doctor, or Sissix (who she becomes great friends with). The best we get is "the captain wasn't thrilled about the lying," and that's about it. It's barely brought up again.

But while the story's pacing and formatting leaves a bit to be desired, the worldbuilding is amazing in my opinion. Specifically the creativity that Chambers shows in regards to the various species. Dr Chef is a Grum, a large species with siz limbs and 7(?) sets of vocal chords, giving him the sound of several people talking st once when he speaks in klip (basic language). His own language has each set of chords working independently rather than in harmony. There's also the Sianat, most of whom are Pairs; infected with a parasite called the Whisperer which allows them to perceive space and time so much more than any other species, but which drastically lowers their lifespan. A Sianat Pair Navigator is essential to a tunneling ship. And the Aandrisk, the reptilian species who are far more open and touchy than any other species (having sex in public is just regular behaviour for them).

I also think Chambers might be a furry (or a scaly) because the Aeluons are described as having fish-like scales and are apparently the sexiest species in the galaxy with no debate.

Each of the species are extremely detailed and unique, and there are a TON of indicators that the Galactic Commons is not a perfect, utopian government. Language barriers are very frequent, there are lots of legal discussions regarding the status of AIs and clones, interspecies relationships aren't entirely agreed upon, there's civil unrest and divisiveness on a variety of topics. Chambers has created a Galactic government which feels REAL.

Now, the book does have at least tow sequels, I think. This first one ended with a definite air of finality to it, though. When I say that, I mean that the other books could be centered around entirely different people. I have no doubt I'm going to read at least the second book, but I wonder if this first one is just literally a set up for the next books, if Chambers spent a whole book just to introduce her characters. On one hand, I can understand that, and it would explain the episodic nature of the chapters. But it would be a somewhat strange way to go about it, especially when most other books are able to make you care about the characters without this much setup.

In conclusion, I'd give this book a 7/10. One point deducted for the episodic chapters, one point deducted for the sometimes strange priorities (like glossing over Rosemary admitting her lies to the crew), and one point deducted for the feeling that this whole book was just a setup; I may come back and bump it up to an 8, depending in how the other books go.

[readingrobin]

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain. 

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe. -Storygraph

I've always had a hard time trying to break into the sci-fi genre. I don't know if it has to do with the common settings, tropes, or themes typically associated with it, but there's always been something that keeps me from seeking out these stories and really enjoying them. Whatever the case, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet easily became one of the outliers of this issue, right alongside The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, to which it feels like its distant, more emotional cousin.

At first, I was surprised at the more character-driven nature of the story. It focuses more on the journey to the titular small, angry planet, where the crew takes various pit stops and detours, whether to gather supplies or visit old friends and family. Surprisingly, the main conflicts come more from the interpersonal relationships of the characters rather than the world at large, though there are greater threats that appear in the book's third act to introduce more dire stakes. From what science fiction I have read, there is a greater emphasis on story driven content, where conflicts are typically more physical and the characters develop through that rather than their connections with each other. This quality of the story definitely gives a breath of fresh air to the genre, or to me at least.

While the tone is fairly laid back, the characters are what truly keep the book moving. Following a cast of ragtag, lovable weirdos, this book exudes the oh so wonderful found family trope, where no matter how many disagreements they have or what trouble they find themselves in, they're in it together. Chambers gives a chance for each member of the crew to shine, making the most out of the ensemble cast. I think I liked the Wayfarer's pilot, Sissix, the most, as it was so interesting to see a nonhuman character try to navigate situations through human terms. Her species is highly affectionate, having no qualms about intimate displays of touch in public settings, which naturally isn't going to fly well with those who are more influenced by human social standards. As a result, she has to hold back what comes so naturally to her, which, in turn, gives her a bit of discomfort. 

What Chambers does so well in this story is depict cultural differences not as a way to keep people apart or deem them "inhuman," but as a way to better understand others. There are moments when the differing perspectives of the crew clash, but ultimately, they remain respectful. No one is in the right or the wrong simply because to judge a species' custom or belief through the lens of their outsider's views that come from their own, differing culture is a tad unfair. To accept these differences is to better know and connect with those that come from different walks of life and to share them is for them to better know us in return. The inclusion of aliens that actually feel like beings distinct from humans leads to an engaging diversity that prompts discussion about our own values and why we may possibly think the way we do.

If I had one criticism, it would be that there were some scenes that seemed a bit disconnected, that there were events that were mentioned, but mostly glossed over or were told rather than shown. But really  it wasn't enough to bring the book down as a whole. This was an excellent feel good session in space and I really can't wait to see what other worlds Chambers has in store.

