Set in the future, we meet two two groups: the cyborgs who live in an underground universe and the natchers the "aliens" who live above them. The problem? They both see themselves as human and the other group as non human. Kanan flees when she is meant to be archived after not being assigned a role that would get her a final skin, escaping into the "nothing" beyond her universe, where she learns that both life and the universe are far greater than she has ever been taught.

The use of language was very interesting in this book. Both groups had similar yet different languages that they used to described each other and themselves. Seeing how perspectives changed with the new knowledge that the same but different language provided was lovely. It very much mirrors the propaganda and different truths we have in our world. We also get to see parts of how the human race got to where it is now through chapters set in the past. Although it wasn't exactly wrong, I do think this book could have been paced a little better. It starts off very strong as we are introduced to Kanan, Tei (Kanan's agemate and the new translator) and our other important characters, but there are a few parts where things get a little more confusing towards the middle, although it picks up again towards the end (although maybe it gets a bit rushed). But overall, reading this was an interesting experience with all the ideas and concepts that the author incorporates.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy the book, I could not get into it, and will not be recommending it.The writing was not stimulating.

I just want to point out that I did like the story but I didn’t like the language, English is my second language and I got very confused with the gendered language used in the book, in my language we have very definitive articles, male and female I understand that in this book there was the need to separate two groups of individuals, but this wasn’t the right was for me…

maybe I wasn't the right reader for this book, and I didn’t enjoy it that much, it was OK, but not my favourite.

Thank you NetGalley and Walking Carnival Books, for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.

This is a terrible book.

It isn’t terrible because of its environment, which you discover bit by bit, just like a puzzle : forming an idea in your mind of what it could be and how interestingly it is developed, only to realize with the next piece that the idea you had in mind was wrong and the reality is even more interesting.

This book isn’t terrible because of the characters either, to which you get attached and even relate to, despite the cultural diversity of their different groups and relative closeness/distance to our current humanity. On a side note, these different groups have similar languages with some words of diametrically opposite meanings depending on their ideology, understanding and relationship to the environment. That creates deep insights on communication, applicable to our daily lives… As an example, gender isn’t useful for some, thus pronouns don’t exist in their native tongue. And when the main character learns to use them, it is a delight !

Finally, this book isn’t terrible because of the story. Slow at first, following one main character and its few closest relatives, pacing through a location and a culture that are both enigmatic and fascinating. And without warning, precipitating that character into the unknown, unfolding event after event at a pace that makes closing the book a tough move, while still leaving time for more environment changes, cultural shocks and character development.

Definitely, this book is terrible, and that is because it finishes. This is the high-quality level I wish all books had. The end left me wanting for more, looking for Volume 2, only to find that it is only a single novel.
If you’re looking for a great book to read, this is a definite recommendation.
And if you’re Gregory Coles, pray thanks for this beautiful piece of art, and please, please, make it a series !

What a wonderful read! I have to admit, this book is outside the typical genres I read, but I picked it up because a friend I trust highly recommended it. I was quickly hooked on these characters and intrigued by the worlds the author has created. The story is intricate and unfolds at a perfect pace. The characters are complex and are developed masterfully. Based just on story and characters, I couldn't put this book down! And then there was the deeper discussion of language, belonging, and what it means to be human. This book is relevant to so many conversations happening in our world right now, and the author brings profound insight into so many concepts. This book will make you think, laugh, and cry, and it will leave you in awe of Gregory Coles's imagination and craftsmanship. Go get your copy!

A wonderful read - up with the best of 2023. Thought provoking science fiction interwoven with commentary on the human condition. A literary masterpiece. 5 stars. I very much hope there will be a sequel. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an DRC. Awesome. I didnt want it to end.

4.75 stars, and not given casually. Why?

I review books based on a set of guidelines I've set so that I'm fair and consistent. The complete set is listed at the bottom of this review; but "Five stars is when you read a book to the end, put it down, take a deep breath, pick it up and start reading it all over again - or you would if you weren't so anxious to read the next book in a multi-book series. Or, it's exceptionally good."

