Review – A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk & Robot, Book 2) by Becky Chambers (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 152 pages
Publisher: Tordotcom
Release Date: July 12, 2022
ASIN: B09CNFL3W7
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Monk & Robot series
Source: Borrowed eBook from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars
“After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.
They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.”
Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Monk & Robot series. I borrowed an ebook of this from my library.
Thoughts: I loved this installment of Monk and Robot just as much as the first book in this series. These are quick reads that seem simple on the surface but really delve deeply into a lot of philosophical topics.
We are back in the same post-apocalyptic Earth setting but this time instead of Mosscap helping Dex explore the wilds, Dex is bringing Mosscap to human cities.
This is a fascinating story. It was fun and intriguing to watch Mosscap be introduced to humanity as a whole. The analysis of Mosscap’s question to the human “What does a human need?” was likewise thought-provoking. Time was also spent on questions of whether or not it is okay to just exist or should we always be striving for some goal. Of course, it is always fun to watch Mosscap’s simple and joyful reaction to things and to watch Dex try to patiently indulge these diversions.
As with the first book, this book packs a lot of punch in a very short page space and is one of my favorite kinds of stories; it is entertaining and fun to read while being thought-provoking at the same time.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this second installment in the Monk and Robot series and can’t wait to see where this series ends up going. This continues in the same vein as the first book; we wander through an intriguing future world and join Dex and Mosscap on their thoughtful adventures through it. I would definitely recommend both books, it would be best to start with the first book to get the full impact of this story.
