This spoiler-free review covers the books A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers.
As nearly everyone has already said about these books: they’re a pure delight. Reading them felt like relaxing escapism to its most extreme. Imagine playing animal crossing new horizons, except where the animals had decided they’re done with Tom Nook’s evil capitalism, and reclaimed their island in the name of nature. That’s these books.
The world was a breath of fresh air. As someone active in politics and environmental causes, “Panga” was everything I dream of for the future. Chambers even managed to make religion a huge part of everyday life, yet not cause any problems for our utopian society. Our main character, Dex is even a monastic. The exploration of technology, manufacturing, food, economics, construction, and religion in a post-capitalist society was phenomenal. For that reason, I’d recommend this book to anyone who cares about where our planet’s headed.
Outside of the fantastic world-building, the writing itself could not have been done any better. Chambers manages to convey emotions in Dex that are beyond words, but almost universally relatable. The search for purpose, for meaning, for challenge. The difficulties that come with family, especially one that you’re different from. The other standout in the writing of this book is the humorous moments between Dex, Mosscap, and the occasional well-meaning stranger. Without spoiling anything, I found myself laughing out loud at Mosscap’s views on the world, and Dex’s imminent frustration.
These books are likely my favorites of the year so far. I only wish they were longer, or maybe that there was a third. I’d also love to see some art of some of the locations in the books, like The City and Kat’s Landing. You can follow my reading progress on Goodreads or check out my other reviews. Thanks for reading!