Becky Chambers seems to have a direct line to my heart and soul. This story's quiet interactions and deep exploration of Dex's inner landscape are the soft, welcoming escape I desperately needed. With our world in states of such constant chaos, it's so nice to be able to disappear into a new world so incredibly different and full of compassion.

Panga is something of a paradise, where capitalism and industry are consciously rejected. It's a world where a nonbinary monk can serve tea for a living, without fear of bigotry or poverty. It's also a world that still holds scars from its wasteful past, most notably in the sentient robots left over after the factories shut down. The balance here is so well done, and it moves me to both hope and grief.

Dex is wonderfully faceted, with plenty of growing and exploring of their own heart to build a story around. Mosscap is an utter joy as it explores new places and people, with its own unique perspective on the concept of self and responsibility. They both speak to me in such deeply meaningful and wildly different ways.

Overall, this is a delight of a book. The audiobook has stunning voice work, with the narrator infusing a sense of peace and contentment into the story that I think suits it perfectly.