This was great. it's a first contact novel in a near-future where humanity is quite busy fixing the planet (good thing the aliens are coming to save us, right? eeeeh.); it has a ton of content about family, gender, and ecosystems, as well as intriguing world-building. This is definitely and unapologetically on the "contemplative" side of the "contemplative/action" spectrum, and it's definitely going on my "pile of Hugo Award nominations" for next year.