Fireheart Tiger, by Aliette de Bodard

The last of the books I'm planning to read from the Hugo novella list for the year!! There were a lot of really good things about this one: the feeling of tension and unhappiness and like there are no good choices; fearing your lover's anger and your mother's anger and feeling like there's nobody with whom you can be at peace and uncomplicatedly yourself. The alternate-history Vietnam-like setting. All the important female characters.

But, like the last de Bodard I read, I struggled with the romance. I feel like I needed to see more between Thanh and Giang. And it feels awfully abrupt that Thanh is open to trying something with Giang so very very soon after everything went down with Eldris. I think the book just needed to be a bit longer than it actually is!

2022 Hugo Award: Best Novella

Woohoo I finally got through another Hugo category! Here's how I'm voting for the novellas this year. Links to full reviews in the titles.

1. Elder Race, by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I LOVED THIS. I was not expecting it at all and it blew me away!

2. The Past is Red, by Catherynne M Valente

Yes, I'm surprised as you are that I'm ranking a Valente this high, but you know what, every now and then she manages to write something that really works for me, and this does.

3. Fireheart Tiger, by Aliette de Bodard

Loved everything about this one except that the romance felt too rushed.

4. A Spindle Splintered, by Alix E Harrow

Although I don't love everything this book is doing, I still really liked it!

5. No Award

6. A Psalm for the Wild-Built, by Becky Chambers

I've loved most of the Becky Chambers books I've read in the past, but this one just really rubbed me the wrong way in a number of aspects. DNF.

Not ranking: Across the Green Grass Fields, by Seanan McGuire

I find myself so deeply irritated by something or other about every single book in this series I've read over the years for the Hugos and I'm not gonna keep on trying.