Review of To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

Read for: Booktube SFF Shortlist/ Borrowed Books/ Audio Books

Synopsis: "In her new novella, Sunday Times best-selling author Becky Chambers imagines a future in which, instead of terraforming planets to sustain human life, explorers of the solar system instead transform themselves.

Ariadne is one such explorer. As an astronaut on an extrasolar research vessel, she and her fellow crewmates sleep between worlds and wake up each time with different features. Her experience is one of fluid body and stable mind and of a unique perspective on the passage of time. Back on Earth, society changes dramatically from decade to decade, as it always does.

Ariadne may awaken to find that support for space exploration back home has waned, or that her country of birth no longer exists, or that a cult has arisen around their cosmic findings, only to dissolve once more by the next waking. But the moods of Earth have little bearing on their mission: to explore, to study, and to send their learnings home.

Carrying all the trademarks of her other beloved works, including brilliant writing, fantastic world-building and exceptional, diverse characters, Becky's first audiobook outside of the Wayfarers series is sure to capture the imagination of listeners all over the world."

My Review: I am a tentative Sci-Fi reader, but I trust the folks who come up with the Booktube SFF shortlist so decided to give this one a shot. It was my first time reading a Becky Chambers book but it certainly won't be my last! I listened to the audio book from the library but will probably be adding it to my own shelves. It gave me a mix of Annihilation and Murderbot vibes and I was definitely into it. I love the exploration side of it and the mundane human acts that are daily survival. There is quite a twist at the end and it was great, though I would have liked a little more. For a quick novella book, it was very satisfying to read.

My Rating: This book definitely captured my attention right from the get-go and I am looking forward to trying more of Becky Chambers' books.  I definitely recommend it if you want to give space sci-fi a try, it was short and easy to relate to and read.  I give it a rating of Four Paws!