(4/5)

[karin-gespenst]

There are other parents and grandparents in the books. I've picked these because they appear themselves and we learn their names. I did not include Isabel and Tamsin Itoh because they are not shown in the interactions with their children, mostly their grandchildren. There is a part 2 of this poll with the parents who do not appear in person but are mentioned.

[pumpking64]

Tagged by @punchandspade, thank you!

Share your wallpaper: My wallpaper on my phone changes every hour, currently it's a picture I took on a summer morning as sea fog rolled in over the dune-y heath shortly after sunrise:

The last song you listened to: At the start of this post: Runaway deer by Arc de Soleil. At the end of the post: Hand Cannot Erase by Steven Wilson

Currently Reading: Spatort fics and what feels like 365927 scientific papers

Last Movie: Does the theatre play Much ado about nothing count?

Craving: For my exams to write themselves.... also, a good home-made chai, which I hope to have time to brew next week

What are you wearing right now: Jeans, knitted socks and a t-shirt. Simple and cozy <3

How tall are you: 169, pretty average for a gal here, but small compared to most of my friends

Piercings: A set of earrings

Tattoos: None as of yet

Glasses? Contacts?: Glasses

Last drink: Freshly brewed coffee to my breakfast

Last show: The sad German cop shows.... Tatort Saarbrücken, Soko Leipzig or Polizeiruf Świecko, pick one

Last thing you ate: Breakfast bun with (salted!) butter, berry jam and cheese. It's a real shame that jam and cheese doesn't seem to be a universal combination on bread, 'cause it tastes damn good

Favourite colour: Green <3

Current obsession: Aforementioned sad German cop shows

Unrelated Obsession: Birds. My ongoing and eternal obsession

Any pets: Nope

Do you have a crush on anyone: Also nope

Favourite fictional character: Oh I don't have a favourite above all else, but there are a lot I hold dear in my heart. If I'd have to highlight some, I really love Mollymauk and Beau from Critical Role, and Sissix from The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.

The last place you traveled: I was in Germany over the weekend :D

Tagging @triscribe, @sinnsenke, @silverysnake and @schuerk, hope you have as much fun with this as I had :)

[bestshipsmackdown]

Pre-qualifiers; Group Five: Subsection Four

Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson from Stranger Things

Sissix x Rosemary Harper from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet

Foxglove x Hazel from The Sandman

Jack x Rose from Titanic

Flora x Mirta from Winx Club

[spaceleveln]

It's interesting how many people draw Sissix (From The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers) as big. I definitely got the impression that Aandrisks were smaller than humans.

I wonder if I got the wrong impression. Because it clearly isn't just one artist.

[bread-making-vikings]

Tagged by @flame-of-tar-valon to tag 9 people to get to know better

three ships: those 2 lesbians (Sissix and Rosemary) from Long Way to a Small Angry Planet; Gideon and Harrow; Hiccup and Astrid bc I gotta be loyal to my roots

first ever ship: oh jeez, probably Lessa and F'Lar from the Pern books

last song: Heat by Coach Kit

last movie: I think it was John Wick 2

currently reading: In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McLellan

currently consuming: very stale water that's been on my desk at least a couple of days

currently craving: blueberry muffin

I tag @ohboywonder @maurice-alpaca and anyone else who wants to

[nerds-in-wonderland]

👾🌈LGBTQ+ Sci-Fi Books🌈👾

A LONG WAY TO A SMALL ANGRY PLANET

By: Becky Chambers

"Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space-and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe-in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe."

~☕Alice🌈🌌

[felfiramoondesigns]

WAYFARERS SERIES INSPIRED 28MM ENAMEL PINS!

ALL DESIGNS UNLOCKED!!

LITTLE LITERARY ENAMEL PINS: SFF & YA EDITION KS ends April 24th at 7PM BST!

SISSIX & HEDRA KA. Inspired by The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet. Sissix is silver plated with pearlescent & screenprint details. Hedra Ka is silver plated with glitter & screenprint details.

Tiers start from £4 a B Grade and £5 an A Grade! (Plus shipping!)

[7abwis]

ok time for my book journaling, yes spoilers included. this time for the Long Way to a Small Angry Plxnet by Becky Chxmbers

i personally really enjoyed it - s/o to zoe for reccing it to me. it’s one of those that’s very introspective about the human condition even if done through alien means. one of the biggest themes of the book is being good and loving one another is a choice, and one that’s worth it, and y’know im a sucker for that. it gives you that perspective through the eyes of many and the different ways people stick to that. and it also offers you different perspectives on many other different things that we wouldn’t think twice about.

