Kowal continues her exquisite exploration of race and gender relations in an alternate 1961 that is still shockingly close to our own.
– Publishers Weekly Starred Review
In space, it’s often the details that matter most. Specifically, details regarding how we handle matter – every bit of it – and how we have to treat it differently without gravity. I loved that Publishers Weekly chose to highlight those details in their starred review. Baking in zero g, how to handle contingencies such as the death of a crew member, and more.
Frequently, what the engineers on Earth thought would work well turns out to be much less practical than anticipated. Sometimes, the results may be horrific or traumatizing.
Elma and the rest of the crew are forced to navigate those challenges and develop solutions on the fly as the unexpected rears its head time and time again.