I've long encouraged people to realize that the words they are using shapes reality in the minds of those to whom they're speaking, and thus anyone speaking needs to know two things: What is the listener likely "hearing" (as in "understanding") when they hear the words you are saying, and how does that differ from the meaning that you the speaker are trying to communicate? Because what the listener takes away will be shaped more by the way they hear than what the speaker says.

The Limits of My World takes this concept to the limits to illustrate the depth of its impact. The author posits a (science-)fictional society where over a long time the meaning of words has diverged from what you know them to be. You the reader are thus off-balance in the first part of the book, until the story expands enough for you to realize this, and then start to realize how changes in word definitions graduallly changed the entire society's view of the world.

That very aspect - that changing word definitions changes society - is omnipresent in 2023. I couldn't help but think of Kelly Ann Conway's statement that Donald Trump was offering "... alternative facts ..." when reading this book. Trump's assertion of a "stolen" election evidences the same impact; he has redefined the word "stolen" to serve his purpose, and his listeners now have the same definition, and thus see this election outcome as truth. The book doesn't hesitate to allude to the widespread use of shaped language to serve the goals of politicians with this quote: "They're all saving the soul of our nation. Every last one of them. Trouble is, nobody agrees on what the should have our nation needs saving from." Insightful, eh?

This aspect of language definition shaping society is not limited to politics. There's a sense of word redefinition all around today. Without taking a position whether the redefinition is right or wrong, you can see this in the definition of the word "equity" (in the diversity, equity, and inclusion sense) to which which some want ascribe the definition as equal outcomes, and others as equal opportunity and access. In fact, it may be this very redefinition of language that has so many people around the world in 2023 feeling unmoored, and frightened about reality changing around them.

There are so many things I highlighted in this book as amazing phrases / sentences that are insightful, including (but not limited to) these:
- Truth must be a fragile thing if it only survives in one language.
- ... the politician's art of knowing next to nothing on a subject and yet speaking with absolute confidence.
- Without a name, we have nothing to lose and nothing to grieve.
- Studying history as you've done it simply means learning the story someone wanted you to hear.
- ... every claim of meaning - every story about why and how and where next - is still spiritual after a fashion.
- Everyone is blind in their own way. And in their blindness, they see what those with different eyes are blinded to.

And my favorite: "But the more committed each group became to exposing the dangers of the other, the less able we became to see our own dangers. The more our languages evolved to express the truth of the world as we saw it, the less our ears could understand anything except the words of those who already agreed with us. As eager as we were to stop each other, we had no interest in stopping ourselves." Wow.

I recommend this book. In fact, in my opinion it ought to rank at the historic level of George Orwell's "1984". Though Coles (author) didn't name these elements the way Orwell did, you can see "newspeak" and "doublethink" as foundational in The Limits of My World. There's state control over information & history, state surveillance ("Big Brother is watching you"), political propaganda, censorship & the destruction of words - all executed just as well (better) than Orwell did in "1984".

So read this. And then look at the language of your community - your friends, your professional network, your political, religious, or friends with shared hobbies & passions - and ask whether the constraints of the language used by your community are preventing you from understanding something more expansive than you're granting space for.

Footnote: Somehow I seem to have had a series of books come into my reading path that all have characters that take the position that if one race discovers that alien races exist, the only viable option for long term survival is to annihilate the aliens. At least this book softens that a bit, stating that "... as long as their alien race exists in our universe, we have only two options: Learn to communicate with them, or annihilate them." I hope this doesn't become the dominant view of sci-fi authors!

So, why not five stars - and only 4.75? I have a couple of minor nits to pick.

First, the final outcome of the main characters happened very, very quickly. So much so that - as a fast reader - I kind of missed what happened to them. I kept waiting to hear their final story up until the book ended; I had to go back & re-read the last interaction with them to see what happened. I could have used a little bit more development of the end of their story.

