>> Buddy read with Amara, Kat, Spira, Reg, & Aya!

3.5 stars

This was a fun one, though it felt closer to a sketch than a totally-developed story. (It's a novella, though, so I think it's forgiveable.)

While the plot holds everything together and keeps the story moving, it's engaging but not revolutionary. A lot of characters are introduced — too many to really get to know more than a few of them — so hopefully they'll return in future installments.

3.5 stars

Honestly, I'm not completely sure I understand everything that happened in this book? Conspiracy unraveling and tech jargon continue to confuse me and fly over my head. But I still adore Murderbot's snark, distaste for its own emotions, and interactions with others (humans, bots, and other constructs alike).

>> Buddy read with Amara, Kat, Spira, Reg, & Aya!

I think objectively less happens in this book than the last one, but I appreciated the chance to check in and see how Murderbot is coping with everything that's happened. The questions of sentience and personhood grow ever more complex (both in the real world and Wells'); we get to meet ever more fascinating characters — my favorite so far probably being

Spoiler

Asshole Research Transport, aka ART

.

Admittedly sometimes the science goes a bit over my head, since I don't read much "hard" sci-fi and my personal knowledge skews toward biology/medicine rather than technology. But it certainly doesn't prevent me from enjoying the story.

The previous books felt more episodic, which worked — this one, on the other hand, felt like a transition into a larger plot arc. By which I mean it seems more plot-heavy, with major developments that almost border on contrived (rather than a progression of events). And I constantly felt lost with all the tech jargon, of which there seemed to be more in this novella.

It also feels like I should already be attached to these humans since Murderbot is (despite its continued denials), but I didn't really connect with them in the first book so I had only vague goodwill towards them. If they'll be the main supporting cast going forward I can definitely see them growing on me, but we're just not there yet.

content warnings:

Spoiler

multiple character deaths, ableist language (incl. "cr*zy"), implied borderline self-cest, suicidal ideation, grief, mentions of stroke

I'm sure a more "serious" sci-fi fan would've picked up on the Big Reveal earlier, but hey, I got there eventually and I enjoyed it much more than I expected. Funny how I was ready to DNF after the opening chapter because I thought it was so bad, because

Spoiler

that's kind of exactly the point, the show writers are terrible and that's how the characters figure out they're on a show

.

So as far as the premise and plot and implications of this novel go, I'm totally sold. It's brilliant. I wasn't quite as sold on the actual characters or the worldbuilding, which I normally prioritize above the plot, but seriously, the narrative execution comes very close to making up for it.

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CONVERSION: 11.73 / 15 = 4 stars

Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 8 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 5 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 4 / 5

content warnings:

Spoiler

alcoholic parent, amnesia, past infidelity, implied sexual content, student-counselor relationship, bullying, misogynistic language (p*ssy as an insult), ableism (incl. cr*zy), racist slur (g*psy), gaslighting

★ 1.5 stars ★

Well, this got me to read to the end so it wasn't completely terrible, I guess. But it was incredibly cliched — though to be fair I hardly predicted every twist, even if I wasn't really trying — and I found the ending disappointing, beyond cheesy.

Also if I'd read each part separately, I probably would've quit after the first.

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CONVERSION: 4.13 / 15 = 1.5 stars

Prose: 5 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 3 / 10
Emotional Impact: 2 / 10
Development / Flow: 3 / 10
Setting: 1 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: 1 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 2 / 5
Rereadability: N/A
Memorability: 1 / 5

content warnings:

Spoiler

classism, colorism, ageism, fatphobia & fat-shaming, mention of past heart attack, shaming of infertility, mention of miscarriages, mention of abortion, slut-shaming, homophobia, mentions of cancer, animal sacrifice (goats & sheep), mention of sexual harassment by an employer, suicidal ideation, religious fanaticism

rep:

Spoiler

set in Pakistan, Pakistani cast, Muslim Pakistani MCs, [Binat family], fat major character [Qitty], gay Indian minor character [Raghav], mentioned M/M relationship

★ 3.5 stars ★

I've read a lot of P&P retellings, but at a conceptual level this is one of my favorites. Kamal draws insightful parallels between modern Pakistani culture and the society Austen depicts; I also really like that this is overall very true to the plot, characterization, and themes of the original while taking on a new life through vivid setting/cultural details plus a few key changes.

However, it baffles me that P&P is referenced multiple times — specifically its characters and its famous opening line — and yet there is absolutely no acknowledgment of the obvious similarities: plot points, character names, et cetera. I did my best to just let it go, but this just doesn't quite work for me when the obvious solution is for P&P to simply not exist within the narrative; there are plenty of other books that could be (and are) alluded to, including Austen's other works. While their coexistence allows the author to add commentary and make some meta jokes, I'm not sure the tradeoff was worth it.

I also had a few issues with the structure of the writing, though not so much the prose itself. The transitions between chapters and scenes is often abrupt, almost as though the narrator decides to simply move on once the parallel/reference to P&P has been checked off. Also jarring are the occasional peeks into a different character's thoughts; perhaps omniscient third person was intended, but it read more like limited third with occasional brief jumps outside of Alys's perspective. And while in-text direct translations of the Urdu (?) words and phrases was definitely helpful, I would've preferred a more subtle incorporation of their meaning (as appears later on with some of the more frequently used phrases) and, in some cases, the use of the Urdu word and translation interrupted the flow of the sentence without adding much to the context.

Alys does a lot of preaching about social issues, which can be a bit tiresome but does match with what I recall of Lizzie Bennet's dialogue. And it does help build meaningful common ground with Darsee beyond the fact that both like to read; obviously an important aspect of any P&P retelling. There's also some interesting things going on with the sisters: the backstory of Lady's name, Qitty's journey to self-acceptance and body positivity, Mari's entire arc.

Overall, while I think the execution of Unmarriageable could have used a bit more polishing, it's a fantastic retelling of the classic, and one I would widely recommend.

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CONVERSION: 10.35 / 15 = 3.5 stars

Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 8 / 10
Development / Flow: 3 / 10
Setting: 9 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 5 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 2 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: 4 / 5
Rereadability: 4 / 5

I’ll admit right off the bat that I didn’t “get” this book; neither the narrative nor the writing ever really got me hooked, though it was certainly a change of pace from anything I’ve read recently. I do have a lot of admiration for the author, who speaks her mind and recounts her experiences fearlessly (though not shamelessly, and apparently without much benefit from hindsight), and whose voice and story reaffirm the need for intersectionality and diversity in representation.

YES. Beyond the cultural representation, I love the strong element of everyone's interconnected stories and how - just maybe - Fate intends for certain people to be together.

Not half bad; heartbreaking mix of romance and realism. I really liked Adam's narrative style, and it lived up to its predecessor pretty well.