G. Deyke reviewed Hoshi and the Red City Circuit by Dora M. Raymaker
[Adapted from initial review on Goodreads.]
5 stars
Not sure I have the words to do this book justice right now, but I'll do my best.
It is gripping, immersive, has excellent worldbuilding, says a lot of important things and fills an important representational gap, and above all, it has a really, really excellent voice. Not just because Hoshi is likeable and her narration is immersive, but also because she's optimistic and bouncy: this book goes to some dark places - it is essentially about hate crimes - and doesn't make light of the horrors, but it's still essentially a fun read. I've read books that are fun, and I've read books that are deep, but it's not often I read a book that's both. This book is definitely both.
It also combines computers and neurology and linguistics and spirituality in a really cool way. "Combines" is not a nuanced enough word for what it does with these …
Not sure I have the words to do this book justice right now, but I'll do my best.
It is gripping, immersive, has excellent worldbuilding, says a lot of important things and fills an important representational gap, and above all, it has a really, really excellent voice. Not just because Hoshi is likeable and her narration is immersive, but also because she's optimistic and bouncy: this book goes to some dark places - it is essentially about hate crimes - and doesn't make light of the horrors, but it's still essentially a fun read. I've read books that are fun, and I've read books that are deep, but it's not often I read a book that's both. This book is definitely both.
It also combines computers and neurology and linguistics and spirituality in a really cool way. "Combines" is not a nuanced enough word for what it does with these things, but regardless: it is really cool.
It's also really, really neat what it does with its depiction of K-syndrome, the way society responds to it, assistive technology and the way it works and what happens when it doesn't, &c. K-syndrome is fictional, but it's very similar to existing developmental disabilities (autism) - enough so to be both very relatable and a mirror for the world we live in.
Also it does a really neat thing with the climax.
Okay! I think I'm out of words now! Anyway it was good.
Selling points: realistic-but-entirely-readable depictions of ableism, systemic oppression, hate crimes; largely [K-syndrome] cast; immersive; cyberpunk; murder mystery; excellent worldbuilding; really cool assistive technology.
Warnings: ableism, systemic oppression, hate crimes, disability-based caste system with built-in slavery.
