“You and I -- we're just atoms that arranged themselves the right way, and we can understand that about ourselves. Is that not amazing?”

Did not anticipate crying over the robot monk book, but here we are.

This gave me the same feeling that Howl's Moving Castle did the first time I watched it; which is child-like wonder and an awful lot of yearning. Becky Chambers delivered a perfect hug in book form.

Thoughts about personhood and human purpose set against the backdrop of an enlightened, wildly empathetic world. For tea lovers, peace seekers, and Roomba sympathizers.

(Added bonus of a non-binary main character.) ( )

A Psalm for the Wild-Built was wonderful. It was gently paced. Leisurely, but didn’t feel slow. I intend to read the next Monk and Robot book, but I don’t feel in a rush to do so.

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This book is such a joyful, peaceful journey of the heart. I loved the monk and I loved the robot and I want to spend more time with them both.

M: "How does the idea of maybe being meaningless sit well with you?"

R: "Because I know that no matter what, I'm wonderful." ( )

Becky Chambers is an unpredictable author, at least from my point of view. I like at least two of her books enough to reread them regularly. Another one, I found so tedious that I couldn’t finish it.

This one is amiable and pleasant enough, but it’s short (a novella) and rather aimless. Not a lot happens. It feels rather like reading the first half of an Arthur Ransome novel.

When I started it, I immediately found that the third-person protagonist, Sibling Dex, is very frequently referred to as ‘they’, despite being apparently singular. I found this so distracting and irritating that I had to stop reading.

After a while, I decided that Dex is suffering from a personal peculiarity, a delusion of being plural. And I’ve been reading sf all my life, so I can cope with characters more peculiar than that, surely? OK, I managed to finish the story. I still found Dex’s peculiarity pointless and somewhat irritating, but indeed, I could cope with it; and in fact the frequency of ‘they’ diminished as the story went on.

After a while Dex encounters a sentient robot named Mosscap—full name Splendid Speckled Mosscap (taken from the name of a mushroom). Mosscap is referred to as ‘it’, to which it has no objection, and I have no objection. I think I prefer Mosscap to Dex. It seems equally friendly and more sensible. ( )

A philosophical adventure more than anything, this was a beautifully written and intimate portrait of a future world. The world, that one might call a utopia, still has pain and confusion, and the journey that Dex takes is one exploring their own sense of unease.

The plot is fairly small, but it immediately made me want the second book in the series, which is a mark of honor in my experience. ( )

In a distant future, a human, agender monk named Sibling Dex, whose ministry involves serving tea to hurting people, befriends a sentient robot named Mosscap. Together the two travel up a mountain and philosophize about the meaning of life. That is all. ( )

I want to live in Becky Chamber's world. I'm not dragging on them, really, I'm not. But the world in Psalm is genial, and comforting and almost--may the six gods forgive me--like a cup of tea.

Oh, yes, I said it. Tea. What is it with our modern sci-fi writers and tea? Do they not drink anything else? Has the nitro-infused craze escaped them? Are they unaware of the pleasant way melting ice shifts the composition of a drink? I appreciate, perhaps, that they wish to steer us away from both inhalants and alcohol (so responsible!), but have they considered the health benefits of kombucha? Are they immune to the smooth flavors of cold brew coffee? Or the variety of shrubs that are concocted?

But I digress. A Psalm for the Wild-Built (which my brain consistantly read as 'well-built,' a rather different take) is a warm mug of herbal tea (definitely not caffienated) served with some organic honey. It is Star Trek Next Generation. It is a cognitive therapy session with the best possible therapist. It's a hike and camping adventure in the best possible world, where mosquitos are merely annoying and don't carry malaria or Zika or dengue or Chikungunya viruses.

Man, I am such a downer. You know who isn't? Becky Chambers. I want to hang with her more. But only when I'm in the mood for some fantasy sci-fi. Or need some therapy.


