Ammonite

Ammonite starts slow and thoughtful, exploring interesting and surprising ideas about its science fiction universe. And then it builds to an engaging plot-driven story that’s hard to put down.

I almost wish I had read Griffith’s explanation of what she was trying to do first (in my edition this was an afterword) because I think it would have made me more attuned to some really compelling aspects of the book more quickly. But this is not to say it doesn’t succeed. It absolutely does.

I loved the world, the people, and then fictional science here. It was original, fascinating, and really fun to read. And I especially loved the complex and diverse cast of female characters. 

I enjoyed the main story of Marghe learning to assimilate into the hybrid human/alien (and all female) society of Jeep, and it reminded me in some respects of The Left Hand of Darkness, but other story elements such as the military encampment felt unbalanced and the 'big bad' Company with its rapacious designs on Jeep remained tropish and stereotypical particularly as we never saw its point of view.