As You Wake, Break the Shell
Reviews
Becky Chambers never misses. As You Wake, Break the Shell is another beautiful slice of life on an alien planet. I loved this tale of connection, symbiosis, and a reminder that life blooms where you water it, no matter where you are in the universe
Becky Chambers wows once again with an intricately detailed and fascinating world, a heart-warming tale of found family and the tenderest of relationships at its core. I laughed, I cried, and I can't wait to see what comes next
As You Wake, Break The Shell has all the hallmarks of what makes Chambers' work such a cornerstone of modern science fiction: insightful world-building, relatable characters, and morally complex journeys that navigate what it means to be. In this liminal, time-bending masterpiece, two women fall in love amidst a world as desperate for answers as it seems intent on withholding them. At turns cosy, politically incisive, and daringly hopeful about avenues toward a bright future that could be, As You Wake, Break The Shell is a love story at its core; not just romantic love, but love for siblings, love for humanity, love for the worlds that bear us, and love for those different - even cosmically so - from ourselves
Beautifully written, lovingly crafted, this book is a unique ride and a truly special treat!
THIS is the book I've been waiting for. Cora and Signy are two of the best characters I've read, and their romance is so, so familiar. Through emotion and empathy, Becky Chambers has proven time and time again that science fiction doesn't have to feel distant