"You keep asking why your work is not enough, and I don’t know how to answer that, because it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don’t need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live." ( )

4.5

This was the purest book I’ve ever read in my entire life. Someone hold me ( )

9/10
Such a touching story—not cloying and sweet, not melodramatic, but so filled with achingly familiar, utterly human moments. This was my first book by Chambers and I look forward to reading the sequel at some point.

I saw this book described elsewhere as “solarpunk”—a term absolutely new to me. Apparently it refers to “… a science fiction literary subgenre and art movement, solarpunk works address how the future might look if humanity succeeded in solving major contemporary challenges with an emphasis on sustainability, human impact on the environment, and addressing climate change and pollution.” (Wikipedia)

It certainly poses an interesting basic question—is being alive enough? I think Mosscap’s perspective is one of mindfulness, being in the moment and living moment to moment with curiosity and appreciation. When Dex does that, he is occupied and content, but when he stops, that’s when his doubts and feelings of missing something start. Simply being doesn’t seem like enough for him. ( )

When did happiness become so sad? ( )

Um. I didn't know Chambers could move on from Wayfarers and still write exactly what I need. So I was holding off on this. Finally the GR group Beyond Reality chose it for BotM June 2023 and I am enchanted. I am going to read it again before returning it to the library, and I am wishlisting a copy of my own, and also moving on to the sequel asap.

"Well, can't you... I don't know, run programs in the background, or something?"
"You understand how resource-heavy consciousness is, yes? No, I can't do that anymore than you can."

"... if you don't want to infringe upon my agency, let me have agency."

" so, we're smarter than our remnants...."
"If we choose to be."

"You're an animal, Sibling Dex. You are not separate or other. You're an animal. And animals have no purpose. Nothing has a purpose. The world simply is. If you want to do things that are meaningful to others fine! Good! So do I! But if I wanted to crawl into a cave and watch stalagmites... that would also be both fine and good... it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it."

4.5 stars rounded down because I try to reserve 5 stars for works I recommend widely and I know lots of people who, unfortunately, would not appreciate this.

If you do like this, consider [a:Michael Perry|2772479|Michael Perry|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1231631186p2/2772479.jpg], [a:Matt Haig|76360|Matt Haig|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], [a:George MacDonald|2413|George MacDonald|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1201019294p2/2413.jpg]. ( )

This was interesting. I had heard so many great things about this short novel and expected to be wowed but was left feeling a little let-down. The first quarter or so is very interesting. The world-building, the idea of a monk that makes tea and talks to people who need some therapy, the robot pact, etc. It's all VERY interesting to me.

But the end result, when the monk and the robot meet, is a underwhelming. It turns into them having a series of conversations about life and what it means, what actually matters, etc. To me, and this is no offense to anyone who found it deep, this came across as like philosophy from a freshman college course. It just didn't land right, and that may be because I'm very interested in philosophy in general and "overly exposed" to it.

I think, and spoilers ahead, that the end of the book really defines what this is about. That purpose doesn't have to be tied to what we do. That a tea monk can be a tea monk and that is good, but a robot can live in a cave and not do anything and that is also good. I don't know that this entirely resonates with me, but I do appreciate and agree that all life is valuable and has inherent meaning outside of what we do, but I also believe that what we do is often a reflection of who we actually are.

Anyway...interesting read with good prose and a quick read, but not necessarily something I fell in love with. ( )

This was an amazing read. I don't know what I was expecting from this but I fully enjoyed it. The characters were a delight. The moment I met Mosscap I fell in love, it was an amazing addition. Seeing what Sibling Dex was going though truly hit home at certain parts. I recommend this to everyone. ( )

A tea monk (a sort of itinerant counsellor/therapist) meets a robot in the wilderness - the first meeting between a human and a robot since robots gained self awareness many centuries ago.

