I understand now the hype behind anything written by Becky Chambers. This was an incredibly fun and creative read. There is a lot of allegory in the writing and themes, but it is so well-done and such a delight to read.

I love the characters and found Dex to be just a delight. The writing of their character is done with such innocent candor and never have I read a nonbinary character who read so seamlessly. The pronoun usage felt natural and was just perfect. Mosscap was also a wonderful character and the use of both of these characters as explorers was sweet and endearing. They were each learning in gentle ways about the other. Their banter is witty and honest and at times hilarious. The ways they considered one another's feelings and tried to understand things from the other's point-of-view was a great lesson for humanity and I just loved it.

The world and the journey were also enjoyable, but they are not the center of the story. The journey definitely provides the opportunities for character growth, but is slightly extraneous to the interpersonal connection that is occurring and developing.

Chambers' writing is amazing. It is smart and lyrical and full of subtle analogies. It is compactly able to deliver powerful lessons about humanity and the ways in which we look at, exploit, harm, and explore the world. I am very excited to read her backlist as well as to read more from this particular series. I don't think they can be released fast enough. I loved this so much.