On A Sunbeam Review (no spoilers) (Patreon)

On its surface Tillie Walden's "On A Sunbeam" is a book that I very much enjoyed. I want to keep this review concise so here's the basic rundown:

Things I liked:

- Unique science fiction

- Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay 1000% gay.

- Many lovely illustrations with pleasing colors

Things I liked less:

- Virtually all characters have same face/build

- Needless swearing to spice up dialogue. Shit! Fuck! Shit! Shit!

- 533 pages doesn't always feel too long. This felt too long.

Hurt Feelings:

I don't think this book is for me and that's OK.

Speaking as a Feminist, I applaud Tillie Walden's book. There are no men. Not a one, and honestly I'm for it. In a world oozing with patriarchy it is ALWAYS refreshing to see something DIFFERENT for a change.

Speaking as a Mindful Intersectional Feminist? Walden fails rather utterly at being inclusive, and in this regard it's not all that unique. Don't expect much diversity here.

YES. Walden has a single Nobinary character, one that pretty much doesn't speak. But to me they felt like a tacked on token, perhaps after a cautionary nudge from an editor. 

I have seen this white AFAB short haired slender nonbinary "character" over and over and over and over. 

It's frustrating. What can I say? No queer literature should remind me of this meme:

Final thoughts:

Walden's space ships are drawn to resemble Koi fish, and in many of the pages they look like dicks.

This book is full of dicks. 

Flying dicks.