A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Becky Chambers is one of the few authors whose prose matches the optimism of her ideas. It would be a disservice to listen to this story as an audiobook. Her words are worth your eyes and attention. All of it.

a solarpunk book that tartly and gently moves you to the best tears for what compassion looks like - and that we (and AI?) can learn how to be kind and compassionate with our small actions.

Soothing. Textured. A place to return when everything feels like too much.

I’ve read Becky Chambers once before: “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” was so good I immediately searched for Chambers’s other stories. I found this, and put it back down after the first chapter of a sample. I saw the potential, and as an enby barista I got a kick out of an agender tea-maker protagonist, but the vibe wasn’t landing for me. That was about a year ago. Most recently I tried to finish up Dune Messiah, and when I allowed myself to admit I just really disliked that book, I moved on to a different space opera. Another huge letdown. Then I came back around to “A Psalm for the Wild-Built”, comfortably awaiting me, and I blew through the remainder of my sample. I bought it without hesitation and finished the short novel a week later. I have never related more to a protagonist. It’s scary to see one’s situation so precisely articulated in a novel. It could have been word-for-word. I’m trying to keep my expectations of an answer low, because that’s not fiction’s job. But the journey will be more than satisfactory, whether the protagonist’s solution to our problem is actionable for me or not. This book is COZY. It is heartfelt and wise and honest and cute and fun, but it still manages to have the movement of a good Studio Ghibli film, the sense that things are happening and the character is changing and the story is going somewhere. It’s what solarpunk books are aspiring to be, I think. Low stakes, but not merely a slice of life, either. An optimistic and, in many ways, utopian future, but people will always have their problems. This book was exactly the cup of tea I needed. It’s short, easy to read, full of captivating worldbuilding, and two lovable characters. Excellent book.

Somehow manages to have a discussion about ecology, the singularity, the psychology of capitalism, and more without dragging. The characters feel genuine and realized. The world is very solarpunk and is compelling for how the humans remain their flawed, endearing selves within a more harmonious society. Great inroad to explore ideas like de-growth and mutual aid with heaps of imagination.

Beautiful little book. Really hopeful and comfortable; reading it feels like going home.

A beautiful story that applies so much to our lives now. Told in simple language, yet offering us a Way through the quagmire to what is really important, being OK with who we are.♥️

Such a sweet story of friendship and discovery. The imagery was lovely and inspiring.

I love this book. You know how books and essays are often described as “meditations”? Well, this book *is* a meditation. it’s told from the POV of a monk, it’s structured much like one of the dialogs that have been so influential in Western philosophy and science, and it addresses clearly and concisely the question of the meaning of life, and gives an answer I can agree with. Besides which, it’s a charming story, with a couple of interesting characters, and an optimistic look at how a society could solve some of our own existential problems if only it could be shocked into *looking* at them. And there’s some very thoughtful and subtle worldbuilding here that underpins the meditation. If you’ve read Chambers before you will be delighted but not surprised at this book. If you haven’t it won’t hurt at all to start here.

I know I certainly do. This book was meditative. It's brought tears to my eyes. So well written, so calming, and so deep. Highly recommend!