Hardcover, 160 pages
English language
Published July 11, 2022 by Doherty Associates, LLC, Tom.
After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.
They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.
Becky Chambers's new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?
A nice, cozy and comfy read, just like the book before it! Nothing earth-shattering, but a good chance to stop and breathe.
Similar to the first book, things happen without much tension. Which is a fascinating feeling! But this book doesn't push as hard on the introspection side -- or maybe I missed it? Felt much less quirky and unexpected compared to the first.
i liked how the storytelling shifted and adapted with the story change that we have between the two groups. the discovery of the different human settlements and their societies is fascinating, thought-provoking and poetic all at once. i loved the ending, even if i had to read it multiple times to be sure. i will miss Dex and Mosscap. :(((
Continues where the first one left off
Content warning Oblique reference to ending
Been struggling a bit with starting new fiction, and have fond memories of reading the first of this sequence on a trip to the Isle of Skye a year and a half ago, so started this as a way to prime the pump for future reading. A satisfying, enjoyable read on its own merits, incorporating some great descriptive material, and more thoughtful than it had to be, adding depth to an otherwise light-touch bildungsrobot (sorry) plot. The ending is well-judged, breaching reader expectations while keeping things open, and I really appreciated being able to start and finish a book in a single sitting.
What does it mean to be, to exist? How do we find satisfaction in simply being? Or does satisfaction come from contributing something back to others while having our own needs met by them? What do we need as people? As individuals? As a society? As a shared planet?
Chambers explores big questions, maybe even bigger ones in our second journey with Dex and Mosscap as when we first met them.
I left the first book wanting a friend to serve me tea. In leaving this one wanting to give and to be given to. For in that is life and meaning and contentment. Thriving and leaving space for others around me to thrive, too.
Five stars.
Like the first book in the series, I had a good laugh and paused to think a few times. An excellent novella for a warm summer night that offers a peculiar perspective on some of our real world problems.
Purchasable
Purchasable
Purchasable
Purchasable
Purchasable
Purchasable
Purchasable
https://bookshop.org/a/102303/9781250236234.https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250808646/aprayerforthecrownshy.https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250808646/aprayerforthecrownshy.https://bookshop.org/a/102303/9781250236234.https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-prayer-for-the-crown-shy-a-monk-and-robot-book-becky-chambers/17855941?ean=9781250236234.https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250808646/aprayerforthecrownshy.https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-prayer-for-the-crown-shy-a-monk-and-robot-book-becky-chambers/17855941?ean=9781250236234.