a psalm for the wild built by becky chambers

The first is the organic nature of world building. There are two additional points of appeal for readers. Together, the two grow in their understanding of what it means to be alive. It does not demand the pronouns of living creatures, knowing it is distinct. It delights in the novelty of sitting down without necessity. Mosscap is a robot, and yet it is not an expressionless string of code. Their oxbike is a mess of dirty laundry and drying herbs. Dex is a monk, but the source of their discontent does not come from a crisis of faith. I am a slow reader naturally but even so, I chose to take my time with the book, letting myself daydream of Dex’s oxbike, and the villages speckling the moon.Īnother reason that I find the book so delightful is the subversion of stereotypes. The majority of the volume I read in the warm afternoon shade, nestled into a hammock while a breeze ruffled the pages. Reviewers from BookTok to NPR are likely to use the words gentle and meditative and purpose in reference to the storyline. Readers feel they are a part of the same cozy world that Chambers writes. Part of what makes the novella so effective is that the book acts as a small comfort. Mosscap approaches with a question it cannot possibly answer alone “What do people need?” When they set down to make camp, unfolding the kitchen and shower after a long day of travel, they are surprised to meet Splendid Speckled Mosscap, the first robot/human interaction in centuries. Leaving the well-maintained roads of humanity, Dex sets out for the wilderness, in search of cricket song. Despite knowing how important their work is, Dex is restless and feels something is absent.

Sibling Dex, a tea monk in service to Allalae - the god of small comforts - travels the moon of Panga, giving tea and listening to those in need of sharing their burden. Long ago, robots gained sentience and chose to separate from humanity, disappearing to live in the wilds, with a promise to return. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers (Courtesy photo) “A Psalm for the Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers fulfills my craving for a warm, thoughtful bit of reading. Further, I like books that make me think, and books that feel like a mug of warm tea. If a writer were to write the same plot in 100, 500, and 1,000 pages, the 100-page work would likely be my favorite iteration. I like the singular focus they offer, the same cerebral energy in a smaller package.

A psalm for the wild built by becky chambers