+Extensive world-building
+Compelling characters you quickly bond with
+Thought-provoking plot
+Great balance of character growth, world building, and plot

This series (and all of Becky Chamber's, to be honest) has become my comfort series. Every time I read these books, it's like being wrapped in a warm hug, even if the stories themselves are sometimes heartbreaking. This final installment has only further proven that, and I can't wait to read these books over and over again. I'm heartbroken I won't get another story in this world, but at the same time, I've loved the other works Chambers has written as well (To Be Taught, If Fortunate and the Psalm for the Wild Built), and can't wait to see what she writes next.

One of my favorite things throughout this series has been the universe that the stories are set in. Chambers has always done a fantastic job of creating worlds and cultures that feel entirely real, while also making them inclusive and realistic. Her world-building has become what I compare other sci-fis too, as to me it's just a perfect example of how to create a deep, fascinating setting for a sci-fi story to take place in. The diversity that exists between the different cultures and how they perceive the world around them (both on a cultural level, such as with gender and relationships, but also on a physical level, like communicating through colors instead of sound) is one of my favorite parts of the universe this series takes place in. I also love that each new book seems to take a different approach and angle to this universe, and we aren't just getting the human perspective of this vast world. We get to see the world through the lens of different species, and it's always really cool to see how that changes a particular story. This book is a perfect example of that, since our point of view characters are all from a different species and therefore have an entirely different way of seeing and interacting with the world.

Chambers also always really shines when it comes to the characters. Every story of hers has, without fail, ensured I was attached to the POV characters (and often side characters), within the first few chapters. The level of care that seems to echo through every layer of their development is visible in every interaction between Chambers' characters, and in their thoughts as they process certain events. You quickly grow to love these characters, to understand them. I loved the cast we got to see in this book, and it hurt finishing the story knowing that I wasn't ever going to see them again. Another important aspect, related to characters, was the relationships between them, and this part was especially interesting in this installment, as the main POV characters all started off as strangers. It meant we both got to see how characters viewed themselves and how they viewed each other, which varied greatly depending on the beliefs of individuals characters and the prejudices they had going into this situation. It led to discussions between these characters that were sometimes confrontational, but even in those arguments, Chambers did a good job of not painting any single character as a 'bad' one. This allowed readers to see the many shades of the same color, and that no specific character was right.

We need more hopeful stories like Chambers' in this world, and I love how full and happy I feel whenever I finish another one of her stories. There's just something so compelling and fulfilling about a story like this, one that isn't necessarily about packing as much action and excitement as possible into 400 pages, but instead focuses more on lived experience, interactions across cultures, and exploring what it means to just be. I couldn't recommend this book, and the Wayfarers series, enough. I'll be (impatiently) waiting to see what Becky Chambers writes next!