Prayer for the Crown-Shy

Definitely the light comfort read I was looking for, and like the first in its series it has just enough moments of emotional tension and and philosophical debate to never get twee or boring. But more than its predecessor, the world this is set in is the most convincing, appealing hopepunk I have yet to read. It's clear that it had gone through some very hard times in the past, but the equilibrium that the books are set in feels plausible and inviting. I can think of many other books whose worlds I'd like to visit, but these are among the few I wish I could move to.

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.

The way the relationship between Dex and Mosscap matured in this book, is so charming and nostalgic. I love how they both explore existential ideas in a way that makes you, as the reader, feel and think about those ideas.

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

A must-read if you read the first book. Really good.

Finished this series during a multi-day power outage, and being in resource-management mode def made the cozy solarpunk world these books built feel closer at hand. It was kinda impressively fleshed out for being only 2 short novellas, but i think any more than that and the utopic vibes woulda been totally saccharine. I don't particularly care about solarpunk but I am a total sucker for robot-human friendship exploration stories so definitely enjoyed that aspect.

The world described in these books is one that I would love to live in, more than that described in any other science fiction book. Forget cyberpunk, give me solarpunk for life! It's a great book to read before bed, as the book is like a warm hug, helping you settle down and relax before going to sleep.

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.