I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I wanted and enjoyed getting into this scifi element. I enjoyed that it was the main character and their dog, it had stakes and was hooked from the first page. Katherine Forrister has a great writing style and was able to create interesting characters and worlds. I enjoyed the overall feel of this and glad I got to read this.

CURIO CITIZEN REVIEW BY LIAM QUANE

Curio Citizen is a smartly woven tapestry of detail and intrigue. The author, Katherine Forrister, writes with a fascinating obsession with detail and specificity. It sounds like a bizarre description, but I found that the prose read almost like smoke. I found myself drifting off into long hypnotic dazes while reading. There is a hands-off sensitivity to the narrative that almost comes across as gentle. That is until a major geographical shift comes a few chapters in, ratcheting the tension up tenfold. Curio Citzen follows the intergalactic adventure of Carmen O’Dwyer. Carmen is quick-witted, smart, sensitive, brave, stubborn, aloof, and prickly all at once. These clashing personality quirks make for an engrossing protagonist. Furthermore, Carmen has a unique occupation: a wildfire responder. Only, instead of fighting the fire, she investigates and preserves the archaeological relics wildfires uncover. It was fascinating to read a story from such a unique occupational perspective; familiarly erratic weather patterns have led to a rise in new, reactive salvaging operations, and in the world of Curio Citizen, the need is an urgent one. Our history is being burnt away, so Carmen and her team set out to restore and preserve ancient anthropological pieces of art, the type that adorn cave walls and ancient sites of worship. To preserve, rather than destroy, is not usually the first thing you expect to see in a hardcore science-fiction story that explores themes of collective suffering and war, so you can imagine how refreshing it was to see the story starting off with a creative first step. This endeavour doesn’t last long, however, as Carmen is quickly whisked away to an extraterrestrial [place] in one of the most unique and visceral abduction scenes I have ever experienced. There she meets a race of interstellar beings called [The Paz]. They’re as visually detailed as the anthropological artwork they inspired and created. However, unknown to The Paz, their advancement seems to be a form of impairment for them. Carmen, with the help of a member of the Paz race, Inquieto, essentially undergoes a two-pronged journey, a literal one, in the form of finding a way back home, and a reflexive one: to reclaim her own natural femininity as a human being trapped in a cold, hyper-advanced world. The text is multilayered and filled with visual symmetry. One of my favourite examples of this is early and comes in the form of a thematic match between tent zippers and lingering sexual tension between two characters. This type of humorous double play keeps the plot snappy and alive with character. The writer has a talent for carving unique graphic images into the mind of readers, and they keep the lore flowing throughout to contextualise and curate what we’re seeing inside. It’s like a museum exhibit of science-fantasy. The world feels more lived in than imagined, and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring it as a reader. Overall, Curio Citizen is a serene sci-fi tale that buzzes with shocks of excitement and the call to adventure.

5 stars out of 5 stars. A recommendation for all.

:)

This was a great read. It had everything I look for in a sci-fi. The plot is perfect and well structured. I would love to read more from this author. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this chance to read this book.