Series: Monk & Robot #2
Author: Becky Chambers
Publisher: Tor.com
Released: July 12, 2022
Received: NetGalley

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is the second novella in Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot series, and once again, I am captivated. If you’ve been looking for an utterly unique take on robots and the future, please, please take the time to read these two novellas.

Sibling Dex and Mosscap make quite a unique team. One of a (potentially retired) Tea Monk, and the other is a robot on a quest to understand what humans want and need. Together, they’ve been traveling from one town to the next.

In a way, both are on the same quest, though perhaps they did not know that at the beginning. Both are trying to find purpose in their lives while understanding what they would like to do next. By traveling the world together, these two friends are learning so much more than that.

“You don’t have to have a reason to be tired. You don’t have to earn rest or comfort. You’re allowed to just be.”

Over the years, there have been certain novellas that I’ve come to cherish. Monk and Robot are two such novellas, as they absolutely delight to read. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is everything I had hoped it would be, with a fair bit more on top.

There is something so poignant about this series – and I’m not just referring to the timeline (the series is set at a point where humanity has learned not to rely on robots). It’s the way humans treat one another, how they respect the world, and how they listen. Given everything happening in the world, there are so many lessons we could take from these works.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is a series of vignettes as Sibling Dex, and Mosscap bounce from one place to the next. Each location has a unique story and set of characters, and each one seems to drive a different point home.

While A Psalm for the Wild-Built will always hold a special place in my heart, I must admit that I love A Prayer for the Crown-Shy just as much – if not more. The second novella isn’t afraid to delve deeper into the emotional state of both beloved characters. Much of what they’re feeling and saying resonated with me, and I’m confident I won’t be the only reader that feels this way.

At the end of the day, A Prayer for the Crown-Shy reminds us that it’s okay for us just to exist. We don’t have to be working or creating value in some way. Take a moment, catch your breath, and just be.

Thanks to Tor.com and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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