Light From Uncommon Stars, by Ryka Aoki

This book leans in hard on the story of the protagonist. Katrina Nguyen has led a life of misery as an abused transsexual girl, and that feeds her art. She is a self-taught prodigy, and Shizuka Satomi, the other main character, recognizes it in her role as a recruiter for Hell. Shizuka is in many ways a perfect foil for Katrina, and their stories meld in a way that made me reluctant to put the book down when it was time for bed. Some of the reviewers don't think the characters grew in the book--I absolutely disagree, both Shizuka and Katrina evolved considerably and it's a core element of the story.

I think a lot of people kind of glossed the rarified world of top-level violinists and violin makers, perhaps because Ryka Aoki didn't want to double the volume of the book to go into the depth of, say, junior tennis in Infinite Jest. The over-the-top drive in that space makes soul-trading and sex work for music very believable.

There are parts that don't work as well. The space aliens and demons from Hell are not integrated in any plausible way. They come together mildly at the end in a way that is kind of disappointing. But ending books is both difficult and in some ways optional, especially once one has read a lot of fiction. The story in between is the point. I can only give this 3 stars but I still think it's a deserving contender for the awards it is nominated for.

My Goodreads Review

The Galaxy, and the Ground Within, by Becky Chambers

For what Chambers says is the last installment in this series, she gives us My Dinner With Andre, with aliens. The plot does not relate to the characters at all--a disastrous satellite accident strands a set of aliens at a space truck stop/motel with nothing to do but interact with each other. The intent is in no way disguised so this is fine.

The aliens are all humanoid and represent various ways of being human. A human is offstage (the Aeulon Pei's boyfriend) and is the only mentioned human, but the aliens represent various social types here on Earth--privileged (the Aeulons), xenophilic (the Laru), xenophobic (the Quelin), and oppressed (the Akarak). They come from different circumstances but basically share a value of caring for others that drives the interactions in the book, as it does for the others in this series.

So really Chambers is only trying to do one thing in this book and that's show how very different people can get along with each other. And she does it very well. It is a heartwarming read from end to end in a coldhearted time in world history. My quibble with it would be that despite the differences the aliens are really very close together in personality. Real people differ more fundamentally than these "aliens" and it's more challenging to see each other's humanity. And the moral blind spots of the more privileged ones are brought up, but not really worked. Still it accomplishes what Chambers wants, which is to allow us to hope and breathe for a bit. Would give it a 3.6 and round it up.

My Goodreads Review