This book really stuck with me after reading it. I had to stop reading it before bed because I would stay up too late reading it, which is a trait I cherish in a book and is also hard to pull off in a book with such heavy themes -- brainwashing, abuse, reproductive coercion, war,.... And the characters were so well articulated. I really live for books where characters seem like actual humans who are capable of being really truly horrible to each other and also capable of kindness and growth.

@mouse have you read "A Memory Called Empire" by Arkady Martine? I've been curious about Tesh book and wonder how those two compare, as modern space opera novels.

@mouse thanks! I am on a space opera feel right now, and trying to decide if this is the next one. Might be then.