I found the initial worldbuilding a bit clunky but the book was very enjoyable once the actual story got underway with lots of interesting exploration of ideas. ( )

A cozy sci-fi adventure with a lot of introspection. The only drawback for me was being a little confused at the construction of the world, it may have been better to weave it more into the story instead of a complex prologue, but that is really a matter of taste. ( )

[b:A Psalm for the Wild-Built|40864002|A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1)|Becky Chambers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600789291l/40864002._SY75_.jpg|63655961] is a cute little novella set in a lovely utopian world. It is full of cosy material details; the wagon that the main character travels in is particularly vivid and appealing. The setting seemingly has a decentralised steady-state economy that provides subsistence and comfort for all. The vibes and certain details reminded me of the Tea Princess Trilogy, [b:A Coup of Tea|46163953|A Coup of Tea (Tea Princess Chronicles, #1)|Casey Blair|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1651108934l/46163953._SY75_.jpg|71121562] and sequels, which also has a whole spiritual order devoted to serving people tea in order to provide emotional support and guidance. (Neither world appears to have coffee.)

I enjoyed the world, but was less drawn to the protagonist, Sibling Dex. Perhaps because they become good at their job so quickly, jumping from utter incompetence to Best Tea Monk almost instantly. My usual experience of novellas is that I wish they'd been longer, as I read fast and love a long tome. In this case, I'd have liked a bit more time spent establishing Dex in their role. On the other hand, I loved everything about the robots. Their role was original and fascinating, notably their concept of mortality and entrancement with the natural world. The narrative really hits its stride when Dex meets Mosscap the robot and they start talking. As in the Wayfarers series, Becky Chambers writes excellent conversations in which people from very different cultures seek to understand each other. I found this comment on humanity's role in ecosystems particularly memorable:

"So, the paradox is that the ecosystem as a whole needs its participants to act with restraint in order to avoid collapse, but the participants themselves have no inbuilt mechanism to encourage such behaviour."
"Other than fear."
"Other than fear, which is a feeling you want to avoid or stop at all costs."

Although it was briefer than I'd have preferred, I really enjoyed my visit to the world of [b:A Psalm for the Wild-Built|40864002|A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1)|Becky Chambers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600789291l/40864002._SY75_.jpg|63655961] and will look for the sequel. ( )

A cathartic release of a story. Reading this felt like what I can only imagine it feels like to sit with a tea monk, and unstoppered something in me that I didn’t know was plugged. I cried several times, and will definitely be moving on to book 2. ( )

an agender they/them monk and their bestie, an agender it/its robot. average friend group

man i just really love her writing. it’s so uneventful and literally just a bunch of inner monologue with a side of dialogue and no huge events but somehow it is never boring to me. i just really like the characters she writes and the topics she talks about. sigh~ i so genuinely recommend her books ( )

I had been reading long novels and listening to long audio-books so this refreshing novella by Becky Chambers was a pleasant change of pace. My daughter and I agree that it would be a fine life to a traveling tea monk. ( )

A fascinating story set in the future on a different planet. In this future robots develop sentience, and as a result, humanity reverts to a lifestyle pre-robots in order to respect the new lifeforms. The robots go off into the deep woods to live their lives, but promise to return one day to check up on humanity.

Enter the monk who, while experiencing an intense feeling of identity crisis and wanderlust, decides on a whim to change careers from gardening to tea. The majority of this book talks about the monk's path to becoming a tea monk, and how they become the best in their region. At some point, the monk, once again, finds themself with an intense feeling of wanderlust and identity crisis. So on a whim, they set out on a journey to a remote monastary in hopes that they will find a way to feel fulfilled. On the way, they come across one of the sentient robots who's duty it is to check up on humanity and find out what humans need. The rest of the book talks of their journey to the monastary and how they get to know each other and become friends.

I would call this novella a cosy read, and extremely relatable - especially as the main character describes their feelings of feeling unfulfilled in life even as they seem to be doing extremely well. The main character is also non-binary, so it's a good read for anyone looking for LGBTQ positive literature.