Second, the author was pointedly coopting personal pronoun definitions - him/her/it - to fit into the "language definition" part of the arc. Nevertheless, by telegraphing it in the ostensible "translators note" up-front he immediately set my mind into a state of "Oh, man - is this just a super-"woke" book that I'm going to get frustrated with?" I think the point of pronouns-as-language-artifact (vs. gender-fluid characters) could better have been woven in with the story, vs. putting it out up front and thus putting my mental state into a "defensive mode" up-front. (This is one of those "be aware of how listeners are hearing what you say" moments for the author ;-)

My rating criteria:
- Five stars (see above).
- Four stars is when you tell yourself : ”This is good, this is well-written, this is full of interesting ideas/characters/plot points”, but you know you will never read it again.
- Three stars is when you read it to the end, put it down and proceed to forget all about it in the next instant.
- Two stars when it's so bad that it makes you laugh, or sigh, and want to write a review, but you can't remember the name of the book or dislike it so much that you don't.
- One star when you can't read past chapter 3, even as penance for your sins.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

“Cyborg is what I and my people call your race.”
“My race? You mean the human race?”
“Yes, precisely. The human race.”
Kanan took in a long breath and coughed at the dryness in her throat. “Why don’t you just call us
human?”
“Because,”said Tiqvah, turning away, “human is what we call ourselves.”
“We can’t both be human.”
“No. It seems not.”

It’s been a long time since I read a book and thought, “this might be my favorite” but I went from fairly skeptical (I’m not usually a science-fiction girl) to somewhat obsessed.
The Limits of My World, is about one of the most destructive and creative forces that we take for granted, language and its power to restrict and expand our universes. Through the dynamic-duo Kanan and Tei, Gregory Coles wrestles with stories—how we tell them, (or don’t)—and how they shape us. He reveals the fragility of our own communities, and the human tendency to allow conflicts to schism our relationships so that we become unable to engage each other in meaningful dialogue.
The book’s vehicle to this conversation is timely, invoking the technology debate that is stirring the waters from academia to medicine, and promising to reshape our existence as humans. Yet, I think Gregory Coles is suggesting that this reshaping might be less because of technology itself and more due to our inability to consider our “opponents,” as worthy of investing meaningful relationships in.
“You’re beginning—just barely beginning— to speak more than one language. And now the language you used to know will begin to feel too small for you. It was built to hide things you’re learning to see.”

The Limits of My World touches on the sacredness of human life and relationships in various ways, including through an “inopportune” birth that could upset the careful plans of humanity and an encounter with someone whose singular death would benefit the main character’s mission of saving “humanity”. Coles’ Odyssey creates a world that sounds at once foreign and increasingly familiar as it echoes the ancient mythologies that shape our own world, in an arresting novel that will both insist that you ponder its implications, and keep you turning the pages.
I am struck by the patience with which Coles sets us out on this journey, unfolding the worlds, and words gently until we can see how in the end they are all one world—ours. It’s a story that requires suspending judgment and a bit of umdenken but is well worth the effort. The Limits of My World is stunning and prophetic from beginning to end, and Gregory Coles touches profoundly on so many of the words and worlds that are dear to my heart.
The limits of my world only allow me 5 stars to any singular book—but if you know what exists out past the limits of Kanan and Tei’s world, that’s how many stars this book really deserves ;)

P.S. Greg, it sounds like we need to get more 8-year-olds reading Hamlet :)

This book, at its core, explores the very essence of what it means to be human. It was a delightfully unexpected foray into a genre I wouldn't typically reach for. The story was incredibly clever, with each twist and turn being unexpected, much like an intricate puzzle. Even minor details were later revealed to hold significance.

While this is very much its own story, if I had to draw a comparison, I'd liken it to ‘Babel’ by R.F. Kuang and ‘Cloud Atlas’ by David Mitchell.

The story is set in a futuristic society and follows two characters, Tei and Kanan. Like the characters, we are encouraged to take their world at face value. However, as their paths diverge, and more and more about the human race is revealed, it becomes apparent how impactful rhetoric can be in forming our perception of reality and the limits of language on our capacity for understanding.

The way language was explored in 'The Limits of My World' has impacted the way I look at past works of literature, particularly '1984' and 'Brave New World.' Until this book, I hadn't thought about the power language has over society, the way bias is inexplicably interwoven within the fabric of language, or the way we cannot truly fathom what we do not yet have the words to express, and how in that, we are limited by what society has deemed worthy of naming. Other books in recent times have explored language as a control mechanism, but I haven't read anything that has gone to such depth.

