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Nataliya's Reviews > Falling Bodies
Falling Bodies (The Far Reaches, #3)
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Oh dear, oh dear. I wish this hadn’t taken a boringly simplistic approach.
The premise is not easy and is genuinely painful — the inner turmoil of someone caught in the ultimate culture clash, a child of a conquered people raised by the oppressors, torn between the ultimate nature vs nurture choice — sharing the loyalty both to the native culture and to those that raised him. It has happened countless times before in out world; Roanhorse’s depiction of Earthers/Genteels seems to hint at indigenous people/white colonizers; to me it brings the thought of those Ukrainian children stolen by Russian occupiers and now being raised with the goal to become part of Putin worshipers generation.
It’s important and painful and begs both sensitive treatment and uncomfortable truths.
But Roanhorse’s story just plods along, avoids anything that breaks the mold, botches the ending and seems to imply that straddling two cultures can only end in one way and cliches her way to the very last word.
Not to mention that the characters have less personality than chicken soup.
Anticlimactic at best. 2 stars.
—————
The Far Reaches Collection, in the order read:
— ‘Slow Time Between the Stars’ by John Scalzi: Different than “usual” Scalzi fare. 3.5 stars.
— ‘How It Unfolds’ by James S.A. Corey: Lovely and beautiful. 4.5 stars.
— ‘Falling Bodies’ by Rebecca Roanhorse: Anticlimactic at best. 2 stars.
— ‘The Long Game’ by Ann Leckie: Cute but unsatisfying. 2.5 stars.
— ‘Just Out of Jupiter’s Reach’ by Nnedi Okorafor: Domesticity overload. 2.5 stars.
— ‘Void’ by Veronica Roth: Time dilation murder mystery. 4 stars.
The premise is not easy and is genuinely painful — the inner turmoil of someone caught in the ultimate culture clash, a child of a conquered people raised by the oppressors, torn between the ultimate nature vs nurture choice — sharing the loyalty both to the native culture and to those that raised him. It has happened countless times before in out world; Roanhorse’s depiction of Earthers/Genteels seems to hint at indigenous people/white colonizers; to me it brings the thought of those Ukrainian children stolen by Russian occupiers and now being raised with the goal to become part of Putin worshipers generation.
It’s important and painful and begs both sensitive treatment and uncomfortable truths.
But Roanhorse’s story just plods along, avoids anything that breaks the mold, botches the ending and seems to imply that straddling two cultures can only end in one way and cliches her way to the very last word.
Not to mention that the characters have less personality than chicken soup.
Anticlimactic at best. 2 stars.
—————
The Far Reaches Collection, in the order read:
— ‘Slow Time Between the Stars’ by John Scalzi: Different than “usual” Scalzi fare. 3.5 stars.
— ‘How It Unfolds’ by James S.A. Corey: Lovely and beautiful. 4.5 stars.
— ‘Falling Bodies’ by Rebecca Roanhorse: Anticlimactic at best. 2 stars.
— ‘The Long Game’ by Ann Leckie: Cute but unsatisfying. 2.5 stars.
— ‘Just Out of Jupiter’s Reach’ by Nnedi Okorafor: Domesticity overload. 2.5 stars.
— ‘Void’ by Veronica Roth: Time dilation murder mystery. 4 stars.
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Reading Progress
July 8, 2023
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Started Reading
July 8, 2023
– Shelved
July 8, 2023
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Finished Reading
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Jenny
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Jul 09, 2023 05:29PM
Oh sorry it was a disappointing read. My I really dislike when characters feels bland as its one of the most important aspect for me in a book. Great review Nataliya. 💕
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I've read three books by this author, and I just don't think she's that good at character.
Jennifer wrote: "I've read three books by this author, and I just don't think she's that good at character."I’ve only read one book by her - Black Sun - before and I was underwhelmed by it. This follows that mold.
Jenny wrote: "Oh sorry it was a disappointing read. My I really dislike when characters feels bland as its one of the most important aspect for me in a book. Great review Nataliya. 💕"Thank, Jenny! A book really needs to have something special to offset character blandness and this one doesn’t have that special something.
I was underwhelmed by her Black Sun.
Barbara K. wrote: "I was underwhelmed by her Black Sun."Great minds think alike :)
2 stars from Natasha! o.O Who made you read it this time?
Marquise wrote: "2 stars from Natasha! o.O Who made you read it this time?"I’m reading the entire collection that it’s in. So far I’ve read 3 out of 6: one very good, one alright and this one that was neither.
Britton wrote: "Maybe Roanhorse isn't for you?"After two consecutive 2 stars for her books from me, I think you’re onto something here 😆😅
She is not for me either, based on the novel and short stories (included the very awarded one) of hers I read. The prose is right for me, the sensibility also, but every single thing of hers I read the framework of the story was a bit zonky...I totally getting the Corey story, though I need to figure out how to reconcile my kindle store with my amazon prime store, lol.
Hirondelle wrote: "She is not for me either, based on the novel and short stories (included the very awarded one) of hers I read. The prose is right for me, the sensibility also, but every single thing of hers I read..."I like that descriptor - "zonky". I may need to borrow it :)
Corey's story so far has been the best of the bunch (I've read 4/6, have 2 more left to get through this week).
its not time-dilation.. it Relativity.
poiboy wrote: "its not time-dilation.. it Relativity."Well yeah. Time dilation as suggested by the theory of relativity.
Note that in the beginning, he says something about being "light years from anyone who knows me" and immediately after "a billion plus miles" from Genteel world. A billion miles is less than one light hour, and does NOT work as a reinforcer at all. A typo? Or just not knowing what a light year is? Whatever the cause, it drops one right out of suspension of disbelief.