Looking forward to the next installment! ( )

Psalm for the Wild-Built is a charming, calming story that feels like you are taking a relaxing walk in the woods. A tea monk looking for meaning in life sets out on a journey through the woods to find an abandoned monastery. A robot, who stopped working for humans centuries before, wanders into the woods crosses paths with the monk. Together, they explore life’s big questions as they make their way through the rarely travelled forest. - Michelle ( )

A sweet cozy sci-fi that was wholesome and reflective and just a treat. Sibling Dex is at a crossroads. They have everything they could possibly want and need. but waking up each morning is a slog. They feel unfulfilled. Dex decides to leave his monastery and go out into the wilds and be a tea monk - hoping to find more fulfillment there. They never expect that they will run into a robot. Humans haven't seen robots in centuries and Dex is the first human to have the honor. What develops between Dex and Speckled Mosscap is a genuine curiosity and adventure. Short and sweet and wholesome. I'll have to read more in this series! ( )

What a fantastic book. Just a wonderful story that jumps right in with two main characters that really come to life. It wraps up with perfection and thought. I just loved this book. ( )

This slim work of science fiction is set on Panga, a moon of the planet Mondat, a few centuries after the transition from the Industrial Age to a more sustainable way of life. Details of how this transition was effected are few; apparently, there was a consensus that things couldn’t continue as they had. Nor is there much on how this civilization could wean itself from oil other than using casein (milk protein) and mycelium (a fibrous fungus — I had to look that up) as building materials. Buildings no longer needed simply remerge with nature. All very nice, but it had a magic wand feel about it.

Apparently, the transition was provoked by the robots’ development of consciousness (as opposed to intelligence). It was an amicable divorce, part of an overall division of the land between human settlement and wilderness. The robots chose the wilderness.

The story centers on one of each. Sibling Dex, a member of an order devoted to Allelea, one of the Sacred Six (the Pangan Pantheon), had tended gardens in a monastery of the order but dreamed of crickets. Dex decides to change vocations and do tea service, apparently also one of the activities of their order (the description of it is a fitting metaphor for pastoral counseling). Dex’s wish is accepted by Sister Mara, the Keeper, since this is “not some rule-locked hierarchy like the pre-Transition clergy of old.” In just two years, Dex becomes the best tea servant on Panga but still misses crickets. Without telling anyone, Dex veers off one morning into the wilderness.

Dex meets Splendid Speckled Mosscap (robots take their name from the first thing they see when they become conscious). It is the first human/robot encounter since the Parting.

In keeping with the title “Sibling” rather than Brother or Sister for members of the order (although other monks in the order are called sister), Dex identifies as non-binary. This leads to an amusing exchange when Mosscap assures Dex that it has no problems self-identifying as “it.” This is one of a few moments when Dex has to unlearn some political correctness. This is treated in a light-hearted way.

Despite my sympathy with those who reject stereotypical gender and prefer the pronoun “they,” this was the first book I read with a non-binary protagonist. I understand the use of a pronoun other than “he” or “she” for those who self-identify as nonbinary, but it makes for awkward reading when “they” usually refers to Dex, even though Mosscap is also there. Come on, people, let’s come up with something better than this. Invent a new pronoun?

The book climaxes when Dex and Mosscap arrive at the goal of their quest, an abandoned monastery on Hart’s Brow Mountain, in an inaccessible part of the wilderness. In the closing days of the Industrial Age, it served as an eco-friendly retreat for those seeking an alternative life. Here, Mosscap turns the tables and provides Dex with a tea service that enables Dex to open up. Mosscap listens and asserts that existence is its own justification. Oddly, it seems that humans post-transition still hold productivity and usefulness in as high regard as in the bad old days; otherwise, why would Dex need to be told this?

At any rate, this scene marks both the conclusion of this book and sets the stage for the next in the series, for Mosscap came across Dex while it was on its way to the human world, having been sent by the assembled robots to find out how the humans were doing on their own and to see if they needed any help. Dex was prickly and resisted any offer of help. Now, as the sun sets on the monastery, Dex is willing to guide Mosscap and introduce it to the other humans.

Dex smiles and asks for another cup of tea, and the crickets begin to sing. ( )

A beautiful story where nothing much happens, but deep topics like life & death, our place in the universe and life's purpose are discussed in frank and profound ways. This was another book that found me at the right time. ( )