With thanks to Jaye C. Watts, the author, for an ARC via NetGalley.

I saw a mention of Becky Chambers and Ann Leckie in the NetGalley blurb, and I was hooked. This is the first of a planned trilogy, with book 2 due in 2026. It's going to be almost as difficult a wait as for Deadloch season 2!

Axton is a Mediator, who travels between the New Worlds. Humanity moved to a binary star system and 24 planets in it as Earth died - each planet's society operates according to their Truth (science, religion, love - the 24 divisions haven't been fully revealed yet, but based on current-day algorithmic siloing of social media, you can probably guess the fault lines) Mediators oversee the smooth operation of the system and keep close watch for Outliers; the people who are too curious and too questioning of the system they live in. Except Axton starts questioning everything she's been taught since early childhood...

In my opinion, this is the very best sort of science fiction: the subject is the Human Condition and what it means to be alive, now. The science is well-researched and Watts has a firm grasp on what's needed to make the story work.

This is one I'll undoubtedly re-read (probably before book 2, to refresh my memory - but more than just then) and find new interpretations each time.

This book, like life, comes at you fast. As I write this, it's actually been a while since I borrowed it from the library - on a whim - but it fulfilled such a need for me that I immediately bought a copy when my new ereader arrived - and not at 99p like most of my other Kobo purchases!

It's very much about modern Britain and our descent into fascism; the story opens with the murder of a migrant by a racist vigilante who is part of a group that spends their free time patrolling the coast, looking for small boats. The victim washes up on a beach, and is found by a woman who happens to be a nurse who is struggling; her son died by suicide and she doesn't know how to live now. She becomes somewhat attached to the deceased guy, and this results in her busting him out of the hospital mortuary in order to get him to someone who knew him when he was alive, rather than let the state discard his remains in an anonymous and heartless manner.

It's utterly absurd - the beginning is bleak and hopeless and there's some really intense language; hate speech - to the extent that listening to the audiobook was nearly painful - and then it turns into a beautiful story of human connection and hope and doing the right thing in the face of a state that doesn't care about people's humanity.

Very well-written. In a sea of domestic thrillers, it stands out for having a very good twist, even if it's easy to spot if you're paying a bit of attention. It's no The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, but there was definitely skill involved with the plotting and red herrings.

In terms of childless woman representation, it's not great - though I suppose someone who was fine with not being a mother, despite having hoped to be, wouldn't make much of a protagonist for a thriller.

I'm so tired of there always being someone very wealthy in novels these days - though again in this specific book, it would hobble the narrative if the Cinderella trope was removed.

None of the characters (besides Magdalena, Roo, and some of the other animals) are at all likeable. Even Sam, who is dead for the entirety of the novel, sounds like a rich, pompous snob.

I believe this is the author's debut novel; I'll certainly read future novels she writes; as I previously mentioned, she clearly has a talent for writing. I have just finished this book, but it doesn't feel like one I'd immediately want to read again to pick up on the bits I missed now that I know the whole story - unlike the aforementioned Christie book.

As I already liked and had some measure of respect for Nicola Sturgeon - my MSP as well as FM until she stood down - I was perhaps predisposed to liking this more than an opponent of hers would.

I found it fascinating, and a detailed look at some aspects of recent Scottish political history. Because of the BBC's obvious bias during IndyRef, I entirely gave up listening to them - then their insistence of platforming and normalising transphobia sealed the deal and I don't touch any BBC content at all now. This meant that some events were news to me! Nothing of national or international consequence; I'm not a news ostrich.

The biggest thing that struck me though, was the picture of Alex Salmond that was painted. Whether it was a deliberate choice, or she was too close to him to see it, I can't say. She's obviously not daft - but he's of the sort that can easily pull the wool over people's eyes. It seems he was manipulative and had enormous self-regard. I never really cared for him; then his return to Scottish politics with Alba (that no one in the party seemed to be able to pronounce properly - which sums up the whole project for me) calcified that into dislike. One of the most serious allegations against him returned a verdict of not proven - in other words "we think you did it, but there wasn't enough evidence to convict". Funny how that gets shuffled into the 'acquitted on all charges', isn't it.

Anyway. There was a lot of myself I saw in Ms. Sturgeon's self-description, which can only make me empathise with her more - and causes me to wonder what would have happened in my life had men not decided to cause me trauma as a teen and young adult 🙃

I have no reason to think she would embellish or dissemble - she never gave that impression professionally, and in the book she seems willing to admit mistakes, flaws and vulnerabilities, so I'm happy to take it as she presents it.

She tells a good story, weaving her own life and perspective into the grand narrative of Scotland over the last 25 or so years. Her discussion of the various UK prime ministers that she worked with is notably thoughtful - I'd struggle to not descend into incoherent rage and expletives when mentioning any Tories, which is partly why I'll never be First Minister - and balanced.

I started out with respect and a degree of fondness for Ms. Sturgeon; I finished Frankly with more of the same (and maybe something verging on the parasocial? I'm sure it'll pass with time)