I can't believe I'm rating this book so highly despite it lacking a plot and character development. This book is a love letter to space exploration and the human spirit of discovery. It focuses more on themes and ideas than on conventional storytelling. Becky Chambers writes beautifully, immersing you in the story. It’s a short little book with magical writing and awe-inspiring themes that are both captivating and imaginative. It is sure to grab your attention from the first page and keep you hooked until the very end

The book follows a crew of four on a space mission to study four different planets. Each planet presents new challenges and obstacles to the crew. Midway through their mission, they lose contact with Earth and must decide whether to continue or abandon their mission. The crew, torn between their insatiable curiosity to learn and document their discoveries and their uncertainty about what transpired back on Earth, find themselves in a constant struggle between the thrill of exploration and the anxiety of the unknown. Becky Chambers' focus on the psychological aspects of space travel and self-discovery in the middle of nowhere is not a new perspective, but her take is quite unique.

My one issue with the book is that it’s written as a letter to Earth, intended for the space agency. It felt unrealistic because it seemed to assume that people back on Earth wouldn’t understand complex concepts. As a reader with no scientific background, I found the explanation helpful, but it didn’t make sense from the story’s perspective. Why would you explain everything in layman’s terms to professionals working at a space agency? I don't know what Becky could have done differently, but it just didn't feel right.