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shealea 's review for:
The First Sister
by Linden A. Lewis
I personally really enjoyed this book and am eager to dive into the sequel. However, in terms of how confidently I can recommend it to other readers, I can already spot elements that may be controversial or very difficult to stomach.
Final impressions:
• Since this book heavily focuses on the sisterhood (which is essentially an institution that produces mute comfort women for soldiers), I was initially worried that there'd be a lot of gratuitous torture porn. But fortunately, I thought that the portrayal was done carefully and with respect. As mentioned in the author's note, there are no graphic depictions of rape and sexual violence.
• From a bisexual priestess to a nonbinary ex-soldier turned rogue spy, it was so thrilling to see unapologetically queer leads in a sweeping space opera.
• I thought the world-building was very inventive, and I liked how it approached a futuristic, racially diverse society where cultures and languages are decentralized and shared. (Not at all saying that this ought to happen in real life. But it was interesting to read about!)
• The writing in The First Sister is immersive and extremely accessible, which makes it a great starting point for readers who are intimidated by adult sci-fi books. (I've seen criticisms that this book is too YA because its writing is too simplistic - but I personally don't believe that accessibility is a bad thing.)
• While the conflict stems from political unrest and colonial expansion, this book is surprisingly character-focused, especially as the story is told through three viewpoints: First Sister, Lito val Lucius, and Hiro val Akira (my favorite!).
- On one hand, it allows for a lot of introspection and self-examination, which I appreciated.
- But on the other hand, the overarching perspective can get frustratingly limited at times. Especially in addressing the bigger, broader picture.
• As expected, lots of social commentary in this book - but there were untapped opportunities to delve more deeply into the systemic issues, particularly in the institutional apparatuses that enable rape culture, misogyny, oppression, and exploitation of the masses. I think an in-depth exploration was hampered because much of the social commentary was anchored to the individual experiences of the main characters.
• Evidently, the loss of bodily autonomy is the main theme of The First Sister - and throughout the book, we see how this disproportionally affects women, queer folk, and the marginalized.
- In exploring this theme, controversial and potentially triggering decisions were made by the author. As a cis woman, it is not my place to say what nonbinary authors are allowed to write about the nonbinary experience. Notwithstanding my opinion, I can easily see how these writing choices can spark heated debates/discussions and may even be difficult for other readers to stomach.
- As a woman of color, I will say, however, that I have mixed feelings about
- In line with this train of thought, I personally would not recommend this book if you're looking for disability representation, especially since
• Overall, The First Sister is a great debut with fascinating characters, compelling relationships, and a thought-provoking storyline. Although it could have done more with its elements, I remain cautiously optimistic about the second installment. I'm really hoping for some expansion in terms of perspective and storytelling.
Recommended with caution.
[ Trigger/Content warnings: ]
Final impressions:
• Since this book heavily focuses on the sisterhood (which is essentially an institution that produces mute comfort women for soldiers), I was initially worried that there'd be a lot of gratuitous torture porn. But fortunately, I thought that the portrayal was done carefully and with respect. As mentioned in the author's note, there are no graphic depictions of rape and sexual violence.
• From a bisexual priestess to a nonbinary ex-soldier turned rogue spy, it was so thrilling to see unapologetically queer leads in a sweeping space opera.
• I thought the world-building was very inventive, and I liked how it approached a futuristic, racially diverse society where cultures and languages are decentralized and shared. (Not at all saying that this ought to happen in real life. But it was interesting to read about!)
• The writing in The First Sister is immersive and extremely accessible, which makes it a great starting point for readers who are intimidated by adult sci-fi books. (I've seen criticisms that this book is too YA because its writing is too simplistic - but I personally don't believe that accessibility is a bad thing.)
• While the conflict stems from political unrest and colonial expansion, this book is surprisingly character-focused, especially as the story is told through three viewpoints: First Sister, Lito val Lucius, and Hiro val Akira (my favorite!).
- On one hand, it allows for a lot of introspection and self-examination, which I appreciated.
- But on the other hand, the overarching perspective can get frustratingly limited at times. Especially in addressing the bigger, broader picture.
• As expected, lots of social commentary in this book - but there were untapped opportunities to delve more deeply into the systemic issues, particularly in the institutional apparatuses that enable rape culture, misogyny, oppression, and exploitation of the masses. I think an in-depth exploration was hampered because much of the social commentary was anchored to the individual experiences of the main characters.
• Evidently, the loss of bodily autonomy is the main theme of The First Sister - and throughout the book, we see how this disproportionally affects women, queer folk, and the marginalized.
- In exploring this theme, controversial and potentially triggering decisions were made by the author. As a cis woman, it is not my place to say what nonbinary authors are allowed to write about the nonbinary experience. Notwithstanding my opinion, I can easily see how these writing choices can spark heated debates/discussions and may even be difficult for other readers to stomach.
- As a woman of color, I will say, however, that I have mixed feelings about
Spoiler
the racist undertones of a Japanese character's body/appearance being forcefully modified into another Japanese person's body. Yes, it does have "All Asians are interchangeable" vibes - but I think that's part of the point: that even with widely accepted gene manipulation and body modification, discrimination still persists. However, I don't think that the nuances of this can be properly unpacked by a white author.- In line with this train of thought, I personally would not recommend this book if you're looking for disability representation, especially since
Spoiler
First Sister's voice is eventually given back to her.• Overall, The First Sister is a great debut with fascinating characters, compelling relationships, and a thought-provoking storyline. Although it could have done more with its elements, I remain cautiously optimistic about the second installment. I'm really hoping for some expansion in terms of perspective and storytelling.
Recommended with caution.
[ Trigger/Content warnings: