★★¾
★★½
★★½
I appreciate that female friendships and fulfilment without a romantic relationship are themes in the author’s work. Writing about poverty and classism from the opening chapter also boded well, but in the end I was disconnected from every one of the characters’ thought processes and motivations. Disengaging scenes … Read more
★★½
★★¾
★★½
★★½
★★¾
Racist and colonialist right out of the gate. The author tells us in clumsy, halting self-revelations that the protagonist is smug, controlling, and unable to think outside of conventions, that a man’s vision of life ought to be prime, while her unloving and dishonest family is portrayed as … Read more
** spoiler alert **
★★½
★★¾
★★¾
He repeatedly disrespects boundaries—but she’s intrigued. He also happens to be an astronomer-hacker who is tall, handsome, wealthy, and an expert martial artist. The first 60% doesn’t stretch beyond that level of groundwork. Once they meet extraterrestrials, the interactions still ring petulant. Also I thought Ken Liu was … Read more
An excess of ancient superstitions, ill-chosen analogies, and needless asides alongside fine facts
A lot of space is focused on critiquing Kate Millett’s Sexual Politics instead of standing on its own. The antiracism holds up, and the parts about communal social relations that Leslie Feinberg distilled in Transgender Warriors.
My patience for reading action/thriller got used up. Amira is friends with cops. Hadrian’s linguistic affectation, for someone who moved to the States when he was twelve, is still obnoxious.
