where do i even begin with this one? i thought this book was absolutely phenomenal. i expected a dense philosophical read (something i can't stand), and was met with a beautiful, story-driven masterpiece of science fiction.

one thing i loved about this book was the breadth of commentary and theory nayler was able to pack into an ACTUAL PLOT. this was certainly not a vibes book - there were multiple character povs that i was legitimately equally invested in.

nayler tackles some really hard to pin down subjects: the more than human, entanglements, consciousness and intelligence, evolution, etc. his ability to maintain the complexities of these issues while still creating a story that is digestible is nearly miraculous.

above all, something that stuck with me was the compassion woven throughout. there is some pretty terrible stuff in this book - it comes with the territory - but no single character is labelled inherently good or evil. nayler writes characters that are not morally gray in the sense that they contain a little bit of good and a little bit of evil, but in that they have the capacity for both huge amounts of good and incredible evil, and these two things must co-exist as a reflection of the true human experience.

i adored this read. i highly recommend, i wish i could encapsulate its value in a review but i am not even close!