Audiobook Review: Symbiont by Mira Grant
Symbiont is the second part of the Parasitology. In Parasite, Grant asked some wonderful questions in a brand of what I consider traditional science fiction. Symbiont picks up where we leave off, and it’s a quality follow-up to the original if not as good. I’m not a fan of spoilers, so I’ll leave any of those out.
The power of Grant’s story lies in her confronting readers to define what it is to be a person. Sal, the book’s main character, is a compelling and readers follow the story through her eyes. Sal is the true power behind the book. I think that readers who connect with her will find this engaging. The down-side is that if you’re not interested in her, it could be hard to connect with others. That’s not to say I don’t have a list of characters I think are fascinating in this story. Grant does a fantastic job of using characters to drive the story, but a fist-person narrative has that same weak spot. But, for my money, characters like Adam have such wonderful potential. I love how Grant pushes each character in new directions.
I don’t think Symbiont is as compelling or intriguing as the first book in the series, but it does build on the original and provide readers a nice little rope-a-dope plot twist that I found very interesting. I was glad Grant got a nomination for a hugo last year, and though I also voted for Ancillary Justice (second behind The Wheel of Time), I thought Grant’s work was more than worthy of Hugo consideration. Symbiont is a solid follow-up that leaves readers eagerly waiting for the next book in the series.