After the Stormchain Company capped off the dwemer vent that Sef, Kin and all of the other creatures of the reef need to survive they have no choice but to move closer to the humans than is strictly comfortable or safe. As they both get more and more frustrated with the humans taking everything from them, they happen upon two humans, Seara and Cliff. Seara works ridiculously long hours in order to take care of her father and has a woman working for the Conservancy she seems just as angry as the cuttlers over her fellow human's greed. As an unhoused man Cliff understands all too well what it means to lose everything. Knowing it's a risk but deciding to take a chance Kin opens up communication with the two humans, and to his delight he finds they are not only receptive but willing to help him and Sef take back what is rightfully theirs.
Not gonna lie I didn't care what this book was about the cover is just so very beautiful that I had to read it. Luckily and not surprisingly though I loved it!
Per usual with Dani this was a really short read but a pretty important one as humans keep exploiting natural resources, the new data centers just being one more thing on an already too long list of things that are sucking up precious resources. I don't think the continuous damage we are doing to our planet and our absolute dedication to ignoring how that effects the other animals that share it with can be discussed often enough. It is one of those things that should never leave the back of your mind. It should also be remembered, as everyone human and cephalopod alike remind us that while yes, you should keep track of your own contributions to the decimation of the natural world who is really to blame are the large corporations that are quite literally putting short term gains (in the grand scheme of things) before long term sustainability. Like any real-life oil or AI company there is no way Stormchain doesn't know the about the damage they are causing they simply don't care.
Another interesting addition to this book and one I hope I see more often in this sort of positive light is an unhoused person as one of the MCs. Cliff's character does much to disabuse the reader of the notion that the unhoused are some of lesser people simply by being unhoused. I could go into all of the ways that Finn has humanized him, but I won't, it is simply wonderful to see an author taking the time to remind the world that the unhoused are people worth of dignity and respect. Not to mention that many of us are one catastrophic event away from being in the same boat as Cliff.
I love Seara's character probably the most though simply because I related to her the most. While my parent's do not need the level of care of dad seems to need it is still so draining some days to take care of them. This last couple of weeks with my dad especially have been trying and much like with her father's need to have his Fascinator replenished I had a very similar week with my dad over needing to get a new router. I know it seems like such a tiny thing to point out but you all have no idea how nice it was to see that here. I don't think they mean to but when you are taking care of someone, parent or otherwise, it can often feel like they forget that you have a life as well and while their needs are important so are your own. On top of that I love how she just readily agrees to help even though it may cost her a job. She opts to do the right thing even at risk of herself.
Kin and Sef are adorable as well, Sef especially her constant worrying over Kin was adorable and understandable. Together they felt like a couple who had been together for such a long time they always knew what the other was thinking (without the actual ability to read each other's thoughts though). I also loved that they were both willing to risk their lives to make things better for not just themselves but all of the animals living on the reef. Especially when you take into consideration that they truly did care about all of them even the predators. The world needs more people like Sef and Kin.
Finally, the very best part of this is the fact that the two MCs are octopi. I think we all know by now that Octopi are extremely intelligent creatures and there are quite a few studies out there that show that there is a very real basis for them having emotional intelligence as well. The way that Finn uses their ability to change color here was a lot of fun too, which I may be bias to this since I love Assassination Classroom so much, but I don't really care. Color is such a simple and yet easily understood way to convey emotion that is universally understood. Plus, by using animals with tentacles all of these delicate things that Kin ends up doing without opposable thumbs is completely plausible. And yes, for those into the tentacle thing you've got that going for your as well!
Highly recommend this one. Given that it is a novella you would not think that someone could squeeze so many important topics into one book and make it feel like each was not only addressed but addressed respectively but Finn pulls it off beautifully!!
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