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The Lesson
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
14 posts | 17 read | 16 to read
An alien ship rests over Water Island. For five years the people of the US Virgin Islands have lived with the Ynaa, a race of superadvanced aliens on a research mission they will not fully disclose. They are benevolent in many ways but meet any act of aggression with disproportional wrath. This has led to a strained relationship between the Ynaa and the local Virgin Islanders and a peace that cannot last. A year after the death of a young boy at the hands of an Ynaa, three families find themselves at the center of the inevitable conflict, witness and victim to events that will touch everyone and teach a terrible lesson.
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review
encinarus
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
Mehso-so

Aliens arrive, with a very specific purpose that we have to figure out what that is through the perspectives of a few families on the island. I liked the characters, I liked the writing, I liked the premise, it just felt like something didn't click in them coming together. It felt like there were several interesting stories in here which didn't have a chance to come to a satisfying conclusion.

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vlwelser
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Pickpick

This one is about colonization. If you think too hard about it your brain might explode. The message is amazing. The delivery is mediocre. A spaceship arrives at the US Virgin Islands and basically the aliens act like all of the other people who have turned up in the past. It's a soft pick for me because I didn't feel engaged with the characters.

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IhoardBOOKS
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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This is a story about colonialism and community. A really fascinating read that starts just a bit before the first contact and aliens arriving at the Virgin Islands, and then jumps forward 5 years of the people living with the Ynaa. The Ynaa are both benevolent but also incredibly violent, a very simple act can get someone brutally killed and relationships are tense on the island and about to take a turn for the worst.

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AshleyHoss820
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Pickpick

I‘m not sure if this was a new take on the evils of colonization, or if my brain was in that mode from British Lit class, but if that was the take it was well-done. My maiden name is Turnbull so I will randomly find an author that shares it. I‘m glad I did. Aliens invade & are helpful but also powerful & remorselessly violent. The humans have no recourse against them. Why are they here? What is the lesson? Excellent sci-fi! I‘m glad I found it!

MayJasper What a clever idea for choosing books! 4y
MayJasper Not sure that I am going to read this though. 4y
AshleyHoss820 @MayJasper Thank you! I started doing it some time ago because there are no Turnbull‘s anywhere near us, so I think I was just looking to connect. 😊 I don‘t blame you for skipping that one! I tend to stay away from autobiographies unless they‘re really good! 😊 4y
30 likes3 comments
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Erin.Elizabeth10
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Pickpick

Very interesting! I don‘t often read sci fi, and so this was quite different for me. Really interesting method to talk about colonization. Good characters and good story! It was scarier than I was expecting!

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khooliha
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Pickpick

This book took me a super long time to read, but despite my picking up and putting down I really loved it! I think I want to reread this after revisiting the Xenogenesis books - they have some interesting parallels.

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MidnightBookGirl
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Almost done with my reread for tomorrow's book club!

khooliha I Really Love that the titular lesson that the Ynaa prize is so self-serving and kind of petty - it's a fun/grim inversion. Take your fury to the stars, bury it in the flesh of other worlds. 4y
65 likes1 comment
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Eggbeater
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Pickpick

#24B4Monday #readathon 1st book completed Day 1 7hrs 9 min

There's a lot of meaning regarding colonialism to digest in this sci fi tale, but also, it's a damn good story. The characters, including the aliens, were real and their journeys were profound. I gained knowledge about the Virgin Islands where admittedly I had none. I hope Cadwell Turnbull writes more sci fi novels, I was seriously impressed.

@SumisBooks @andrew65 @jb72

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 Great time 🙌 (edited) 4y
48 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Hooked_on_books
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Mehso-so

An alien ship suddenly appears over #StThomas, with the islanders required to learn to live alongside the mostly peaceful race. The catch? If they feel threatened, they can and will rip people apart. I enjoyed the story, but as with other reviewers, it just didn‘t come all the way together for me. Great idea but not fully realized.

#ReadingUSA2019 bonus #USVI

Librarybelle Nice picking up a bonus! 5y
24 likes1 comment
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majkia
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
Mehso-so

The story of an alien 'invasion' of only the Virgin Islands.

Interesting concept, but awfully slow plot and I'm still not sure what the lesson was supposed to be.

1 like1 stack add
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Karen3
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Mehso-so

This one was a bit tough for me. The story was an interesting concept. A peaceful alien invasion and how life continued on with the aliens helping with technology and medical advancements. Some of the characters really grabbed me, but there were so many ancillary characters that I got a bit confused. Thank you #NetGalley for the early review copy. 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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khooliha
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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Preorder and Kickstarter books of the day! Probably gonna crawl into bed and read Heartwood, because my enby self wants some enby comics.

TobeyTheScavengerMonk Empress of Forever is on my list of things to do! Max Gladstone rules. 5y
khooliha @TobeyTheScavengerMonk I don't think I've read anything of his! I simply couldn't resist the amazing description. 5y
TobeyTheScavengerMonk I cannot possibly recommend his Craft Sequence highly enough! 5y
khooliha @TobeyTheScavengerMonk I will check it out! 5y
4 likes4 comments
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MidnightBookGirl
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
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My current #audiobook! I met Cadwell Turnbull at Book Expo, and he's coming to our bookstore soon for a signing. Sci-fi? The Virgin Islands? Yes, please!

48 likes1 stack add
review
Schlinkles
The Lesson | Cadwell Turnbull
This post contains spoilers
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Mehso-so

This was an interesting first contact story that was essentially a lesson in colonialism. He had me all the way up until the end, I think the book could‘ve been at least 20 pages shorter. If the story had ended with Mera taking Derrick‘s body away, it would‘ve been much better. The last bit went on too much and didn‘t add anything to the story.