James

Overall, I think the book was a really enjoyable read. It was interesting to see how the spiders developed along a completely different tech tree compared to humankind.

I see a lot of reviews that the characters were flat, and they weren't given enough time for development due to the time-skip nature of the book. I can definitely see where that feeling comes from, however I don't feel that it detracted from the experience. This book is not about the individuals themselves, but about the growth and development of two species.

In this way, the main characters are the spider species and the human species at large, rather than the various Portias/Biancas/etc. Through this lens, we can appreciate a more complex and satisfying arc as we watch how the two (de?)-evolve over time.

Touches on a lot of social issues in a way that I wasn't expecting. When I started, I was just looking for a fun, sci-fi read with cool space aliens, but Tchaikovsky fits in a lot of themes that made me pause for personal reflection.

-1/2 star for the ending. I think the conclusion was nice and the epilogue leaves me hopeful for the next book, but the pacing of the ending was quite rushed and so I didn't feel like it had the space for a satisfying climax.