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A review by incipientdreamer
To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers
5.0
All the stars ★★★★★
The wanderlust was hell with this one. I just wish I was born 30 years in the future, so I could have had the chance to be an interstellar explorer...
This short novella is a love letter to the wonders of space travel and space exploration. It felt like the author peeked into my heart and wrenched the words out, putting them to pen and paper. That's how personal this felt.
Written in the form of a diary, it follows the life of a crew of 4 astronauts 14 light-years from home carrying out exploring missions on alien planets. We follow them as they visit various moons and planets, learning about how vastly different these worlds are from our pale blue dot. This is not a plot-driven book. If you like fast-paced action with loads of plot twists, this book is not for you. This is more of a philosophical take on life and the "why" of space travel.
it centers more on the characters and what they are going through and feeling. Their emotions and their heart's desires. Despite its short length, I was completely enamored by this story. I might be biased; being a physicist it is my lifelong dream to travel beyond Earth, and I feel like Becky Chambers completely resonated with my feelings in this book. It felt like I was looking into a mirror. You know those moments when you meet someone who likes the same stuff as you, and you need to take a deep breath to calm yourself? That's how I felt about the author.
There is a scene in this book that I absolutely loved. Our crew lands on a planet where they find water, while examining the water under a microscope, they spot a single cell and watch as it divides into more cells. The sheer joy and marvel that the characters feel were so raw and pure, I couldn't help half crying from happiness!
So, if you love space travel and have always looked up to the heavens in wonder and want, this book is for you :)
"We have satisfied nothing but curiosity, gained nothing but knowledge.
To me, these are the noblest goals."
The wanderlust was hell with this one. I just wish I was born 30 years in the future, so I could have had the chance to be an interstellar explorer...
“We step out of our solar system into the universe seeking only peace and friendship – to teach, if we are called upon; to be taught, if we are fortunate.”
This short novella is a love letter to the wonders of space travel and space exploration. It felt like the author peeked into my heart and wrenched the words out, putting them to pen and paper. That's how personal this felt.
Written in the form of a diary, it follows the life of a crew of 4 astronauts 14 light-years from home carrying out exploring missions on alien planets. We follow them as they visit various moons and planets, learning about how vastly different these worlds are from our pale blue dot. This is not a plot-driven book. If you like fast-paced action with loads of plot twists, this book is not for you. This is more of a philosophical take on life and the "why" of space travel.
it centers more on the characters and what they are going through and feeling. Their emotions and their heart's desires. Despite its short length, I was completely enamored by this story. I might be biased; being a physicist it is my lifelong dream to travel beyond Earth, and I feel like Becky Chambers completely resonated with my feelings in this book. It felt like I was looking into a mirror. You know those moments when you meet someone who likes the same stuff as you, and you need to take a deep breath to calm yourself? That's how I felt about the author.
There is a scene in this book that I absolutely loved. Our crew lands on a planet where they find water, while examining the water under a microscope, they spot a single cell and watch as it divides into more cells. The sheer joy and marvel that the characters feel were so raw and pure, I couldn't help half crying from happiness!
So, if you love space travel and have always looked up to the heavens in wonder and want, this book is for you :)