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Monk & Robot retroactively renders that painful experience, familiar to many of us, less painful just by virtue of seeing its characters, truly seeing them, and placing itself in their corner. To its readers, these books speak with intention and kindness and unrelenting feeling. They say, “I see you too, and I get it.” And sometimes there is nothing more powerful, or more intoxicating, than that. This question provides a framework for Mosscap’s interaction with human communities, but each introduction to a new community model is richer than the answer to this one question could be, both for Mosscap and for us readers. And as they travel along, Dex and Mosscap’s friendship deepens as well.
Either someone needs help with a very specific concrete issue that either they haven’t gotten around to or for which there isn’t anyone local with the right skills or knowledge. Or, the answer is more existential, where the short version is often something like “purpose” or “fulfillment”. The kinds of things that a person needs to determine for themselves. Sibling Dex’s mental health—their inability to allow themselves the peace it was once their calling to give to others—continues to play a significant role in the narrative and, once again, I was really comforted by the way this was handled. I think anyone who has ever suffered with any sort of mental health type thing will be familiar with deep alienation that accompanies it: it can very much feel like you live in a perfect world, surrounded by people who love you, and yet there is still something gracelessly, ungratefully wrong with you. For Sibling Dex, of course, this is literally true in terms of the setting itself (a utopia in all but name) but, for the reader, it’s a perfect of allegorical reflection of a very specific mental health moment.
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Mosscap gave Dex a sympathetic nod. The hard climb to Hart’s Brow was more than a week behind them, but Dex’s body was still feeling it, and they had made no secret of this. “On that note, Sibling Dex,” Mosscap said, “I can’t help but notice that the sign says it’s another twenty miles to Stump, and—” Prayer is a bit cheekier than Psalm, but no less of a meditative warm hug. For me it’s even more so, because as the relationship between Mosscap and Dex deepens, we’re enveloped in the tangible, growing fondness between them. There’s teasing at times, slyness that emerges with familiarity, and I feel steadier in their stories as they wrestle with these immense concepts. Like crown-shyness, or the way the leaves of certain trees are said to stop growing before tangling with those of others, creating lines of simultaneous connection and separation between. In our world there’s some debate as to whether it’s real or not and what causes it, but it’s a lovely concept, one that feels very suited to Panga. Coexist, do less harm. We are parts of a whole. Well, there’s no spontaneity in your journey, then, is there? If you’re focused on moving from sign to sign, there’s no opportunity for happy accidents. But I suppose I’ve rarely had clear destinations in mind before now. In the wilds, I simply go places.” Still, what you’re saying is quite a responsibility.” Mosscap folded its fingers together before its chest, and its eyes glowed intensely even within the brightness of the day. “What if I make a mess of this?”
There are no significant advancements in the plot, there is just a journey, which can end in the next book or continue for a dozen more. The almost unique feature of the series – there are no antagonists, no ‘bad’ / ‘evil’ characters – everyone is eager to help and made you happy or at least content, it is an extremely altruistic society that lives a sustainable life, quite unlike our world. Chambers welcomes the reader into this place, sits with us our discomforts, our doubts, our grief, and then whispers to us that we can also take our time. The world can wait until we’re ready.The story continues from where the last volume has ended – the Monk (Sibling Dex) and the Robot (Mosscap) travel together and finally visit some places, where there are other people. Mosscap has a mission – to find out what people need, for after robots achieved sentience and people decided they cannot exploit them no more, for the last few centuries humans and robots lived without any communication. Dex has to help it, to work as a middle person and teach it what is ok and what is not in a society. The robot behaves like a kid, for almost everything for it is new, stopping at every second tree or anthill to observe it. And through this theme, Chambers continues to explore what humanity needs. If we have everything we want, how much does having more matter? In A Prayer for the Crown Shy the entire question that Mosscap is struggling with begins to feel like a meta journey for ourselves. To wonder if when we have more access, more ‘things’, more extras, what that means for us? While Sibling Dex teaches Mosscap about their world, it begins to question our own.
Thoughtful, with a gentleness that is as encompassing as any action-filled work.” — Library Journal, starred review Yeah, day’s getting late,” Dex agreed. Twenty miles wasn’t so bad, but creamy highway or not, they were still deep in forest and had yet to see anyone else on the road. There was no reason beyond impatience to continue pressing on in the dark, and though Dex was looking forward to being in a proper town again, stillness and rest sounded preferable in the moment. We do meet a diverse and interesting collection of humans, though, including a … I hesitate to say love interest … a friendly casual sex interest for Sibling Dex (the way this encounter is handled is so well done: there’s attraction, honesty and mutual respect on both sides, and breakfast, but no expectation of anything more or different between them at this time), a representative of group of humans who have chosen to reject all technology (again, this is handled with the delicacy that is typical of this author’s writing) and we get to meet Sibling Dex’s family. Who are A Lot in the best/worst way. Mosscap’s lenses shifted, and Dex could hear a small whir inside its head. “I’d never thought of it that way,” Mosscap said. It put its hands flat against its torso, falling silent and serious. The only thing I found I didn't like is that it was too short. I felt they was just starting their travels and they were not finished. But it ended rather abruptly.And - while this bit was not something I personally identified with, it felt personal in a way that made me apologize in my head to every non-plant-person I've hiked with and bored with the details of invasive plant ecology, oak identification, and the finer points of distinguishing between congeneric species: Materially, yeah, pretty much,” Dex answered, in regards to the wagon. “At least, in an everyday sense.” You really don’t have to,” Dex said. They were still warring with their personal discomfort over letting the robot do tasks of this sort, despite the fact that Mosscap loved few things more than learning how to use stuff. The first book in Chambers’ new series feels like a moment to breathe, a novel that exists to give readers a place to rest and think… Recommended for fans of Chambers’ Wayfarers series and The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.” — Booklist, starred review Only to discover that they’ve both already found their destination. And that what they truly need is each other.
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