This book is absolutely fascinating. The story begins to unfold, a bit slowly at first, in a world so foreign and strange that one wants significantly more description and explanation than what is offered. But the author’s approach is the right one, as we begin to feel how the characters perceive the world, instead of how we would perceive it in their place. The world building is impressive — bit by bit, not just one, but two worlds are built for us. But these worlds could not be more different, each with its own way of seeing — and speaking about — the world as they know it. But what if there is something bigger out there? Something bigger than any of them knows how to express or comprehend?

Greg Coles, the author, is a language nerd and it pays off big in this brilliant novel as we see how words shape the ways we talk about and understand our world, as well as how we relate to one another. Highly recommended.

Wow, wow, wow. This book was a wild ride and my mind is still spinning after finishing this gem. The book follows two characters, Kanan and Tei, whose each individual experiences lead them to the same, world-changing conclusion. Every word in this novel is put there with intent and has you considering the application to our own world. Not a book I’ll quickly forget.

Everyone. Stop what you are doing and buy this book and read it IMMEDIATELY. I am not joking when I say it is one of the best books I have EVER read and I will think about it probably every day of my life. I have a couple books that I recommend to literally everyone in my life and this is going right to the top of the list.

The Limits of My World is genuinely moving, profound, fascinating, and enthralling. It spoke to me in a way I don’t think any other book ever has. I can barely form the words to describe this book but I will try because it deserves an incredible review.

This book gripped me from page 1 and I could barely put it down. This book challenged me to examine the nature of truth, what makes us human, how language affects our understanding of our world, and, in turn, the limits of our own understanding, all while telling a truly compelling story. Complete with twists that you never expected.

This book may ruin me for all other books for a while, it was truly just that good. But I don’t regret it for a second and will absolutely be re-reading this book many more times.

Now. Go. Buy. This. Book.

This novel is unlike anything that I have read before. A thought-provoking tale of language, readers will experience the inimitable story build through compelling characters across different time periods and worlds. Unexpected twists and turns reveal layers of complexity and care as you follow Kanan and Tei coming to understand how words shape their humanity for better and for worse. As the book continues, the characters’ stories gloriously weave together into a singular pursuit for what it means to be human. Their revelations offer timely wisdom for us in a world marred by disunity and distrust. As we speak past each other in our differences, don’t miss the astute, felicitous reminders that in Coles’s words “every way of seeing is also a way of not seeing.”

The Limits of My World is a gripping and thought-provoking book – easily enjoyable as interesting science fiction, yet touches on substantial issues. In fact, although I’ve already read it twice, I suspect it contains still more substantial insights that I’ve not yet caught. So I expect this book will be enjoyed by a very wide range of readers.

Buckle your seatbelts, folks, because I am about to RAVE about this book. "The Limits of My World" by Gregory Coles is astounding. I had never heard of it until two days ago, when I read the intriguing synopsis on NetGalley and immediately requested a copy. The author has a PhD in English and a love for language, and it definitely shows here. I myself have an MA in Spanish Translation and a fascination for etymology, and I was utterly entranced by the way Coles uses words to shape two vastly different civilizations. I was so immersed in the world that I was extremely dismayed to come to the end of the book. I don't want to say too much more about the plot itself, to avoid spoilers, but I am anxiously awaiting more stories set in this universe.

"The Limits of My World" is now in my top 10 books, and I've read hundreds upon hundreds of them. That's pretty high praise from an avid reader. 5 out of 5 stars doesn't seem high enough to me.

This is coming out this Friday, December 1st! Go read it!

My thanks to NetGalley, Walking Carnival Books and Gregory Coles for providing me with such an entertaining book in exchange for my honest review.

There has never been a book that has had me so challenged, so entertained, so encouraged, so contemplative, an so aware of my own humanity. “The in-between-ness makes us able to do things that those who fit perfectly in the overworld or the underworld could never do.” While not my typical chosen genre, this book had my attention from the early pages. The use and importance of language had me reflecting on my own use of words. I was rooting for relationships that seemingly made no sense, and genuinely changed sides many times. The plot twists were perfectly timed and actually surprising. This is a must read for anyone.