Ahoy there me mateys! This week is the inadvertent novella week as this will be the first of three. I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
finna (Nino Cipri)
Title: finna
Author: Nino Cipri
Publisher: Tor.com
Publication Date: Tomorrow! (paperback/ebook)
ISBN: 978-1250245731
Source: NetGalley
This novella answers the question about what would happen if a wormhole opened up in Ikea, I mean, LitenVärld (copyright issues!). In this short but fun #ownvoices story, a grandmother wanders through the portal to another universe and gets lost. Two employees have been tasked to find her . . . only they just broke up a week ago and are barely speaking.
The premise is awesome but I wasn’t sure at first if I was going like this one. The humor style took some getting used to and had quite a few pop culture references at the start. Some of it entertained me like how each LitenVärld furniture room set-up had a nickname like “Nihilist Bachelor Room.” Other parts could be sarcastic but kinda felt painful and mean-spirited. It was an odd juxtaposition but I got the hang of it. Having worked in retail (ugh!) I could relate to commentary of working for a soulless corporation with arbitrary rules and conformity issues.
The heart of the story lies with the two main characters, Ava and Jules, and how they are coping with the end of their romantic relationship. It really does capture the feel of knowing that a partnership has to end but still struggling with conflicting emotions about the transition. It doesn’t help when ye be working at a job ye hate and seemingly have nowhere to go. It was interesting to read about a very unhealthy relationship between two otherwise nice people.
The major complaint I have about this one is that it was actually too short. The relationship between Jules and Ava was excellent and obviously the main point of the story but I would have liked more world building. I loved why the wormholes appeared and how the corporation dealt with them. The commentary about diversity and relationships was excellent but I couldn’t help but want more details about the strange lands. The handful of other worlds felt lightly sketched in.
No regrets here at all though. I will certainly be looking for Cirpri’s next work.
So lastly . . .
Thank ye Tor.com!
Check out Matey Tammy’s review where she says:
“I was happy to find, however, that this story is more than just a fluffy, fun romp through universes. Cipri gives us an interesting love story as well—and when I say “interesting,” I mean that a lot of stories don’t tackle that awkward phase in a relationship where it seems to be over, yet both parties are struggling to turn it into something else, something new. Ava and Jules may have fallen out of love, but as most of us know, it’s just not that simple. It takes a couple of wormholes and a very wise ship’s captain to show Ava that perhaps there is life after a break-up, and the author does this in such a wonderful way.”
Goodreads has this to say about the novella:
When an elderly customer at a big box furniture store slips through a portal to another dimension, it’s up to two minimum-wage employees to track her across the multiverse and protect their company’s bottom line. Multi-dimensional swashbuckling would be hard enough, but our two unfortunate souls broke up a week ago.
Can friendship blossom from the ashes of a relationship?
To visit the author’s website go to:
To buy the book go to:
To add to Goodreads go to:
This one looks so good! Tor.com is really knocking it out of the park for me with their novellas!
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I adore all their recent novellas. I have quite a few on me list to catch up on. Even the ones I don’t love, I still am glad I read. I can’t think of one that I hated.
x The Captain
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I am unfamiliar with Cipri’s work. I’ll be hunting for more of their work as I seem to rarely read anything by non-binary authors… Do you think there is enough content here to expand it into a full novel? Or perhaps a novella series, as Binti and Murderbot were?
I like novellas. I don’t read enough of them. How do you find the ones you want to read?
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I’ve never been to an Ikea, but these Ikea-set books sure are making me wonder if I should jump in my buggy and head to Chicago. There was also that Ikea-themed horror novel by Grady Hendrix a few years back!
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There are Ikea books?! I had no idea. I also have not been to an Ikea. We could meet up! XD
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LOL! I’ll meet you to eat food, talk about books, and look at chickens, but I’m not meeting up to visit a Swedish do-it-yourself furniture story. 😂
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I mean. If you’re coming to Chicago, that’s not too far from where I am… #MissYourFace
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I love to see the crew getting along! I do think this book could be expanded but it also worked fine as a novella. And as for how I pick them – I pretty much read any and all published by Tor.com. They are me favorite for novellas. Diverse and fun and quirky. I could easily give ye a whole list.
x The Captain
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Now that I think about it, Tor is the only imprint which I know focuses on publishing SFF novellas. There must be more!
Please share your favorites. Perhaps 3-5? Some place I can start from!
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Hmmm. These are off the top of me noggin:
1. the black god’s drums by P. Djèlí Clark
2. Seanan McGuire’s wayward children’s series
3. the test by Sylvain Neuvel
4. made things by Adrian Tchaikovsky (I still have to review this one)
5. lightning in the blood by Marie Brennan
And of course Murderbot! I love Murderbot!! The other companies I read novellas from are Subterranean Press and Tachyon Publications.
x The Captain
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I didn’t realize Wayward Children was a novella series! How fun. I’ll definitely add all of these to my TBR — I enjoyed reading Sylvain Neuvel’s Sleeping Giants, so i’m sure I’ll enjoy his novella.
Yes! Obviously Murderbot! I’m currently reading Artificial Condition. ART is an amazing character. I cannot wait to keep reading these. So. Fun!
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Awww, I miss your face, too. If you need a vacation, you can come to South Bend and say you’ve been to the city of democratic presidential candidate Mayor Pete.
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Hahaha. I have been trying to put a visit to South Bend in David’s ear. We’ll see, as at this point it’ll have to be late Fall. #FarmLife
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True. Also, we don’t have a guest room like you did at your old house, but there are nearby hotels and motels (we live about a mile away from the South Bend airport).
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Pft, if we come we’re totally driving. Audiobooks FTW! 🙂
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I saw the horror novel cover and thought it was fun but I don’t know if the book was considered to be any good or was just a topic of conversation because of the setting.
x The Captain
PS Ikea is weird. It does feel like another creepy universe ye can get stuck it. I have only been in there once cause the best friend made me. I haven’t been back.
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This sounds fun! I’ll keep this one on my radar 🙂
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It is fun and worth trying. Especially if ye can borrow it from a library.
x The Captain
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That is frequently my complaint with shorter stories – I just want more. This does sound good. I’d already seen Tammy’s review but good to see another positive voice.
Lynn 😀
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Fun but not life changing. I could read it again but wouldn’t be upset if I didn’t. And I do think the plot will stick because of some of the weirder things 🙂
x The Captain
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Oh, this sounds fun! I’ll have to check it out, thanks for the review!
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It was a good time and a quick fun read. Do check it out. I think ye would like it.
x The Captain
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Awesome, thanks!
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I liked this one. Quick and fun and quirky!
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Quirky indeed!
x The Captain
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Yes, I totally agree. It was too short and tackled a little too much in a short package. But super fun anyway😁
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The image of the first world and what they found there will stick for quite some time 🙂
x The Captain
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That makes two mostly positive reviews for this one. I’ll definitely have to check it out. Great review!
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Thanks matey! I do think ye will like this one.
x The Captain
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