like sissix and the whole aandrisks not getting attached at all to the babies bc so many of them die, and the babies and children not seen as people. and it’s interesting to see her perspective vs the perspective of the human crew who would obviously reflect our views, and how it’s even stated most of the GC doesn’t fall in line with that. and then sissix hits you with the well yeah why would i love something that barely has any thoughts when i could give all my love to someone with full fledged experiences with friends and family who love them and all. and in the context of a fictional reptilian alien species who, like many reptilian species, very few of them survive into adulthood, you get where she’s coming from - or you don’t - regardless it’s your choice, but obviously in an irl human context that's called You’re A Horrible Fucking Parent. but it’s interesting to rotate in a fictional space with her as an adaptation to how her species works, especially since once visiting her home planet you know the children are likely well taken care of and how aandrisks have a lot of care and love for each other (culturally speaking. barring things like what happened to the old lady at the market who was a metaphor for communities ostracizing aneurotypical people). and you know sissix herself throughout the book as a very loving person but that was just one example - and it was interesting to see other examples throughout the book of taking specific things that are just How We As People Work, turning it on it’s head and recontextualizing it within this scifi world with so many aliens with so many different ways of working. makes you think about how humans work and why we do as we do - both condemnation for our wars and violence and appreciation for all the good things we can do. and neutrality for some of the things we do too that just Are. though granted funny some things like the “humans are so modest with all their clothes!” taken as a universal human thing which is just a part of the author’s own biases (not a dig at them, biases will always exist and they stated their worldbuilding for humans as a hodgepodge of cultures stitched together after a mass loss of human culture and knowledge through a planet-extinction event caused by a more advanced stage of what’s happening today) just yknow as someone who some of my ancestors didn’t wear a lot of clothes, and because there’s so many people who don’t adhere to wxstern chrxstian standards of modesty, it’s funny to read as an absolute. found out a lot of people complained about the lack of buildup and payoff, and personally im not mad about that. felt very much like a you’re along for the ride and the journey’s what you’re here for more than the destination. i enjoyed every step of the worldbuilding and the interpersonal relationships of the characters, and that’s what made it worthwhile to me. feels like;;; i guess the closest thing i can attribute it to is how the studio ghibli movies like my neighbor totoro are. it’s not the typical plot of buildup climax, build down or whatever the actual words for it are, but the ride is wonderful nonetheless. rather than the Big Events happening in story and being given a lot of time, you’re more walked through in the aftermath about how the characters feel about it and how it’s affected them going forward, and i liked that. it’s fresh. also was in the library grinning like a madman that chapter when rosemary got that alien pussy bc it was _so_ funny going through sissix’s pov bc she had to actively think to try to parse out rosemary’s advances. like god that whole bit where sissix was like ?? ok something’s different??? she’s dressing in slightly different clothes and her neckline is a lot lower i guess??? and she’s looking at me in a way she doesn’t usually??? ohhHH!!!! OH!!!! let me make sure you’re into this and we’re on the same page actually bc i know how you guys work and i want to make sure you’re ok.... OK YEAH LETS GO. it was so fucking funny. one thing that i found interesting and would have liked a little more indepth for was corbin’s deal after basically violating ohan’s bodily autonomy and separating him from the whisperer. without the indepthness it’s fine bc it’s hinted that corbin dealt with a lot of ostracization afterwards and in the end it seemed like ohan and corbin were implied to have formed a friendship or at least continuously talked in a way that neither of them did before, but i would have liked to seen how the author went about a bit more of it - especially bc it’s such an interesting scenario of of course you should never violate someone’s bodily autonomy but this is in a completely fictional scifi setting where this species of super monkey people are infected with some virus that gives them super knowledge but also are maybe driven to think the virus is its own sentient species that is much akin to a holy being, and this virus drives them to an early death which corbin was trying to save ohan from. wild but at the very least i think fitting for the crewmembers with the least screentime and with the least social personalities. but at the same time i will admit, leaving it less detailed is fitting for it bc it’s such a gray situation to begin with, and leaving so many details unspoken lends to that scenario. also funny in the last bits when rosemary was saying all that shit in the meeting room with the temeri there i was like bitch!!! i thought you read those emails that were sent to you!!!! those bitches can hear you!!!!!! granted there might have been an ‘unread’ in the file somewhere there but idr. but interesting that rosemary’s introduction started with her begging not to fuck this up this time, the themes of her having been inexperienced but having growned and learned, and then at the end her carelessness (or just the timing that she didn’t get to read the email) did jumpstart something that killed one of their crew. but at the end of the day it wasn’t her fault and none of them will know, bc it was strictly that one temeri dude’s fault for being Like That and if it wasn’t then it would’ve been some other time. but all you can think in the book is it happened, and there’s no going back, and all they can do is move forward bc it just truly wasn’t her fault for someone else’s violence. but anyways, good book, once i get through my queue i’ll look into the second one.