This one’s been on my TBR for a while and I could not remember what this was about at all. But I am still waiting on some physical books, so I figured it was about time to check it out.
We follow two aliens, Jahir and Vasiht’h as they become roommates at a university specializing in psychology for aliens. The story is a slice of life, following the daily lives as the two of them get to know one another and become very close, as well as trying to figure out what they are going to pursue for their majors.
I generally like actual stakes and have trouble with the slice of life stuff, but I think this came at a really good time for me. It centers the story almost entirely on the characters, their troubles with internal and external struggles, and they play off of one another really nicely. While Vasiht’h is combating an internal struggle to pursue something where he won’t ultimately get hurt1 , Jahir is dealing with being the strangest alien on campus, being from a race that does not leave their corner of the universe, and dealing with the fascination and prejudice from the people around him.
The relationship between the pair of them developed really naturally. There were a few parts where it felt like it was contrived, but not so much that it took me out of the story. It doesn’t rely on misunderstandings and watching characters actually talk things out, even with cultural differences, is really refreshing.
Overall it’s really good. I had a lot of fun with it, even if there was no world ending or looming dread over the plot. If you’re looking for a sci-fi where the world building is pretty secondary to the characters, and want to see aliens in med school, this is your book.
- Psychology is a rough field, dealing with other people’s difficulties [↩]