We Have Always Been Here

This book didn't make a big splash in 2021 (so far) but it turns out to be one of my favorites. An interesting mash up of the paranoid closed space vehicle (think: Alien, Solaris) with the creepy mysterious android theme (I thought of ‘Creation of the Humanoids'). There are a few head scratchers some of which are resolved in the reveals (e.g. why does the main character relate better to androids than people, why was she chosen for this mission). There were small and inconsequential nit picks too (gamma rays won't change your mood, probably will give you cancer; how can a misanthrope fare as a psychotherapist?) But, regardless, this is very classic space opera, notably the ending which, in prototype space opera form, has cosmic philosophical significance to the universe and the future of everything. I especially found the flashback narratives thoroughly engrossing, as much as the main narrative. It's probably a matter of taste, but I found the ‘laid back' manner of the narrative to be refreshing and extremely well written (sorry, I've had enough of purple prose horror) - and I think the narration was in-line with the main character's neuro-atypicality and misanthropy - it worked for me. All through the book I was imagining how this would look as a movie.