Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels discussion

This is buddy read for the winner of Locus Award for Best First Novel in 2021

I just started the book. So far an interesting start but no wow feeling

I finished it and while it sets a very serious moral question, which I guess we may discuss when others catch up, for it is related to the mystery's solution, the prose per se or characters don't made me root for them.

Also as with a lot of "our world but with magic" it lacks balancing our history course and really powerful magic

My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Hoping to join in a few days.

Me too. I have to finish Red Mars, and then I have a few from another group scattered over the rest of the month.

Me too, I have to finish The Ministry for the Future first which is is slog.

Rebecca wrote: "Me too, I have to finish The Ministry for the Future first which is is slog."

Then why finish haha?

:) Sigh, I'm reading it with some folks from work...I will likely stop once I'm half way through. I work in climate change mitigation so I feel somewhat obligated to read at least that much.

Rebecca wrote: "Me too, I have to finish The Ministry for the Future first which is is slog."

Note that it was a monthly read here and the thread, if you wish to write something is here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

Thanks Z!

About half way through and really liking the story and world building, but hope we learn more about the magic system. I still haven't reached what I imagine is a "big reveal" because so far its just a mystery/exploration story.

I went into this not knowing anything about what to expect (trying a new thing where I don't read the blurb) and I think that didn't serve me well because I missed a few cues early on because I'm dense. ;)

A side note - I now read The War Whisperer: Book 1: Geronimo and the protagonist there is a Lipan Apache just like in this book. The story is quite different

Ah, Rebecca, your reasoning for continuing Ministry of the Future makes sense. (Sorry, I seem to have missed your comment when you first made it.) That is super cool that work with climate change mitigation! What does that look like? I’d love to hear more about your job if you want to share.

I started Elatsoe a few days ago. I’m enjoying it so far. I’m finding that this isn’t YA in ways I dislike. Despite being young I’m still finding the protagonist relatable and interesting.

Kristenelle wrote: " I’m finding that this isn’t YA in ways I dislike."

No angst and no love affair - two things that are too common in YA and absent here

Sorry! I thought this BR was in the other group! I will try to catch up

Kateblue wrote: "Sorry! I thought this BR was in the other group! I will try to catch up"

Do not worry, there is no deadline

I finished this last night...it was probably a solid 3 stars maybe 4. Perhaps 4. There was some strangeness towards the end (view spoiler)[with the one chapter from Ellie's mom's perspective (hide spoiler)], why what that necessary? I tried to see if anything in that section was at all relevant to the larger story and couldn't find anything that was essential or anything that added to my understanding to the world.

I really like the relationships in this book, most of which were friendships or relatives, they felt real and deep and (as you mentioned above) didn't suffer from needless tension or romantic vibes.

The mixing of magics was an interesting choice but I liked that it reinforced the difference in cultures - that said, it would have been cool for some mixing of talents, just as cultures mix through the generations.

I'm still not sure how I will rate this book and I'm trying to sort my thoughts to write a review...looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Kristenelle wrote: "That is super cool that work with climate change mitigation! What does that look like? I’d love to hear more about your job if you want to share."

Oh ya working on climate change mitigation is loads of fun but a bit depressing at times. Things are looking up given the change in administrations here in the US, but the last few years were tough. I worked in the Obama Admin as a climate finance negotiator in the lead up to the Paris Agreement and the US leaving that agreement was devastating. I now work in philanthropy (left DC in 2018), taking really wealthy people's money and directing it towards zero emission technology policies and projects in the developing world.

Rebecca wrote: "Kristenelle wrote: "That is super cool that work with climate change mitigation! What does that look like? I’d love to hear more about your job if you want to share."

Oh ya working on climate chan..."

Wow, what a cool career you've had! Thanks for sharing.

I'm approaching the halfway mark and I'm not sure I'll continue. My thoughts are that this is well written and I like that it is focused on Indigenous people/culture/experiences. But I think this particular book just isn't my taste. I'm finding that I don't enjoy detective stories much. I'm getting bored of the main character wandering around collecting clues.

I did finish this and I found that it got better at the end. It was slow to start and I was rewatching TV shows rather than read it. But it got better.

I usually like detective stories rather a lot, Kristenelle, but this one was just really slow for the first half. So don't give up on all detective stories :-)

I particularly liked the historic tales.

Though I did think that the worldbuilding about Willowbee was unclear, even after I was done. (view spoiler)[ were all the people of the town some weird race? (hide spoiler)]

Glad I read it though. I hope there is a sequel, and I will certainly try another book by this author.

Kateblue wrote: "Though I did think that the worldbuilding about Willowbee was unclear, even after I was done."

I've read them as 'banality of evil', they were just ok if it hasn't affected them personally