A Psalm for the Wild-Built

I really enjoyed this. I started reading Becky Chambers just at the same time I was reading Martha Wells and I get them mixed up sometimes. So I was reading this thinking "how clever to write a Murderbot book where the robot is on a spiritual quest instead of being a murderbot!" Lol, no, wrong author. And I don't mean to suggest the book is derivative in any way, it's its own thing for sure, just some similarities.

It's a lovely story. And a nicely built world, just revealed enough to give the impression of depth without being pedantic. Particularly in how the details of the religion was revealed. Also just enough philosophy about the nature of consciousness and selfhood without being navel-gazing. And I really enjoyed the monk narrator's point of view. The personalization of the robot was fantastic. Just came together great. And the conceit of a tea monk - lovely!

My only complaint is I wish there were more book, I was enjoying it so much. I guess a second is coming. A little annoyed at being charged full novel price for a 160 page book but then I definitely believe in paying authors well for good stories, not by the word.

Edit I re-read this and liked it even more the second time. Right now is very upsetting in US politics and this book about kindness and compassion was very welcome. Also the ending chapter really moved me. I read it more slowly this time and absorbed more of its message, about one way to imagine finding meaning in life. It made me cry a bit, a message of self-acceptance I need to hear.